Interest rate forecast 2026: when will rates go up in Australia?

In February of this year, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cut the cash rate for the first time since 2020, and since then, the cash rate has been cut twice more, most recently at on August 12, bringing it to its current level of 3.60%.

Following the September cut, all four of the big banks had predicted at least one more for 2025, but with recent CPI figures showing inflation creeping back up, the RBA opted to hold in November.

Could we see even more rate movement this year? We’ll find out the RBA’s next move when the board makes its next announcement on Tuesday December 9.

What do the major banks say about future cash rate hikes?

ANZ predicts a 25 basis point cut in February, taking the cash rate to 3.35% by the start of 2026.

CommBank predicts no further cuts in the current cycle.

NAB predicts a 25 basis point cut in May of 2026, taking the cash rate to 3.35% by the middle of next year.

Westpac predicts a 25 basis point cut in May and another one in August, taking the cash rate to 3.10% by late 2026.

How to ease the pain on your mortgage

There are ways you may be able to pay off your home loan quicker than planned. For example, paying more than the minimum required, or switching from calendar monthly to fortnightly payments can help you reduce the outstanding amount on your loan faster.

You can use our extra repayments calculator to see how that could affect your home loan.

If you’re worried about the impact of any rate rise on your home loan repayments, you might want to consider reviewing your loan. A good place to start is by researching what other rates and loans are on the market, via a comparison website such as Canstar.

Armed with this information, you may choose to discuss with your lender what options may be available, such as fixing all or part of your loan. If you’re in a position to do so, you could also consider asking them for a lower rate, citing examples of other rates on offer.

You may also want to consider switching lenders to take advantage of a more competitive deal, including any refinance offers. But refinancing could involve the payment of fees, so it’s a good idea to read all important documentation, such as the Target Market Determination (TMD) and Key Facts Sheet, before making a decision.

Of course, any rate rise, while bad news for mortgage and other loan customers, would be good news for savers.

Anyone with savings in an interest bearing account will likely be looking for greater return on their money but borrowers will be keen to keep their repayments low, and that’s the challenge the RBA faces every time it meets to consider changing the cash rate.