Business News
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 >
Home sales slide in December - 01 February 2012
New home sales fell by 4.9 per cent in December and was holding just shy of the 11-year lows reached in September. Private sector detached... read more >
Manufacturing rebounds: Performance of Manufacturing index - 01 February 2012
Manufacturing has expanded for the second consecutive month. The Performance of Manufacturing index (PMI) rose by 1.4 points to 51.6 in... read more >
Rate cuts boost business confidence - 31 January 2012
Rate cuts support business confidence. The NAB business confidence index rose from +2.4 to +2.9 in December. Business conditions improved from... read more >
Could the pokies reform create more jobs? - 31 January 2012
The claims that poker machine reform will cost $5 billion are greatly exaggerated, says The Australia Institute. Following new analysis of the... read more >
Seasonal businesses blow hot and cold - 31 January 2012
Seasonal businesses rely on ‘normal’ weather conditions. In simple terms, in summer it needs to be hot and in winter in needs to... read more >
Rising Aussie dollar caps petrol price gains - 30 January 2012
According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average Australian price of unleaded petrol fell by 0.5 cents per litre to... read more >
Luxury car sales â light at the end of the tunnel? - 30 January 2012
An index on luxury cars has highlighted the conservative nature of Aussie consumers. The CommSec Luxury Car index fell by 8.2 per cent in... read more >
Regional jobs data: the winners and losers - 27 January 2012
The Hunter region of NSW had the lowest unemployment rate in the nation over 2011 averaging 2.3 per cent while the Far North of Queensland had... read more >
Lowest inflation reading in three years - 25 January 2012
No inflation: The Consumer Price Index – the main measure of inflation in Australia – was unchanged in the December quarter. It... read more >
Investing for the long haul: CommSec Mums and Dads index - 25 January 2012
Investors in commonly-held shares are still in front. Despite a raft of tumultuous events over the past 13 years, Mum and Dad shareholders are... read more >
Tame business inflation; Petrol price relief on hand - 23 January 2012
The broad measure of business inflation – the producer price index (PPI), or final stage prices – rose by 0.3 per cent in the... read more >
Car affordability at best levels in 35 years - 23 January 2012
Car affordability is the best in 35 years. New data reveals that car affordability is at the best levels since 1976. A person on the average... read more >
State of the States - State & territory economic performance report - 23 January 2012
How are Australia’s states and territories performing? Each quarter CommSec attempts to find out by analysing eight key indicators:... read more >
Spending recovery consolidates - 20 January 2012
The recovery in economy-wide spending continued into December. The Commonwealth Bank Business Sales Indicator (BSI) rose by 0.2 per cent in... read more >
Car prices fall to near decade lows - 20 January 2012
Prices of imported goods rose in the December quarter, driven by the depreciation in the Australian dollar. Import prices rose by 2.5 per cent... read more >
CBA Business Spending Index - 20 January 2012
The recovery in economy-wide spending continued into December. The Commonwealth Bank Business Sales Indicator (BSI) rose by 0.2 per cent in... read more >
Car price fall to near decade lows - 20 January 2012
Prices of imported goods rose in the December quarter, driven by the depreciation in the Australian dollar. Import prices rose by 2.5 per cent... read more >
Weakest job market in almost 20 years - 19 January 2012
Employment fell by 29,300 in December – the biggest decline in eight months. Economists had expected a 10,000 lift in jobs. It was the... read more >
