Rates on hold, cut still possible; ASIC warns on private credit; Maldives bans smoking

Wednesday 5 November 2025

The Reserve Bank leaves interest rates on hold, with little clear direction about whether there’ll be any more rate cuts. 

• The corporate regulator, ASIC, criticises private credit players in a benchmark review of financial markets. 
• The federal government will force electricity suppliers to provide three free hours of energy to households each day. 
• Microsoft’s mega-deal with a largely unknown Tasmanian data centre operator. 
• The Maldives becomes the first country in the world to outlaw cigarette smoking.

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