Breaking: RBA hikes rates to 4.6%
The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised the cash rate to 4.6%, marking the fourth hike of 2026. Governor Michele Bullock cited global conflicts and domestic economic pressures as primary drivers for the decision.
Why it matters
Interest rate hikes directly impact mortgage affordability and consumer spending power in the Australian economy.
Thank you for following along with us this afternoon for our coverage on the Reserve Bank’s sixth cash rate decision for 2026.
The RBA has increased the cash rate by 25 percentage points to 4.6%, marking the fourth cash rate hike of the year and the first since May.
RBA Governor Michele Bullock. Picture: NewsWire/Christian Gilles
To recap, the cash rate has been raised to 4.6% with governor Bullock attributing the decision to a mixture of pressure from the ongoing Middle East conflict, the AI investment boom, and ongoing domestic capacity pressures. Today’s decision marks the fourth cash rate hike of the year and the first since May.
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