Latest from Monetary Policy

<i>Fran O'Sullivan:</i> Labour gets back into the game
Fran O'Sullivan writes that Phil Goff has been handed a couple of political aces - but how he plays them remains to be seen.

Fed details US debt shopping plan
The Federal Reserve has voted to buy US Govt debt in a fresh bid to spur the world's biggest economy.

Bollard lifts OCR, future hikes likely to be less
While increasing the OCR this morning, Reserve Bank Governor Alan Bollard has indicated that future hikes won't be as aggressive as earlier tipped.

NZ dollar tumbles despite interest rates hike
The NZ dollar has tumbled this morning, after Reserve Bank governor Alan Bollard signalled that future interest rate rises will be more modest than earlier indicated.

<i>Brian Fallow:</i> Bollard still expects 'respectable' growth
Bollard's statement carried a thinly veiled warning about the consequences of passing on GST increases.

NZ dollar jumps to six-month high
The NZ dollar climbed to a six-month high as a surge in new home sales in the US stoked investors' appetite for higher-yielding, or riskier, assets.

<i>Bernard Hickey - </i> Reserve Bank should target the housing bubble
It's clear the economy has become dependent on the debt growth fuelled by the housing market's ever-increasing values.

<i>Dollar Outlook: </i> Kiwi may gain as rate decision looms
The New Zealand dollar may advance as traders eschew an out-of-favour greenback and seek growth assets Downunder this week.

OCR hike tipped for next week
The Reserve Bank is tipped to raise the Official Cash Rate next week, despite lower than expected economic growth.

Inflation now 1.8pc - lower food prices offset tobacco hike
New CPI figures show prices rose 0.3 per cent for the June 2010 quarter, meaning annual inflation is running at 1.8 per cent.

<i>NZ Dollar Outlook:</i> US earnings set to dominate
The New Zealand dollar may be little changed over the next five days after a 3.2pc surge last week took it above 71 US cents for the first time in a fortnight.

Auckland house prices slump in June
Auckland house sales slumped 16pc in June, with the average sale price falling 3.6pc from a year ago, says real estate firm Barfoot & Thompson.

Reserve Bank says it's looking at other tools
In a new statement of intent, the Reserve Bank says it is looking at new tools to support the traditional Official Cash Rate.

Labour outlines monetary policy
Phil Goff says the Labour Party would require the Reserve Bank to pursue broader objectives.

Households need to do more, says Bollard
New Zealanders should do more to address economic imbalances, especially external debt, says the Reserve Bank.

More uridashi sales would be useful, Bollard says
Alan Bollard says a pickup in sales of 'uridashi' bonds to Japanese investors would be useful.