Christopher Kent is the Reserve Bank of Australia's Assistant Governor (Financial Markets)

He is speaking (via videoconference or whatever the kids call it now) to the Australian Finance Industry Association, Sydney.

This now from the Q&A following his earlier speech (here: RBA's Kent expects a rise in business failures as fiscal support is phased out)

  • Says of course the Bank is aware of, and focused on, what asset prices are doing
  • 'if asset prices are rising on the back of deteriorating lending standards and rising financial risk that would be a concern
  • the cash rate will not be increased until inflation is sustainably in the RBA's 2 to 3% target band
  • we are at the effective lower bound with our policy rate
  • does not thnk negative rates are helpful in Australia, would impede banks' ability to lend
  • later this year the RBA will consider additional bond buying - will depend on economic data
  • RBA still increasing its bond holdings at a reasonably good pace