Australian central bank keeps interest rates on hold, awaits further inflation data

Sydney

AUSTRALIA'S central bank stood pat on interest rates as it awaits further inflation data and weighs the impact of two cuts in the last four months.

In his final meeting, Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens and his board left the cash rate at 1.5 per cent on Tuesday, as forecast by all 26 economists surveyed. Traders see little chance of further easing until after the release of third-quarter consumer prices data in late October, as the outgoing chief reiterated that inflation was expected to remain low for "some time".