Economy
CBA boss calls for spending cuts, bold reform in budget
5 March
The bosses of Australia’s largest companies have urged Treasurer Jim Chalmers to take a bold agenda to the May budget to salvage the country’s faltering international competitiveness. Speaking at the Australian Financial Review Business Summit,...[Read More]
Pressure to fix gas tax raising less revenue than beer
4 March
Labor faces a push for a parliament inquiry into Australia’s underperforming gas tax amid growing calls to make fossil fuel multinationals pay a larger share. As Treasurer Jim Chalmers mulls tax reform to make the economy more productive and...[Read More]
‘Dumbest option’: top economist slams housing tax break
26 February
A major rewrite of Australia’s tax rules is needed to make them fairer and more efficient, one of the nation’s top economists has warned. Former Treasury secretary Ken Henry, who led a 2010 review of taxes, said the current system could be...[Read More]
Rate rise pain all but certain after inflation shock
29 January
All four big banks are warning borrowers to brace for an interest rate hike after core inflation jumped above the Reserve Bank’s forecasts. Economists at Westpac and ANZ on Wednesday dropped their calls for the RBA to stay on hold in February...[Read More]
Healthy jobs market spells rate pain for borrowers
29 January
Analysts are warning mortgage holders an interest rate rise could be just weeks away, after surprisingly strong jobs figures heightened the Reserve Bank of Australia’s concerns about inflation. Forecasters were taken off guard by the resilience of...[Read More]
Key RBA concern eases ahead of crucial inflation print
29 January
Australian firms are noticing an easing in a key business pressure, taking some steam out of calls for the Reserve Bank to hike interest rates. But while capacity utilisation cooled slightly in December, it remains above the long-run average and...[Read More]
IMF warns of AI bubble risk to global growth outlook
22 January
Australia is set for longer, higher inflation, an influential global economic body has remarked, as it warns of a “prolonged correction” if the AI bubble bursts. The International Monetary Fund’s forecast for Australia’s economic growth was...[Read More]
Hot or not? Strong spending complicates rate picture
22 January
Household spending continues to build momentum, heightening expectations of a Reserve Bank rate hike. After official figures released on Monday showed stronger-than-expected spending in November, data from Commonwealth Bank revealed no let-up in...[Read More]
International report to hover over domestic economy
21 January
The health of Australia’s economy is set to be given a global reality check, as the domestic unemployment rate comes under the spotlight. The International Monetary Fund will release the latest round of its World Economic Outlook Update on Monday,...[Read More]
Rate hike ‘risks hurting’ fragile consumer sentiment
15 January
Waning consumer confidence could give the Reserve Bank pause as it mulls hiking interest rates at its next meeting. Household spending data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Monday showed consumers were gathering steam late last...[Read More]
High cash rates no barrier to housing boom, data shows
15 January
Three Reserve Bank interest rate cuts were widely credited with accelerating growth in property values last year, but historical data shows the most drastic price surges aren’t always due to falling borrowing costs. The 8.6 per cent increase in...[Read More]
RBA official’s advice to borrowers over inflation data
15 January
The Reserve Bank’s deputy governor has brushed off a surprisingly soft inflation print, reiterating to borrowers they should not expect any more mortgage relief soon. Inflation figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday...[Read More]
Oasis tour tunes up economy but clouds rate cut hopes
15 January
Australians splashed out on Black Friday sales, concerts and sporting events, putting household spending on track to exceed central bank forecasts. Household spending rose one per cent in November, the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed on...[Read More]
National home price hit a new record high in 2025
8 January
Entering the property market just got a bit harder after the national home price reached a record $880,000. The new high in December followed monthly growth of 0.1 per cent, and growth of 8.8 per cent over the year, the PropTrack report released on...[Read More]
Rates hike still on the table despite softer inflation
8 January
A softer-than-expected inflation result will boost the case for the Reserve Bank to hold interest rates steady, but there’s still plenty in the detail to suggest a February hike remains in play. Headline inflation slowed from 3.8 per cent to 3.4...[Read More]