The Reserve Bank of New Zealand reduced its benchmark rate by a quarter-point, as expected on Wednesday, and hinted at further easing as recent increases in trade tariffs pose downside risks to economic outlook.
The Monetary Policy Committee, led by acting governor Christian Hawkesby, decided to cut the Official Cash Rate by 25 basis points to 3.50 percent, which was the lowest since October 2022. The committee observed that a 25 basis-point reduction would be consistent with the mandate of maintaining low and stable inflation.
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June 19, 2026 16:46 ET Major central banks continued to dominate the economic news flow this week too, led by the Federal Reserve, as they announced their latest policy decisions. The Federal Reserve policy session was in focus as it was the first to be led by the new chief Kevin Warsh. In Europe, central banks of the U.K. and Switzerland announced their rate decisions. In Asia, the Bank of Japan drew attention for its policy moves, while data out of China threw some light on the state of the economy.