‘Hawkish’ RBA open to more hikes after holding rates

13 August

The Reserve Bank has left the door open to more interest rate hikes as it held the benchmark lending rate steady for a second straight meeting.Falling house prices and lower-than-expected inflation helped convince the central bank’s nine-member...[Read More]

House-hunters face spring sale shortage in market slump

13 August

Would-be home buyers hoping to snag a bargain could face a shortage of options during the usually busy spring sales season as owners try to ride out a price slump.Auction clearance rates have rebounded from recent multi-year lows, rising to a...[Read More]

Households to bear the brunt of sluggish productivity

13 August

Mortgage holders may have been spared more rate pain by the Reserve Bank but Australia’s chronically weak productivity growth means households will continue to suffer.As the RBA board held interest rates steady for a second-straight meeting, it...[Read More]

‘Put people first’: landmark AI probe to set guardrails

13 August

A national-first royal commission will investigate the dangers and benefits of artificial intelligence in society as a premier pledges to get the balance right. South Australian leader Peter Malinauskas announced the inquiry on Monday after...[Read More]

‘Softer than we thought’: RBA’s admission on inflation

6 August

Surprise inflation data, which came in lower than expected and below the central bank’s own forecasts, was due to softer fuel prices, according to the RBA’s chief economist. Figures released on Wednesday revealed headline inflation for June fell...[Read More]

Treasurer moves to fix ‘widow’s tax’ after backlash

6 August

The government is moving to fix its so-called “widow’s tax” following criticism its tax reforms denied Australians who inherited an investment property from their partner access to negative gearing concessions. The fix is part of a raft of the...[Read More]

EV sales, air travel drive rebound in consumer spending

6 August

Australian households show no sign of pulling back on spending despite the Middle East conflict exacerbating cost-of-living concerns. Strong growth in electric vehicle purchases and a bounce back in air travel drove a surprisingly strong 0.8 per...[Read More]

Housing affordability rises as price downturn continues

6 August

Three decades of home prices outpacing incomes could be over as Australia’s housing market downturn widens. The market recorded the largest single-month decline in home values in almost four years in July, data released by property analysis firm...[Read More]

Surprise inflation drop eases chance of RBA rate hikes

30 July

Falling inflation levels have defied Reserve Bank predictions, alleviating fears another interest-rate hike is imminent. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data showed headline annual inflation falling to 3.8 per cent in June, down from four...[Read More]

Labor backs super boost for youngest Aussie workers

30 July

Labor has backed superannuation payments for Australia’s youngest workers, regardless of the number of hours they work. The party says it will “ensure that all workers, including those under 18 and regardless of how they are engaged, can...[Read More]

Shoddy bank record-keeping hits savers as scammers lurk

30 July

Systemic shoddy record-keeping at big banks is risking the savings of Australians trying to benefit from a safe investment strategy. The financial regulator issued the warning around mortgage offset accounts, which are marketed to borrowers as a way...[Read More]

Red tape strangling efforts to tackle housing crisis

30 July

Allowing three-storey townhouses to be built on most residential land is one of the key recommendations of a major report outlining what Australia needs to do to fix its housing crisis. Governments have gotten in the way of new housing supply by...[Read More]

‘Build resilience’: refinery touted but discount to end

29 July

Australia’s fuel security could soon be bolstered by a new refinery, but questions have been raised about the business case for the facility. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to look into building Australia’s third oil refinery in...[Read More]

How trust in the RBA could help keep interest rates low

23 July

As people lose faith in institutions across the globe, a report shows maintaining trust in the Reserve Bank can help keep inflation under control. A survey released by the central bank on Wednesday showed people who have higher trust in the RBA are...[Read More]

Young investors bet the house on dialling up their risk

23 July

Lofty stock valuations and the biggest investment tax shake-up in decades don’t appear to be impacting the risk appetite of young Australians, according to investing platforms. This cohort is increasingly turning to investing to save for their...[Read More]