RBA
Spring brings brighter outlook as rate hike fears fade
9 October
Consumers can see light at the end of the tunnel as fears of further interest rate hikes fade. As signs of improving consumer and business confidence emerged, minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australiaās last meeting confirmed the case to lift...[Read More]
Power subsidies and cheaper petrol drive down inflation
25 September
A drop in inflation has been welcomed as a small respite for struggling shoppers but households are being warned prices are set to bounce around and not come down in a straight line. Inflation cooled to 2.7 per cent in the 12 months to August, down...[Read More]
Hints on state of economy as cost relief kicks in
24 July
Experts will scour the first trickle of financial data for early clues on the state of Australiaās economy since tax relief kicked in. The purchasing managersā indexes for the manufacturing and services sectors land this week, as pay packets...[Read More]
Home lending slips but still well ahead over the year
10 July
New home lending remains far ahead of where it was a year ago despite a minor dip in May for property investors and owner-occupiers. Over the month, the Australian Bureau of Statistics logged a 1.7 per cent fall in all new housing loans, to $28.8...[Read More]
Retail sales rise 0.6 per cent as sales start early
3 July
An early start to end-of-financial-year sales lured in bargain-hunters last month, contributing to a larger-than-expected 0.6 per cent lift in retail sales. The monthly gain beat the 0.3 per cent month-on-month consensus forecast and followed a...[Read More]
Hotter-than-expected inflation leaves RBA in tight spot
26 June
An unexpectedly large jump in the monthly consumer price index is unwelcome news for the Reserve Bank of Australia in its lengthy inflation battle. The monthly consumer price index rose four per cent over the 12 months to May, above expectations and...[Read More]
Captain Chalmers lines up soft landing on narrow runway
12 June
Global headwinds will continue to buffet Australiaās economy as Treasurer Jim Chalmers sets a course for a final approach towards low inflation. Dr Chalmers is confident Australia remains on track for āa soft landing on a narrow runwayā,...[Read More]
Monthly inflation ticks higher for second month in row
29 May
A larger-than-expected rise in prices was recorded last month, with consumers slugged with higher prices for essentials like groceries and health. For the second month in a row, the Australian Bureau of Statisticsā monthly consumer price index...[Read More]
Consumer spending the wildcard in rate hike uncertainty
22 May
Australian consumers have been saving rather than spending and a change in behaviour could complicate matters for the Reserve Bank, keeping interest rates higher for longer. The minutes from the central bankās May meeting confirmed a rate hike was...[Read More]
Inflation holds steady but services prove stubborn
27 March
The final stretch to bring inflation back to target is proving challenging, based on fresh data, though that is broadly what the Reserve Bank expected. The Australian Bureau of Statisticsā monthly inflation indicator held steady at 3.4 per cent...[Read More]
Swifties boost spending
13 March
The Australian economy got a leg up from Taylor Swift concerts but the much-anticipated visit was not enough to counter penny pinching elsewhere. Spending as tracked by Commonwealth Bank has been generally subdued and fell 0.3 per cent over the...[Read More]
Consumer price index steady at 3.4 per cent in January
28 February
Australiaās consumer price index held steady at 3.4 per cent in the 12 months to January, coming in below expectations. The index had been widely expected to rise by 3.6 per cent on an annual basis, when the data was released by the Australian...[Read More]
Living pressures ease for employee households
7 February
Working families are still under acute financial pressure but fewer cash rate hikes of late has tempered growth in their overall living costs. In the 12 months to the December quarter, living costs rose 6.9 per cent for employee households, down...[Read More]
Jobs data on agenda as signs point to cooling inflation
18 January
All eyes will be on jobs data this week as Australians hope for more positive signs before the Reserve Bankās first rate decision of the year. A slowdown in jobs growth is expected to show up in the Australian Bureau of Statisticsā December...[Read More]
Heated inflation figures put rate hike firmly in play
25 October
The latest inflation data has come in hotter than expected and may stir the Reserve Bank into a Melbourne Cup Day rate hike. Consumer prices as tracked by the Australian Bureau of Statistics rose 1.2 per cent over the three months to September, up...[Read More]