Some possible good news for mortgage holders

The inflation rate's now back up at 2.5 percent.

ASB's today followed ANZ, Kiwibank, BNZ and Westpac in lowering advertised one-year rates below five-percent.

It comes as many economists now forecast the OCR will go below three-percent -- despite today's rise in inflation -- due to the slow economic recovery and global uncertainty.

ASB Chief Executive Vittoria Short says the lower rates will help many households.

She says that will provide some relief to households, so they can withstand any potential further lift in inflation.