1002 GMT - The Reserve Bank of Australia is one of the most mentioned entities in the news over the past seven hours, according to Factiva data. The central bank maintained its cash rate target at 4.10% for a fourth straight meeting but kept the door open for further tightening. RBA Gov. Michele Bullock said inflation remains too high but recent data are consistent with it returning to the 2%-3% target and with output and employment continuing to grow. DBS economists who expected the hawkish pause said in a note that consumers in Australia are facing "a cost-of-living crisis amid the worst housing affordability in 30 years." The RBA has raised interest rates by 4 percentage points since May last year. AUD/USD was recently 0.8% lower at 0.6313. The S&P/ASX 200 shed 1.3% to end at 6943.4. Dow Jones & Co. owns Factiva. (farah.elias@wsj.com)
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
10-03-23 0617ET
