Australia Rate Cut Lifts Shares Down Under

June 5, 2012 10:07 AM EDT
The Reserve Bank of Australia cut its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 3.5 percent. Data compiled by Bloomberg showed a 40 percent chance of a larger cut to 3.25 percent.

In statements, Governor Glenn Stevens said "Overall labour market conditions firmed a little, notwithstanding job shedding in some industries, and the rate of unemployment remains low. Nonetheless, both households and businesses continue to exhibit a degree of precautionary behaviour, which may continue in the near term."

iShares MSCI Australia Index (NYSE: EWA), an ETF that tracks the Australian equity market, is trading 0.7 percent higher early on Tuesday. CurrencyShares Australian Dollar Trust (NYSE: FXA), an ETF that tracks the exchange rate between the Australian dollar relative to the U.S. dollar, is also trading higher today.


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