According to Jinshi Data, Westpac now expects the Reserve Bank of Australia to start cutting interest rates in May next year, later than the previous forecast of February. Luci Ellis, chief economist of the bank, said that the initial interest rate cuts are expected to be carried out consecutively in late May and early July.

This is a change from Westpac's previous forecast of one rate cut per quarter, but Westpac still expects rates to fall from the current 4.35 per cent to a floor of 3.35 per cent by the end of next year.