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Economy
Rare chance to see Reserve Bank react to inflation data
Stars have aligned for central bank watchers, with the Reserve Bank’s top brass set to appear at a Senate hearing as crucial inflation data drops.
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Market
Doom and gloom: House prices on downward spiral
Leading economists are saying ‘this would be Australia’s largest nominal housing downturn in over 40 years’.
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Economy
Worsening inflation outlook presents ‘hard choices’
Reserve Bank deputy says inflation data due out later this month will be pivotal to any decision on interest rates.
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Economy
Higher for longer: why low rates are relics of the past
There’s growing evidence that interest rates are becoming less effective at slowing demand, meaning central banks must lift rates further to ease inflation.
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Economy
More pain before any gain lies ahead for home owners
Economist says ‘if the government puts its foot on the fiscal accelerator, the RBA will just push harder on the interest rate brakes’.
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Economy
Jobless jump turns down heat on RBA, but not completely
Unemployment has hit a five-year high, but inflation data due out later in October will be the deciding factor for the Reserve Bank’s next rate decision.
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Economy
Jump in jobless takes heat out of rate-rise pressure
Australia’s unemployment rate edged up to 4.7 per cent in September, above market expectations, as almost 40,000 jobs fell out of the economy.
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Economy
Unemployment rate climbs to 4.7 per cent in September
Australia’s unemployment rate edged up to 4.7 per cent in September, above market expectations, as almost 40,000 jobs fell out of the economy.
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Economy
Misery on the march as jobs market slowly unwinds
Unemployment is expected to hold around the highest level in five years as stubborn cost-of-living measures force more Australians to find extra work.
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Economy
Trust tax set for inquiry as businesses question costs
The Greens are set to kick Labor’s proposed 30 per cent minimum trust tax to an inquiry, giving businesses more chance to protest the proposed changes.
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Economy
More rate hikes loom as inflation tops rich nation list
Australia’s inflation rate is forecast to remain above the Reserve Bank’s target range amid rising oil, tech and agricultural prices.
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Economy
AI could widen gap between have-nots and have-lots
Labor is banking on AI to drag Australia out of its productivity malaise, but one MP is concerned it could widen inequality between workers and the wealthy.
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Economy
Tax changes ‘crack the nut’ on housing affordability
Property investors and real estate agents are reeling as Australia’s housing downturn deepens, but for young Australians the positives are growing.
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Economy
Reserve Bank to keep eyes on latest employment numbers
Economist says ‘slack is continuing to build in the labour market even as headline employment growth remains resilient’.
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Market
Think tank says tax changes ‘tackling heart of the issue’
Economist says ‘house prices should no longer grow at a much faster rate than incomes over the long term’.
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Economy
Tax Office does an about face on credit card payments
Treasurer jumps in to stop November deadline, announcing extra funding for the Tax Office through to next year.
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Market
Vacancy rates are up as rental growth goes down
Data expert says ‘rental demand is restructuring as people form larger households or stay in the family home for longer’.
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Economy
Elevated spending ‘could be a problem’ if revenues decline
Leading economist says ‘making permanent promises off the back of temporary windfalls is the oldest mistake in the budgetary book’.
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Market
Slow and steady rise in number of houses being built
But completed dwelling numbers still fall well short of where they need to be if National Housing Accord target is to be met.
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Economy
Growing population not answer for economy
New report on Australia’s economic status says ‘households will continue to experience recession-like conditions’.
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Economy
Now Coalition wants less people arriving
Opposition leader says ‘we want people coming to this country who are committed to the future of our country’.
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Economy
Aussies paint picture of doom and gloom
Experts say ‘sentiment has been extremely weak for the longest period since the “disastrous” recession of the early 1990s’.
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Market
Long way to go to address housing shortfall
Master Builders boss says ‘we’re going to fall about 260,000 homes short if we do not change policy settings’.
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Economy
RBA blushes spared: inflation rise vindicates rate hike
A November rate rise is still on the cards for the Reserve Bank, even after a slightly softer-than-expected underlying inflation outcome in August.
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Market
Push to solve housing inequality sparks more division
As Australia falls further behind its housing supply targets, political parties continue to disagree over how to solve the nation’s housing crisis.
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Economy
Headline inflation jumps back to four per cent
A spike in fuel prices has ended a five-month streak of slowing growth in consumer prices, adding to Reserve Bank concerns about inflation.
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Economy
RBA to scrutinise unfortunate inflation data after hike
Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock hopes four rate rises so far will be enough to bring down inflation, but only time will tell if more hikes will be needed.
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Economy
More pain brews for borrowers as rates hit 15-year high
The Reserve Bank’s decision to lift the cash rate to 4.6 per cent was unanimous, but economists are divided on whether borrowers can expect more hikes.
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Economy
Interest rates hit 15-year high as RBA hikes again
The Reserve Bank has lifted interest rates for a fourth time in 2026, inflicting more financial pain on mortgage holders.
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Economy
Bracing for impact: Rate tipped to hit 15-year high
A generation of mortgage holders is set to see borrowing costs hit a new high if the Reserve Bank hikes interest rates as expected.
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Economy
Higher tax take puts federal budget on stronger footing
Australia’s deficit for the past financial year is smaller than expected, but rising borrowing costs mean the fiscal outlook is still gloomy.
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Economy
Bad news comes in twos: cash rate and CPI set to rise
Australian mortgage holders can expect more borrowing pain when the Reserve Bank board meets, with an interest rate hike almost universally anticipated.
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Economy
Light shone on Reserve Bank’s gloomy economic outlook
Treasury’s productivity assumption has been described as “unrealistically optimistic”, but the Reserve Bank’s might be too downbeat, an economist says.
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Economy
Weather, bond turmoil to pressure economy, OECD warns
Billions of dollars are expected to be added to the Australian government’s debt interest bill as bond yields surge to 15-year highs.
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Economy
Labour pains: jobs market too hot for inflation fight
Australia’s labour market is still tight, and the unemployment rate likely needs to go up to ease persistent pressure on inflation, Michele Bullock says.
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Economy
Coalition floats idea to super-charge home loans
Using super as collateral in securing a home loan could let workers enjoy the best of retirement and the property market, a senator argues.
Economy
‘Bollocks’: forecast for higher living standards panned
Economists have panned Treasury’s heroic productivity assumption, which underpins forecasts of rising living standards and economic growth.
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Market
Jobs data last piece in puzzle for Reserve Bank board
Unemployment data is not expected to deter the Reserve Bank from hiking interest rates for a fourth time in 2026 when it meets later in September.
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Economy
Positive outlook but still many challenges awaiting
New report says Australians will enjoy much larger wages in 40 years from now but world economic concerns still pose a threat.
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Economy
Pinning our economic hopes on AI fraught with danger
Government says AI will help grow productivity but economists warn it is unlikely to fix housing issues.
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Economy
Data and speeches to influence Reserve Bank’s decision
RBA boss says ‘Middle East shock has made us poorer and we can’t respond to that by letting inflation get out of control’.
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Economy
Reserve Bank continues to be nervous about inflation
RBA governor says while economic growth is slowing, ‘some of these upside risks to inflation appear to be materialising’.
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Economy
Soft landing botched: IMF backs more rate rises
The Reserve Bank should “stand ready” to raise interest rates again, as the Middle East war and poor productivity growth make it harder to get inflation down.
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Economy
Labor to crack down on foreign students, family visas
The immigration minister has unveiled long-awaited changes to migration policies following a fall in net migration in the year to March.
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Economy
‘Stand ready’ for more interest rate rises, IMF says
Australia’s economy was in a strong position before poor productivity and war in the Middle East helped push inflation into the red zone, the IMF says.
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Economy
Businesses scramble for staff as migration cuts loom
Hospitality employers say the government is cutting the sector off at the knees with a migration slowdown just as the peak holiday season approaches.
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Market
‘Doing what we want’: Labor stands by housing tax moves
Despite downturn, expert says ‘most sellers are still benefiting from the significant value growth accumulated over the past five years’.
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Economy
Share of homes sold for profit falls … to 95 per cent
The profitability of Australia’s housing market remains “exceptionally high” even as the deepening downturn shaves some cream off the top of values.
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Economy
Downfall for rich state atop economic rankings
Western Australia’s powerful resources sector has kept it at the top of the pecking order for decades but now the crown is slipping.
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Economy
Reserve Bank is worried global situation ‘inflationary’
Chief economist warns higher petrol and diesel costs set to flow through to households and businesses.