economy
Rate cut on horizon amid fears of more stock turmoil
23 April
Investors tormented by weeks of tariff turmoil will hope for a quiet return from Easter as mortgage holders eye a rate cut on the horizon. Stocks in Australia and the US have clawed back ground in the past fortnight after US President Donald Trump...[Read More]
Jobs market strong but Trump tariff bomb yet to explode
23 April
Global headwinds stirred by “erratic” US policy decisions could still hit the Australian jobs market despite latest figures showing only a small uptick in unemployment. About 30,000 jobs were created in March after a shock 53,000 slump in...[Read More]
Tariff turmoil triggers Reserve Bank inflation fears
16 April
The threat of Donald Trump’s tariffs loomed large over the Reserve Bank as it made the call to keep interest rates on hold, warning that US measures could lead to higher inflation. Minutes from the central bank’s April 1 meeting, released on...[Read More]
Reserve Bank call for calm is welcome amid tariff drama
16 April
The treasurer backs Reserve Bank assurances the domestic economy is well-placed to deal with shockwaves from Donald Trump’s tariffs. The central bank’s governor Michele Bullock tried to allay concerns in a speech on Thursday night after a week...[Read More]
Working women key to future economic growth: bank boss
16 April
Women’s participation in the Australian economy has been remarkably transformed in the past 40 years but more progress is needed, the head of the central bank says. Michele Bullock made history in 2023 when she became the first woman appointed...[Read More]
Calls mount for RBA to intervene with jumbo rate cut
9 April
Odds are shortening for the Reserve Bank to cut rates by 50 basis points at its next meeting as global financial turmoil weighs heavily on Australians. Though most economists do not view an Australian recession as a realistic chance, the prospect of...[Read More]
Two data prints and a Trump wildcard to decide rate cut
2 April
Donald Trump’s so-called ‘liberation day’ looms over the economic calendar but another date could have even greater implications for interest rates in Australia. By April 30 Australians could know whether the Reserve Bank is set to cut rates...[Read More]
‘Cautious’ RBA holds rates steady ahead of election
2 April
Hopes remain high for mortgage relief in May despite a “cautious” Reserve Bank of Australia keeping interest rates on hold. As widely expected by economists, the RBA’s new monetary policy board held the cash rate steady at 4.1 per cent at its...[Read More]
Budget focuses on power bills, tax cuts and healthcare
26 March
FEDERAL BUDGET AT A GLANCE * Budget deficit of $27.6 billion this financial year * Commonwealth gross debt to rise to $940 billion (33.7 per cent of GDP) in 2024/25 before cracking $1 trillion the year after * Net debt to rise to $556 billion in...[Read More]
Inflation falls in line with expectations
26 March
The Reserve Bank’s efforts to curb inflation are heading in the right direction, with monthly inflation continuing downward, but it likely won’t be enough to force a rate cut next week. The monthly consumer price index fell 10 basis points to...[Read More]
‘Unfair, unrealistic’: young Aussies bear budget burden
26 March
Australian workers will be increasingly relied upon to prop up ballooning federal government spending, despite tax cuts handing back two years of bracket creep. The “modest” cuts announced by Treasurer Jim Chalmers in the federal budget will...[Read More]
Consumer confidence surges on back of interest rate cut
12 March
The Reserve Bank’s first rate cut since 2020 has delivered a welcome boost to the economic outlook, but Australian consumers are still more pessimistic than optimistic. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute consumer confidence survey posted a strong...[Read More]
Australian economy to get pulse check, RBA minutes drop
5 March
Australia’s economic growth is expected to recover from its multi-decade lows when gross domestic product figures are revealed in the nation’s quarterly health check. The national accounts for December, due from the Australian Bureau of...[Read More]
Underlying inflation up but good news on housing, rents
26 February
Australia has hit a bump on the road to disinflation but there are promising signs housing affordability challenges are easing. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s preferred measure of underlying inflation – the trimmed mean – rose 10 basis points...[Read More]
Dutton weighs in on RBA amid banana price rise warning
12 February
Inflation pressures could resurface if the Reserve Bank cuts rates prematurely, Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has warned amid fears the north Queensland floods could push up grocery prices. The devastating floods, which have led to two deaths, have...[Read More]