CBA issues warning for a per capita recession ahead of further RBA rate hikes
In an economics report released today, Commonwealth Bank announced its forecast for a recession in 2023 as Reserve Bank rate hikes finally catch up with consumer spending.
The big bank has pencilled in a final 0.25% rate hike for the 7th February RBA meeting, with at least 0.50% worth of cuts predicted for the end of the year as the Australian economy slows. This would mean a cash rate peak of 3.35% in a few weeks.
But with other big banks like Westpac still hedging bets on another 0.75% worth of rises this year (with a 3.85% peak in May), is the RBA at risk of fumbling the ‘soft landing’ in its war against inflation?
Australian GDP to drag in 2023, consumer spending and employment signs to watch
Despite inflation running away from us last year, wages haven’t kept pace with the times. Households have mostly had to absorb price shocks and rate hikes with extra savings accumulated during the early years of the pandemic.
Many fixed rates on home loans are set to expire in 2023 as well, which have so far ‘blunted’ the impact of rate hikes against a sizable chunk of Australian mortgages. Property prices have also plummeted, eating into the equity and value that had previously boomed to record growth in May 2022.
CBA calls these forces the winds of a perfect storm. All will sweep across Aussie households and place pressure on consumer spending, which until now has been cited as ‘high’ and ‘strong’ by the RBA when justifying rate hikes.
Another critical bellwether – the employment rate – is expected to wobble. CBA forecasts that as businesses feel the squeeze, unemployment could lift to 4.25% by the end of the year. For context, CBA holds a 4.0% unemployment rate by October as an ideal “soft landing” for the tightening economy. Currently, unemployment is at 3.5%.
These predictions only matter if the RBA rests official interest rates at 3.35% in February. Pushing the cash rate higher (as NAB and Westpac expect) could destabilise the soft landing the RBA hopes for.
This could result in what CBA calls a “per capita recession”, meaning the GDP won’t grow as fast as the Australian population. This is different from a 'technical' recession, which is a dramatic loss in GDP growth over consecutive quarters regardless of the population numbers, such as the 2008 Global Financial Crisis.
However, some pundits claim that the distinction between a per capita and technical recession is unhelpful at best and nonsense at worst. As Australian economics expert David Taylor put it on Twitter, it’s a “fancy way of saying no technical recession but it’ll sure feel like one”.
CBA forecasting a ‘per capita’ Australian recession for 2023 — fancy way of saying no technical recession but it’ll sure feel like one
— David Taylor (@DaveTaylorNews) January 19, 2023
“Path of the cash rate” to dominate the Australian economy as households prepare
RBA decisions remain a key figure to watch in 2023. By beginning its record-breaking tightening cycle last year, the central bank has marked inflation as the enemy and remained committed to bringing it under control – despite the threat rate hikes pose to overly indebted households.
Rate cuts forecasted for the end of the year may bring an iota of relief, but this depends on the RBA holding a calmer, more dovish course than many pundits expect. CBA’s report highlights the real risk of the central bank overdoing it and sparking a recession, which could stress family budgets on top of inflation and high mortgage repayments.
“Monetary and fiscal policy are the key uncertainties – the path of the cash rate from here will play the dominant role in determining economic outcomes in 2023,” says CBA head of Australian economics, Gareth Aird.
“Recession is not our base case, though a quarterly contraction in economic activity in 2023 is a distinct possibility.”
Despite the Reserve Bank of Australia not meeting in January, a trickle of variable rate changes has come through from lenders reading the landscape. Buyers may have an opportunity to leap into a quieter (and cheaper) housing market this year, but borrowers will need to watch their budgets carefully.
Subscribe to Moneyzone for weekly home loan and property insights. Keen on guarding yourself against rate hikes? Compare fixed-rate home loans below.
Compare fixed rate home loans - last updated 5 May 2024
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Exceptional Value Home Lender - 2024
Fixed Express Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment5.99% p.a.
fixed 2 years6.14% p.a.Lock in a low 2 year fixed rate with the Mozo award winning Home Lender of the Year. Available for live-in borrowers with just a 10% deposit required. Free extra repayments (up to 20% in fixed period), free redraw and partial offset available. $10 monthly service fee.
CompareCompareFixed Express Home Loan
Lock in a low 2 year fixed rate with the Mozo award winning Home Lender of the Year. Available for live-in borrowers with just a 10% deposit required. Free extra repayments (up to 20% in fixed period), free redraw and partial offset available. $10 monthly service fee.
- interest rate
- 6.04% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.15% p.a.
- interest rate
- 6.04% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.15% p.a.
- upfront fees
- $134
- Ongoing fees
- $10.00 monthly
- Discharge Fee
- $350.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - up to 20% during the fixed period
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- yes - partial only
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 90.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $5,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $3,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Bendigo Bank Fixed Express Home Loan
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Basic Home Loan
Fixed, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR<70%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years6.12% p.a.No upfront or ongoing fees. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Option to earn Qantas points. Min 30% deposit required. Borrow up to $750,000.
CompareCompareBasic Home Loan
No upfront or ongoing fees. Free extra repayments and redraw facility. Option to earn Qantas points. Min 30% deposit required. Borrow up to $750,000.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.12% p.a.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.12% p.a.
- upfront fees
- $350
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $400.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - up to $10,000 p.a.
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 70.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $150,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $10,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Macquarie Basic Home Loan
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Mozo experts choice awards won:
- Exceptional Value Home Lender - 2024
Fixed Express Home Loan
Owner Occupier, Interest Only
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.49% p.a.
fixed 2 years6.39% p.a.CompareCompareFixed Express Home Loan
- interest rate
- 6.54% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.38% p.a.
- interest rate
- 6.54% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.38% p.a.
- upfront fees
- $134
- Ongoing fees
- $10.00 monthly
- Discharge Fee
- $350.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - up to 20% during the fixed period
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- yes - partial only
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 90.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $5,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $3,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Interest Only
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the Bendigo Bank Fixed Express Home Loan
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Flex Home Loan
Fixed, Owner Occupier, Principal & Interest, LVR 70-80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years6.41% p.a.Competitive fixed rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 20% deposit required.
CompareCompareFlex Home Loan
Competitive fixed rate. Multiple offset accounts available. Borrowers can also make extra repayments. Redraw facility available. Simple online application process. 20% deposit required.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.41% p.a.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.41% p.a.
- upfront fees
- $250
- Ongoing fees
- $250.00 yearly
- Discharge Fee
- $300.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free
- Redraw facility
- yes - free
- Offset account
- yes
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- -
- maximum borrowing amount
- -
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Weekly, Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the ubank Flex Home Loan
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Fixed Rate Loan with Orange Advantage
Orange Advantage, Owner Occupiers, Principal & Interest, LVR <80%
interest rate
comparison rate
Initial monthly repayment6.09% p.a.
fixed 2 years6.16% p.a.Know exactly what your repayments will be, and you can fix your rate for up to 5 years. No monthly, annual fee or transaction fees. Free additional repayments (less than $10,000 p.a.). Valid for loans of $50,000 up to $2,000,000.
CompareCompareFixed Rate Loan with Orange Advantage
Know exactly what your repayments will be, and you can fix your rate for up to 5 years. No monthly, annual fee or transaction fees. Free additional repayments (less than $10,000 p.a.). Valid for loans of $50,000 up to $2,000,000.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.12% p.a.
- interest rate
- 5.99% p.a.
fixed 3 years
- comparison rate
- 6.12% p.a.
- upfront fees
- $299
- Ongoing fees
- $0.00
- Discharge Fee
- $250.00
- Extra repayments
- yes - free up to $10,000 pa
- Redraw facility
- no
- Offset account
- no
- Maximum loan to value ratio
- 80.00%
- minimum borrowing amount
- $50,000
- maximum borrowing amount
- $2,000,000
- type of mortgage
- Fixed
- Repayment types
- Principal & Interest
- Availability
- Owner Occupier
- Repayment options
- Fortnightly, Monthly
- Special Offers
- -
Read our Mozo Review to learn more about the ING Fixed Rate Loan with Orange Advantage
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* WARNING: This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan. The comparison rate displayed is for a secured loan with monthly principal and interest repayments for $150,000 over 25 years.
** Initial monthly repayment figures are estimates only, based on the advertised rate. You can change the loan amount and term in the input boxes at the top of this table. Rates, fees and charges and therefore the total cost of the loan may vary depending on your loan amount, loan term, and credit history. Actual repayments will depend on your individual circumstances and interest rate changes.
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