Oil Spike, Split Board, Sliding Polls: RBA Faces a Perfect Storm

The ASX managed to open flat and even tick up 7.5 points to 8748.7 in early trade, with nine of eleven sectors in positive territory despite a fresh oil shock and looming US rate hike. Wall Street's Friday rebound — S&P 500 up 0.9% and the Dow jumping 509 points — provided a global tailwind, and US inflation cooling to 3.4% (in line with expectations) has markets half-hoping the Fed's rate hike will be a one-and-done move that actually calms bond...