Westpac Bank is expecting the Official Cash Rate to remain unchanged when the Reserve Bank makes its next announcement on Thursday.
Westpac is predicting the central bank will start gradually raising the rate from early next year.
Westpac's economists say a fall in unemployment since the last announcement in October is positive.
However, it is not thought to be enough to sway the Reserve Bank into swift rate increases.
- Newstalk ZB
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from New Zealand
45 seconds of terror: $1m worth of gems, gold stolen in brazen jewel store raid
Staff and customers fled for their lives as every cabinet was smashed with weapons.