It seems nothing can bring sense to the iron ore market as the jaws widen further. Scuttlebutt explains the seasonality. Chinese iron ore prices are being underpinned by steelmakers restocking ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in February, while tight domestic supplies are also lending further support. The outlook beyond this point is hardly
A near two year low in the US ISM manufacturing print saw the USD take a dive while other risk markets repositioned after the Trump regime’s invasion of Venezuela with oil stocks lifting amid a small bid in Brent and WTI markers. Wall Street was outpaced by European and Japanese stocks while Pound Sterling and
Since Australia reopened its international borders in February 2022, following almost two years of COVID-driven restrictions, migration to Australia has surged. Just a few weeks later, in March 2022, the Treasury released its net overseas migration forecast for 2021-22, projecting 41,000. With only four months left in the year, one might expect that the Treasury’s
Asian share markets are very mixed with local shares not moving while Japanese shares surge following the late 2025 BOJ rate hike as the volatility from the Trump regime’s “special military operation” into Venezuela only really upsetting commodity markets so far. The USD is seeing a surge against the majors, particularly Euro while the Australian
I’m not going to wade into the usual MSM garbage about the rights and wrongs of El Trumpo’s Venezuelan gambit. Nicolas Maduro was an unpleasant and destructive post-Chavezian leader who has cost his country dearly in tumbling living standards. Minimum wages look terrific under Maduro. Until you discount for inflation. The latest reading, which is
The mild weather sure isn’t saving your current energy bills, which will be going literally through the roof thanks to Albo’s incredibly mismanaged Ukraine War power shock and bill rebates. However, the mild summer weather has triggered hope that a better year is ahead for bill relief. According to this analysis, wholesale prices in NSW
One of the biggest questions for Australia going forward, both socially and economically, is how many additional homes can be built each year. The Albanese government’s National Housing Supply and Affordability Council expects the housing deficit to continue growing until at least mid-2029, if forecasts hold true. However, there is hope that home building may
The latest national accounts, which show the economy grew by just 0.4% and contracted marginally in per capita terms, provided further confirmation of the increasingly significant risk of effective stagflation for the Australian economy. Meanwhile, despite relatively weak headline growth and per capita stagnation, inflationary pressures were resurgent in the first full monthly CPI release
With its great view of fireworks, New Year’s Eve at Williamstown is a robust affair. This year was a bust. Police in every uniform and mounted on every conveyance outnumbered a crowd perhaps 20% the size of last year. Bikes, motorbikes, quads, horses, and jackboots corralled desultory revellers. Reveller in name only. Official violence stomped
Last week’s Cotality’s daily dwelling values index, which tracks home values across Australia’s five major capital city markets, ended 2025 with momentum stalling. At the aggregate 5-city level, Cotality’s daily dwelling values index rose 0.5%, down significantly from the 1.0% growth recorded in November. Today, we get the release of PropTrak’s competing series, which shows