SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia's central bank is seen extending its record spell of steady rates well into next year, according to a median of economists polled by Reuters, with a 25-basis-point hike not expected before early-2020.
Of the 39 analysts polled, all but one sees the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to hold rates at 1.50 percent at its monthly policy meeting on Tuesday.
As many as 19 of 33 respondents predicted at least one rate hike by March 2020 with 13 still seeing no change.
Last month's poll of 53 economists had pegged the next rate hike for the final quarter of 2019.
The RBA has not changed its policy settings since August 2016, when it cut rates to an all-time low of 1.50 percent in a bid to spur inflation, which has remained stubbornly below its 2-3 percent target band.
The RBA had last raised rates in November 2010 to 4.75 percent.
Of the 28 economists who gave forecasts for the second quarter of 2020, nine, including Westpac and AMP, expect no change in rates.
(Reporting by Swati Pandey; Editing by Sam Holmes)
