Economy
Jump in forecast inflation clouds interest rate hopes
6 November
The Reserve Bank has drastically lifted inflation forecasts after admitting its last estimate was off the mark, likely ruling out rate cuts until late 2026 at the earliest. Released as its monetary policy board held interest rates steady on Tuesday,...[Read More]
The worrying trend that could put an end to rate cuts
6 November
In the shock inflation print that scared the Reserve Bank off cutting interest rates at its latest meeting, two items gave governor Michele Bullock particular cause for concern. After the central bank kept the cash rate steady at 3.6 per cent on...[Read More]
Pre-Christmas rate relief dashed after inflation spike
30 October
Home owners are unlikely to receive further relief on interest rates for the rest of the year after a surge in inflation. The latest figures showed headline inflation for the September quarter rose from 2.1 per cent to 3.2 per cent. It was the first...[Read More]
What’s driving inflation spike as rate cut hopes dive
30 October
Underlying inflation is growing for the first time since December 2022, with chances of a mortgage payment-easing interest rate cut next week all but gone. NEW INFLATION RATES * The consumer price index rose 1.3 per cent in the September 2025...[Read More]
Bank heads to open up before ‘urgent’ rate cut talks
23 October
Central bank chiefs could set the table for an interest rate cut when they speak after a shock unemployment jump. Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock and key lieutenant Brad Jones will address events this week, a fortnight before they meet and...[Read More]
Job ads and job-seekers up in ‘challenging’ market
23 October
The number of job-seekers per role has hit a new high, even as employers gain the confidence to hire again. In a sign of the challenging times for Australians looking for work, fresh data from employment marketplace Seek shows both job ads and job...[Read More]
Shaving red tape, inflation key to economic growth
16 October
Price rises in parts of Australia’s economy remain difficult to contain as businesses struggle under the burden of excessive red tape, top economic officials warn. Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock has used her appearance at a parliamentary...[Read More]
Blow for borrowers as Reserve Bank curbs rate-cut hopes
16 October
The Reserve Bank is in no rush to cut interest rates again, the minutes from its last meeting reveal, as it waits for more economic data to guide its next steps. The central bank is worried inflation may be stronger than expected, driven partly by...[Read More]
Spending rebound staggers as Aussies kick booze, smokes
9 October
Falling spending on alcohol, tobacco and recreation has slowed Australia’s consumer recovery as the Reserve Bank mulls whether to cut interest rates again. Household spending grew 0.1 per cent in August, the Australian Bureau of Statistics...[Read More]
Timeline set for easing of student debt burden
9 October
Some three million Australians with a student debt will soon see their balance owed reduced as the tax office prepares to implement a 20 per cent cut. The Australian Tax Office will apply the reprieve from mid-November and anticipates half of...[Read More]
Rate cut run may be over as inflation raises concerns
2 October
It’s looking increasingly unlikely borrowers will get more mortgage relief in 2025 after the Reserve Bank of Australia’s most hawkish interest rate hold since it began cuts. Governor Michele Bullock refused to say whether the central bank was...[Read More]
Australia’s luck running out despite budget bright spot
2 October
Australia’s finances are in much better shape than previously thought but the budget’s lucky run is unlikely to last. A stronger jobs market and higher-than-expected tax revenue have left the federal budget $18 billion better off, capping the...[Read More]
Appliance reliance: consumers want repairability labels
1 October
Australian consumers are not being given enough information about the expected life of appliances, research shows, and could be wasting money based on vague environmental claims. The trend is occurring despite more than four in five consumers...[Read More]
Bank’s big rate call after ‘ugly’ inflation print
25 September
Mortgage holders might have to wait until next year for more rate relief after a sharp rise in services inflation all but killed off the already slim chance of a September cut. The consumer price index climbed from 2.8 to three per cent for the year...[Read More]
National economy still stuck in ‘productivity malaise’
25 September
Australia’s productivity performance improved in the June quarter, but weak capital investment is still holding back growth in living standards, the Productivity Commission says. Growth in labour productivity – or doing more with less –...[Read More]