There will be no Champagne/chicken lunch for the Reserve Bank board today (well, we don’t really know, and you know what happens when you assume…) as members gather to make this month’s decision on interest rates… Most signs point to a rate hike – that’s what the 4 major banks and most economists are forecasting after inflation hit a higher-than-expected 5.4% in the July-September quarter thanks to high fuel prices and soaring home values. If it goes up, it’ll be the first shift to the current 4.1% cash rate in 5 months and would take monthly repayments on a $750,000 mortgage to more than $4,700, up $1,800 since May 2022. New data from Compare the Market shows that 12% of Aussies – largely Millennials – are falling behind on their home loan repayments, while 29% said they have no savings in the bank. Stay safe out there…