Business News
Wages: winners and losers - 23 February 2012
New data confirms tame wages. Average weekly ordinary time earnings rose by just 0.5 per cent in the December quarter with private sector... read more >
Healthy wage growth backed by productivity gains - 22 February 2012
Wages rose by one per cent in the December quarter, in line with expectations. Annual growth of wages held steady at 3.6 per cent. Private... read more >
RBA: No rush to cut rates - 21 February 2012
The modest improvement in global economic conditions gave the Reserve Bank reason to pause in its current rate cutting cycle: Minutes of the... read more >
The CommSec 30/40/50 Project: purchasing power & affordability perspectives - 21 February 2012
Many Australian consumers complain about the high cost of living. But more than likely you would hear the same complaint if you went back 30... read more >
How good IS our economy? - 21 February 2012
One of the country’s best economic writers, Ross Gittins of the Sydney Morning Herald, has been looking on the brighter side of life... read more >
Aussie dollar, the motoristâs friend - 20 February 2012
Petrol prices mixed – the national average retail petrol price fell by 0.2 cents to 142.2 cents a litre in the past week. However,... read more >
Spending data validates rates decision - 20 February 2012
Business sales rise – the Reserve Bank has received some validation for its decision not to cut rates with economy-wide spending growing... read more >
More jobs, but outlook still murky - 20 February 2012
Employment rebounds – employment rose by 46,300 in January after a revised 35,700 fall in December (previously reported as a 29,300... read more >
Why we canât trust the employment figures - 20 February 2012
Great jobs news sent the Treasurer into revelry, bagging Tony Abbott’s Opposition team for allegedly hoping on bad employment data to... read more >
Confidence levels perk up; Lacklustre lending - 15 February 2012
Consumer sentiment rebounds – the Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer confidence rose by 4.1 per cent in February to a reading... read more >
Record number of firms shun finance - 15 February 2012
Cautious businesses – the NAB business confidence index rose from 3.1 to four in January, below the long-run average of 6.4. Business... read more >
Rate cuts spur interest in housing; Petrol set to rise - 13 February 2012
Rate cut boosts home loans. The number of new owner-occupier housing loans rose by a larger-than-expected 2.3 per cent in December while the... read more >
Rate cuts still likely as RBA downgrades growth - 10 February 2012
The Reserve Bank has not ruled out further interest rate cuts. Near-term growth and inflation forecast have been downgraded, albeit mildly... read more >
Lunar holiday distorts inflation landscape - 09 February 2012
Chinese New Year boosts inflation. China’s annual inflation rate rose from 4.1 per cent to 4.5 per cent in January – above... read more >
Interest rates on hold â for now anyway - 07 February 2012
The Reserve Bank Board has left official rates at 4.25 per cent. Last year the Reserve Bank cut rates at both the November and December... read more >
More migrants: joy for housing and retail sectors - 07 February 2012
More migrants for Australia. The number of permanent settlers entering Australia hit a 34-month high of 13,900 in December. Over the past... read more >
Consumers still on strike; Petrol price to fall - 06 February 2012
Consumers are cautious. Retail spending fell by 0.1 per cent in December. For the 2011 calendar year, retail sales grew by just 2.4 per cent.... read more >
Rate cuts working; Record SUV sales - 03 February 2012
More cars sold in January. The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries reports that 76,783 cars were sold in January, up 4.3 per cent on a... read more >
International trade surplus swells - 02 February 2012
Trade surplus widens. Australia’s trade surplus rose by $366 million in December to $1709 million. But the net services deficit hit a... read more >
Still not building: building approvals - 02 February 2012
Building approvals disappointed. Approvals to build new dwellings fell by one per cent in December, well short of expectations for a two per... read more >
