RBA Rate Hike Looms as Australia PMIs Preview September Data
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is expected to hike interest rates at its upcoming meeting on September 29, and the latest flash Purchasing Managers' Indexes (PMIs) will provide valuable insight into the country's economic health. The Australian PMIs for September are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, September 23 at 7pm US Eastern time, which is 9am Thursday on the east coast of Australia.
The August flash survey showed that input costs were rising due to higher fuel, freight, commodity, and raw material prices. This inflationary trend may add weight to the tightening case for the RBA. The cash rate currently sits at 4.35% after 75 basis points of increases earlier in 2026.
All four major Australian banks now forecast a 25 basis point rise to 4.60% on September 29, and any surprise in the flash data could show up first in the Australian dollar and short-dated government bond yields.