{
  "id": 15822967,
  "title": "Odds of fifth interest rate hike this year likely to shorten as RBA deputy warns inflation outlook ‘worsening’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/odds-of-fifth-interest-rate-hike-this-year-likely-to-shorten-as-rba-15822967",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-20T23:19:07.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian Australia",
    "slug": "the-guardian-australia",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/21/odds-of-fifth-interest-rate-hike-this-year-likely-to-shorten-as-rba-deputy-warns-inflation-outlook-worsening"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Andrew Hauser, the Reserve Bank’s deputy governor, has reignited discussions about a fifth interest rate hike ahead of Melbourne Cup day. He warned of \"hard choices\" ahead amid an inflation outlook that the bank had underestimated two months ago. Hauser spoke at an investment bank conference in Sydney, noting that RBA monetary policy board members are balancing a slowing economy with concerns about Australians' waning faith in the central bank's ability to curb inflation to the 2.5% target. While inflation has remained stubbornly high for an extended period, Hauser suggested that businesses now view 3.5% inflation as the new norm. He stated that removing entrenched inflation expectations may necessitate higher interest rates. Despite the clear need for below-trend growth to bring inflation down, Hauser acknowledged that the economy is presenting a mixed picture. High interest rates and fuel prices are impacting activity, while last week's jobs data indicated unemployment had reached a five-year high of 4.7%. However, Hauser highlighted robust economic growth among Australia's key trading partners in Asia and the surge in datacentre investment. Oil prices have surged, tripling the bank's August predictions. Hauser emphasized the challenging trade-offs the RBA faces, weighing the need to curb inflation against the risk of weakening activity and the labor market. \"Those are hard choices,\" he concluded.",
  "summary": "Andrew Hauser says central bank faces ‘hard choices’ as it looks to balance risks of entrenched inflation with desire to protect labour market Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast Andrew Hauser, the Reserve Bank’s deputy governor, has reignited talk of a fifth interest rate hike on Melbourne Cup day, warning of “hard choices” ahead in response to an inflation outlook that…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian",
        "title": "Odds of fifth interest rate hike this year likely to shorten as RBA deputy warns inflation outlook ‘worsening’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/odds-of-fifth-interest-rate-hike-this-year-likely-to-shorten-as-rba",
        "published": "2026-10-20T23:19:07.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "FXStreet",
        "title": "RBA's Hauser: Inflation outlook appears worse than forecast, slightly above expectations",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/20/rbas-hauser-inflation-outlook-appears-worse-than-forecast-slightly",
        "published": "2026-10-20T23:36:36.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "Australia inflation outlook ‘materially worse’, RBA deputy Hauser says",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/21/australia-inflation-outlook-materially-worse-rba-deputy-hauser-says",
        "published": "2026-10-21T01:04:56.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}