WELLINGTON (Reuters) - The Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) is widely expected to keep its cash rate at a record-low of 1.75 percent at its monetary policy meeting on Thursday, a Reuters poll of economists found.
All 19 economists forecast the RBNZ would stand pat on November 9.
Five out of 19 economists expected rate hikes by the third quarter of 2018. Twelve of 18 economists projected hikes by the first quarter of 2019.
The RBNZ last cut the official cash rate in November 2016 to boost tepid inflation and has kept rates on hold since.
Economists were asked what the cash rate would be after the next Reserve Bank meeting on November 9 and where rates would be at the end of the following five quarters.
(Reporting by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Eric Meijer)
