RBA still on hold as analyst views diverge over future direction

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)'s decision to keep the cash rate on hold – at 2 per cent – at its March 1 meeting drew little surprise from the analyst community. However, views differ around expectations for the RBA's future policy stance. Some believe high hurdles to easing will provide the RBA with little opportunity to lower the cash rate in 2016, while others argue that soft demand and low inflation might cause the RBA to pull the trigger.