What the whopping Covid-cut to the Official Cash Rate means

In a surprise move this morning, the Reserve Bank has slashed the Official Cash Rate to just 0.25%, down from 1%. So what does that mean for you, and why has it happened now? Just quickly – what is the official cash rate? The OCR is the interest rate at which the Reserve Bank lends … Read more

The Bulletin: A disturbing echo of March 15 attack 

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Threats made against Al-Noor mosque worshippers, two more being checked for possible coronavirus, and PM criticises but doesn’t sanction Shane Jones. Almost a year after the disgusting terror attack of March 15, a new threat has been made against worshippers at the Al-Noor mosque in … Read more

The Bulletin: Coronavirus and the OCR

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Coronavirus fears loom over OCR announcement, Salvation Army release annual SOTN report, and the PM does actually trust her deputy PM. Will the coronavirus have an effect on the Reserve Bank’s interest rates announcement today? There’s been a fair bit of speculation in the past week … Read more

The Bulletin: Another unexpected Official Cash Rate move

Good morning and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Another unexpected OCR move, NZ First Foundation donations under scrutiny, and End of Life Choice bill passes pending referendum. Reserve Bank governor Adrian Orr seems intent on giving as many surprises as possible with the OCR. After slashing it in August when it was expected to be lowered … Read more

Go out and spend: the message behind the OCR cut (and why we shouldn’t panic)

Adrian Orr has brought out the big guns to put a sorely needed bomb under the New Zealand economy and now the government needs to do its bit, a top economist says. The Reserve Bank’s decision to slash interest rates is a good move that shouldn’t come as a surprise, Kiwibank chief economist Jarrod Kerr … Read more

The Bulletin: Why the OCR cut is big news

Good morning, and welcome to The Bulletin. In today’s edition: Why the OCR cut is a big deal, significant non-compliance on Waikato dairy farms revealed, and major changes to Misuse of Drugs Act passed. The Reserve Bank has cut the OCR further than expected, bringing it down to 1.00% rather than the 1.25% that was … Read more