The RBA increased the cash rate to 3.85% this week. In this week's podcast, Head of Australian Economics Belinda Allen and Economist Harry Ottley discuss the why interest rates are heading higher in 2026. 

 

Important Information   

This podcast is approved and distributed by Global Economic & Markets Research (“GEMR”), a business division of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124 AFSL 234945 (“the Bank”).  

Before listening to this podcast, you are advised to read the full GEMR disclaimers, which can be found at www.commbankresearch.com.au.  

No Reliance  

Information in this podcast is of a general nature only. It does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs and does not constitute personal financial advice.  

This podcast provides general market-related information only and is not to be construed as a solicitation or an offer to buy or sell any securities or other financial products. It is not investment research and nor does it purport to make any recommendations.  

Where ‘CBA Data’ is cited, this refers to the Bank’s proprietary data that is sourced from its internal systems and may include, but not be limited to, home loan data, credit card transaction data, merchant facility transaction data and applications for credit. The data used in the ‘CommBank Household Spending Insights’ series is a combination of the CBA Data and publicly available ABS, Cotality and RBA data. As analysis is based on Bank customer transactions, it may not reflect all trends in the market. All customer data used or represented in this podcast is anonymised before analysis and is used, and disclosed, in accordance with the Group Privacy Statement.  

The Bank believes that the information in this podcast is correct, and any opinions, conclusions or recommendations made are reasonably held and are based on the information available at the time of its compilation. The Bank makes no representation or warranty, either expressed or implied, as to the accuracy, reliability or completeness of any statement made. 

Liability Disclaimer  

The Bank does not accept any liability for any loss or damage arising out of any error or omission in or from the information provided or arising out of the use of all or part of the podcast.”   

Usage of Artificial Intelligence 

To enhance efficiency, GEMR may use the Bank approved artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in preparing content for this podcast. These tools are used solely for drafting and structuring purposes and do not replace human judgment or oversight. All final content is reviewed and approved by GEMR analysts for accuracy and independence. 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.