Australia’s consumer inflation expectations ticked up in October, adding to signs of lingering price pressures in the economy. The Melbourne Institute (MI) Inflation Expectations index rose to 5.3% in October 2026 from 4.9% in September 2026.
The latest reading, updated on 08 October 2026, suggests that households now anticipate a faster pace of price increases than a month earlier. The move higher in expectations may draw close attention from policymakers and markets, as persistent increases in expected inflation can influence wage demands, spending decisions and, ultimately, the trajectory of actual inflation.
