RBA
Rates hold call cuts deep but bank governor offers hope
10 July
Borrowers have missed out on another interest rate cut – for now – as the Reserve Bank of Australia waits for more proof inflation has been beaten. But further repayment relief should be on the horizon, with Governor Michele Bullock confirming...[Read More]
Slow rate of cuts puts squeeze on business, households
10 July
A wait of at least five weeks until further interest rate relief is expected to keep the pressure on retailers and other consumer-facing businesses keen for spending to pick up. In a move that caught markets and most economists by surprise, the...[Read More]
Retail sales rebound as interest rate call looms
3 July
Retail sales rebounded as cooler temperatures sent Australian consumers flocking back to the shops in search of winter apparel. Household spending has been subdued to start the year but retail turnover rose 0.2 per cent in May, the Australian Bureau...[Read More]
Surprise data shows inflation falling to four-year low
26 June
Inflation has fallen to a seven-month low, bolstering hopes of an imminent cut to interest rates. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday showed headline inflation fell from 2.4 per cent to 2.1 per cent in May. The monthly figures...[Read More]
Spotlight on unemployment as jobs market loses heat
19 June
Signs the labour market is easing will alleviate Reserve Bank concerns about inflation with Australia’s jobless rate tipped to remain at historic lows. Economists predict labour force figures for May – to be released by the Australian Bureau of...[Read More]
Businesses and consumers caught between opposing forces
12 June
Will a second rate cut be enough to settle the nerves of businesses and consumers spooked by global trade uncertainty? Donald Trump’s tariffs have weighed on sentiment in recent months, stifling an expected economic recovery in 2025. Household...[Read More]
Housing set to grow from record high as rate cuts loom
5 June
Home prices have hit new highs and will likely continue to grow as lower interest rates send buyers piling back into the property market amid a lack of new housing supply. The median dwelling in Australia was worth $831,288 in May – a 0.5 per cent...[Read More]
Weak business investment underlines productivity battle
5 June
Australia’s dire productivity performance doesn’t look like rebounding any time soon, with troubling implications for the Reserve Bank’s interest rate path. Data released on Thursday reinforced the challenge the nation faces to get...[Read More]
Restaurants on the brink as business failures plateau
29 May
The future of many businesses struggling to stay afloat rests upon the Reserve Bank and Donald Trump. Business conditions in Australia remain perilously difficult, with insolvency levels at record highs in April, CreditorWatch reported in its...[Read More]
Egg, housing costs might fry hopes of earlier rate cut
29 May
A jump in the cost of building and renovating homes is not helping the case for more rate cuts. Headline inflation remained steady at 2.4 per cent in the 12 months to April, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Wednesday. But the result...[Read More]
Full extent of Trump’s tariff slap on economy revealed
22 May
Australia’s economy will take an $8 billion dollar hit in 2025 as a result of Donald Trump’s tariffs, the Reserve Bank estimates in updated economic forecasts. Inflation is also expected to come in lower than it otherwise would have, the RBA’s...[Read More]
‘Sustainable’: push to keep low-paid from falling back
22 May
Treasurer Jim Chalmers wants to ensure Australia’s lowest paid workers don’t go backwards, but stresses a real wage rise must not harm the economy. In its formal submission to the Fair Work Commission’s annual review of minimum and award...[Read More]
Trump’s tariff ‘rollercoaster’ raises recession risk
22 May
Australians are being assured the nation is well-placed to avoid a recession as the Reserve Bank expresses alarm over Donald Trump’s trade war “rollercoaster”. Forecasts released by the Reserve Bank of Australia have painted a bleak picture of...[Read More]
Money still on rate cut despite surprise spike in wages
15 May
Economists still expect the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates at its next board meeting despite a surprise spike in wage growth. Wages rose by a higher-than-expected 3.4 per cent over the year to March, Australian Bureau of Statistics figures...[Read More]
Jobs and wage data in focus ahead of interest rate call
15 May
Upcoming wages and unemployment data may have significant bearing on the Reserve Bank’s closely watched interest rate decision. Domestic signals have taken somewhat of a back seat since US President Donald Trump’s tariff dump in early April. But...[Read More]