Westpac measures headed for Hades. In January, Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment fell 1.7% to 92.9. The move is driven by deteriorating perceptions of the near-term prognosis. Now, over two thirds of customers anticipate an increase in mortgage rates in 2026. Customers are less optimistic about their employment prospects. Most people between the ages of 18
Once upon a time, there was a country in which you grew up in a good house and played in abundant green space. Occasionally, you visited your grandparents in some suburb near or far. Life was good. Now the kids will be emptying their grandparents’ Tenna support pants instead. In an attempt to combat the
As protests continue on the streets of cities across Iran against the government of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it’s worth reflecting on why this nation at the heart of the crossroads between Central and West Asia is so vital. At its narrowest point, the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf is only 39 km across
Last week, the Canadian government, led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, announced that it would no longer accept sponsorship applications for parent and grandparent visas. In 2013, the Fraser Institute, a Canadian think tank, estimated that the lifetime cost to taxpayers for the 70,000 parents and grandparents admitted to Canada between 2012 and 2014 would
Iron ore and coking coal are obliterating steel mill margins. Scuttlebutt is crazed. China’s cabinet held a meeting on Friday about implementing a package of fiscal and financial policies to boost domestic demand, including initiatives to spur household consumption, state broadcaster CCTV reported. A need for restocking as well as decreasing global iron ore shipments from Australia
I would observe this with relief. In a short statement on X, former prime minister Kevin Rudd thanked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong for their kind words. “It has been an honour to serve as Australia’s Ambassador to the United States over the last three years,” he wrote. “I also thank
Last night most risk markets shrugged off the attack on the US Federal Reserve’s independence by the Trump regime with a small blip against USD while Wall Street eked out a small return as European stocks outperformed again. Precious metal prices continued to soar against USD however, while oil markets also saw more upside on
In a recent poll undertaken by relatively new pollster, Fox & Hedgehog, a very clear question was asked to it’s respondents: “Select whether you agree or disagree with the following: There should be a pause to all migration to Australia other than tourists.” Overall 54% of respondents said they agreed (32% strongly agree, 22% agree)
The hatred of hatred is about to doom Australia. A proposed moment of national unity in the parliament after the Bondi massacre has descended into partisanship as politicians prepare to debate sweeping laws that would jail for up to 15 years Islamic extremists or neo-Nazis who collaborate with hate groups. …“We want to make it
When the Albanese government announced in August last year that it was bringing forward the start of its expanded 5% deposit scheme, it was widely criticised by property experts as a catalyst for further price rises in an already hot market. A recent report from Cotality confirms that the concerns were justified. For homes under