RBA minutes from the November 3–4 meeting underscored a Board that sees the economy as “broadly in balance” and saw no justification to adjust the cash rate at this stage. While the central projection remains aligned with the RBA’s employment and inflation objectives, policymakers stressed that the next move in rates is not predetermined. Members agreed it was “not yet possible to be confident” about whether holding steady or easing further would become the more likely scenario.
The minutes outlined several conditions that could support keeping policy unchanged. One is a stronger-than-expected recovery in “demand” that lifts employment. Another is if incoming data suggest the economy’s “supply capacity” is weaker than previously assessed — potentially due to persistently high inflation or softer-than-expected productivity growth. A third is a reassessment of whether monetary policy is still “slightly restrictive”. Any of these outcomes, the RBA said, would “limit the scope for further easing”.
But the Board also detailed circumstances that could justify another rate cut. A material weakening in the labor market remains the clearest trigger. A second downside risk is if GDP growth disappoints — for example, if households turn “more cautious about spending” than currently assumed. In these cases, excess capacity would likely reappear, cooling inflation and warranting additional support.
Overall, the minutes confirm a central bank in wait-and-see mode. The RBA is not ruling out further easing, but neither is it leaning strongly toward it. The next several months of data — particularly on productivity, inflation persistence, and household spending — will be crucial in determining whether the Board holds steady or reopens the easing path in 2026.
