SoftBank Shares Slide as Oracle’s AI Spending Plans Fuel Market Jitters 
Air Force One Delivery Delayed to 2028 as Boeing Faces Rising Costs 
United Airlines Tokyo-Bound Flight Returns to Dulles After Engine Failure 
Fortescue Expands Copper Portfolio With Full Takeover of Alta Copper 
Apple App Store Injunction Largely Upheld as Appeals Court Rules on Epic Games Case 
Trello Outage Disrupts Users as Access Issues Hit Atlassian’s Work Management Platform 
California Jury Awards $40 Million in Johnson & Johnson Talc Cancer Lawsuit 
Nvidia Weighs Expanding H200 AI Chip Production as China Demand Surges 
Rio Tinto Signs Interim Agreement With Yinhawangka Aboriginal Group Over Pilbara Mining Operations 
Strategy Retains Nasdaq 100 Spot Amid Growing Scrutiny of Bitcoin Treasury Model 
SK Hynix Considers U.S. ADR Listing to Boost Shareholder Value Amid Rising AI Chip Demand 
Evercore Reaffirms Alphabet’s Search Dominance as AI Competition Intensifies 
SoftBank Eyes Switch Inc as It Pushes Deeper Into AI Data Center Expansion 
Mizuho Raises Broadcom Price Target to $450 on Surging AI Chip Demand 
Moore Threads Stock Slides After Risk Warning Despite 600% Surge Since IPO 
Coca-Cola’s Costa Coffee Sale Faces Uncertainty as Talks With TDR Capital Hit Snag 
United Airlines Flight to Tokyo Returns to Dulles After Engine Failure During Takeoff 
RBA Likely to Hold Rates Amid Inflation and Labor Market Strength
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is widely expected to maintain its current interest rate of 4.35% at the upcoming policy meeting. Following steady rate hikes over the past two years to tackle high inflation, the RBA appears cautious about reducing rates soon, given persistent inflationary pressures and a robust labor market.
Current Economic Conditions and Inflation Outlook
According to recent data, Australia's headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation has aligned with the RBA’s target range of 2% to 3%. However, underlying inflation—which excludes volatile food and energy prices—remains elevated. This trend suggests that while inflation has eased, it may not fall sustainably within target levels for another two years, as RBA Governor Michele Bullock has indicated.
Rate Cut Projections and Analyst Expectations
Luci Ellis, Westpac Group’s Chief Economist, noted that while further rate hikes are unlikely, immediate cuts are also improbable. Most analysts, including those at ANZ, forecast that the RBA may begin rate cuts in early 2025, gradually lowering the cash rate to around 3.6% by the year’s end.
Market Impact on ASX 200 and AUDUSD
The ASX 200 index, benefiting from global rate cuts, has recently surged but remains sensitive to RBA signals. The Australian dollar (AUDUSD) weakened amid speculation over future RBA cuts but may strengthen slightly if rates are held steady.
