When all else fails, pretend it's all good. Like what Australia did, following the just released announcement by the RBA that it is keeping the cash rate unchanged at 4.25% on expectations of a 25 bps rate cut. Which begs the question: is China re-exporting the lagging US inflation it imported over 2011? So it appears to Glenn Stevens, who just said that "Commodity prices declined for some months to be noticeably off their peaks, but over the past couple of months have risen somewhat and remain at quite high levels." Or maybe they are not pretending and inflation is still alive and very much real? It also means that Chinese inflation continues to be far higher than what is represented, but we probably will just take the PBoC's word for that. Or not, and wonder: did the RBA just catch the PBOC lying about its subdued inflation? And if that is the case, does anyone really wonder why that very elusive RRR-cut is coming with the same certainty as the Greek creditor deal? Either way, the AUDJPY spikes by 80 pips on the news, however briefly, and if the traditional linkage between the AUDJPY and the market is preserved, it should have a favorable impact on risk as it means at least one hotbed of inflation remains. On the other hand, it also means that Chinese easing is a long way off... and in a market defined solely by hopes for central bank intervention this is not good. And amusingly, just as we write this, Bloomberg release a note that the PBOC is draining funds: "China’s money market rates rose after PBOC resumed fund drain via a repo operation, showing it remained cautious toward policy easing." Translation: "Hopes for a near-term RRR cut could be dashed, Credit Agricole CIB strategist Frances Cheung writes in note to clients." Oops. Furthermore, the PBOC did 26 billion yuan in repos, meaning it is set to conduct a net liquidity withdrawal for this week according to Credit Agricole. Withrawing liquidity when the market expects RRR cuts? Fughetaboutit. (and reread the Grice piece [13]on why only idiots define inflation by the CPI or the PCE).
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Official Statement from the RBA [15]
Statement by Glenn Stevens, Governor: Monetary Policy Decision
At its meeting today, the Board decided to leave the cash rate unchanged at 4.25 per cent.
Information becoming available since the December meeting confirms that economic conditions in Europe were weakening late last year, with risks still skewed to the downside. Reflecting this, most forecasters have lowered their forecasts for world GDP growth this year to a below trend pace. That said, recent data from the United States suggest a continuing moderate expansion after a soft patch in mid 2011. Growth in China has moderated as was intended, but on most indicators remained quite robust through the second half of last year. Conditions around other parts of Asia have softened. Commodity prices declined for some months to be noticeably off their peaks, but over the past couple of months have risen somewhat and remain at quite high levels.
The acute financial pressures on banks in Europe were alleviated considerably late in 2011 by the actions of policymakers. Much remains to be done to put European sovereigns and banks on a sound footing, but some progress has been made. Financial market sentiment, though remaining skittish, has generally improved since early December. Share markets have risen and term funding markets have re-opened, including for Australian banks, albeit at increased cost compared with the situation prevailing in mid 2011.
Information on the Australian economy continues to suggest growth close to trend, with differences between sectors. Labour market conditions softened during 2011 and the unemployment rate increased slightly in mid year, though it has been steady over recent months. CPI inflation has declined as expected, as the large rises in food prices resulting from the floods a year ago have been unwinding. Year-ended CPI inflation will fall further over the next quarter or two. In underlying terms, inflation is around 2½ per cent. Over the coming one to two years, and abstracting from the effects of the carbon price, the Bank expects inflation to be in the 2–3 per cent range.
Credit growth remains modest, though there has been a slight increase in demand for credit by businesses. Housing prices showed some sign of stabilising at the end of 2011, after having declined for most of the year. The exchange rate has risen further, even though the terms of trade have started to decline. This is largely a reflection of a decline in the euro against all currencies. Nonetheless, the Australian dollar in trade-weighted terms is somewhat higher than the Bank had previously assumed.
At today's meeting, the Board noted that interest rates for borrowers have declined to be close to their medium-term average, as a result of the actions at the Board's previous two meetings. With growth expected to be close to trend and inflation close to target, the Board judged that the setting of monetary policy was appropriate for the moment. Should demand conditions weaken materially, the inflation outlook would provide scope for easier monetary policy. The Board will continue to monitor information on economic and financial conditions and adjust the cash rate as necessary to foster sustainable growth and low inflation.