OCR cut leaves mortgage holders better off while others suffer

Checkpoint

Reaction to the Reserve Bank's 50 basis point cut to the OCR has been mixed, dependent on people's age and stage. Assuming the reduction is passed on in full, minimum repayments for a family with a 25-year, $500,000 mortgage will be more than $400 less a fortnight than they were in the middle of last year. But for people who are on a fixed income and relying on savings, like retirees, it's an effective pay cut. Infometrics chief forecaster Gareth Kiernan spoke to Lisa Owen.