Following the release of the Q3 ABS Household Spending data, which revealed a growth of just 0.2% in inflation-adjusted terms for the quarter, concerns began to mount that the third-quarter GDP figure could be weak. After being supported by solid quarterly growth in aggregate household spending in the prior three quarters, this concern was well
Australia is a global outlier on immigration, no matter how much the government, the media, and others try to argue otherwise. Australia’s population growth is extreme relative to other developed nations. In the first 25 years of this century, Australia added 45% more people, easily eclipsing other advanced nations. This extreme population growth was delivered
The Reserve Bank of Australia meets this week and then has a long holiday until February 2026, with expectations of a hold locked in almost completely, which has sent the Pacific Peso higher in recent weeks: After finding a base around the 65 handle, with a brief dip below on some wonky US reports, and
Friday night saw modest gains across both sides of the Atlantic as Wall Street awaits this week’s FOMC meeting and the long expected rate cut from the Fed. Bond markets continue to sell off slightly while the USD was relatively steady but dropped to a two week low even as Euro pulled back slightly as
The nation’s auction market is ending 2025 with a whimper. The monthly average final auction clearance rate across the combined capital cities declined to 64% in November, down from the recent peak of 70% in September. Sydney and Melbourne have driven this decline in auction clearances. Sydney’s final auction clearance rate fell to 63% in
From the Market Ear: Got commodities? “Trump runs it hot, oil bounces post Russia-Ukraine fix, China keeps yuan cheap, soon all the commodity charts will look like gold…” (BofA) Energy XLE has been stuck inside the same range since March 2022. Things could get very squeezy should we take out current range highs. The 30
Former Treasurer Peter Costello has told an e61 Institute event in Sydney that the federal government should consider reintroducing the baby bonus. Costello’s 2002 budget introduced it, giving parents $3,000, but it was wound back about a decade ago. Australia’s fertility rate is now at a near-record low of 1.48 births per woman, with the
By Trent Saunders, Senior Economist at CBA The Q3 25 GDP figures pointed to an economy on a much more solid footing when compared to the last few years. GDP improved to be 2.1% higher over the year, up from a low of 0.8%/yr in Q3 24. The October Monthly Household Spending Indicator (MHSI) rose
Cotality’s September housing affordability report showed that Sydney’s housing market was easily the most expensive in the nation, with a dwelling price-to-income ratio of 10.0. The percentage of median household income needed to service a mortgage on the median-priced Sydney home was also tracking at a historically high 54.5% in the September quarter, making Sydney
International Reading: Trump Official Panics as Brutal Jobs Report Blames Trump’s Tariffs – New Republic Donald Trump Jr-backed start-up scores $600mn US federal government deal – FT Trump says national debt is ‘peanuts’ and his tariff income will pay everyone a $2,000 dividend too—but the math doesn’t add up – AZ Express Main Street reels