RBA Holds Cash Rate as Australian Households Feel Pinch

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept the official cash rate at 4.35%, providing relief to the real estate market, which has been grappling with constrained borrowing capacity and inflationary pressures.

Consumer data from Compare the Market shows that two-thirds of Australian households are vulnerable to a single additional rate rise, with nearly three in ten respondents saying they would be forced to cut discretionary spending if rates rose again.

The figures highlight a growing two-speed economy across the housing sector, with debt-free homeowners remaining largely insulated and mortgaged buyers and renters carrying the brunt of cumulative rate pressure.