Inflation falls to 3.4pc, eases pressure on RBA for rate rise

Inflation cooled faster than anticipated to 3.4 per cent in November, as a wave of retail discounting helped ease the pressure on household budgets during the holiday period and bolstered the case for the Reserve Bank to hold interest rates steady next month.

While the Australian Bureau of Statistics noted persistent heat in housing, food and transport costs, the headline figure was dragged down by aggressive Black Friday sales in the apparel and homewares sectors.

Source: https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/inflation-falls-to-3-4pc-eases-pressure-on-rba-for-rate-rise-20260106-p5ns04