Aussie dollar at record high, fuelling rate talk

SYDNEY, Apr 4 (AFP): The Australian dollar hit another record high against the greenback Monday, fuelling speculation the central bank will keep interest rates on hold for another month. The Aussie reached US$1.0417 early Monday, its highest level since being floated in 1983. Despite indications of rising inflation and strong employment, economists expect the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to hold official interest rates steady at 4.75 per cent when it meets Tuesday. "We expect the RBA have no imminent need to increase interest rates given the need to gauge the economic repercussions from Japan amongst other natural disasters," said currency analyst and Go Markets trader Christopher Gore. In its March statement, the RBA said the strong Aussie, which has traded near parity with the greenback for several months, was helping to temper inflation -- now at 2.7 per cent.