The Reserve Bank of Australia has published its May 2026 Bulletin, bringing together new research on financial stability, the Australian economy, payments and bank pricing. The issue highlights a new data-based view of Australian housing investors, analysis arguing that simple claims that profit margins drove inflation can be misleading, and updates on consumer payment behaviour, bank fees, and movements in banks’ funding costs and lending rates. The financial stability article draws on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Person Level Integrated Data Asset to provide a materially richer picture of housing investors than was previously possible. In payments, results from the 2025 Consumer Payments Survey show that cards remained the most widely used consumer payment method in Australia, while a separate article updates RBA analysis of bank fees charged to households, businesses and government. The finance article reports that banks’ funding costs and lending rates declined in 2025 as the cash rate was cut, then rose in early 2026 alongside increases in the cash rate.
Reserve Bank of Australia2026-05-28
Reserve Bank of Australia publishes May Bulletin with research on housing investors inflation margins payments and bank funding costs
The Reserve Bank of Australia has published its May 2026 Bulletin, covering new research on financial stability, the Australian economy, payments and bank pricing. Key articles provide a richer data-based profile of housing investors, analyse claims about profit margins and inflation, update evidence on consumer payment behaviour and bank fees, and track movements in banks’ funding costs and lending rates as the cash rate fell in 2025 and rose in early 2026.