economy
Rate cut on horizon amid fears of more stock turmoil
24 April
Investors tormented by weeks of tariff turmoil will hope for a quiet return from Easter as mortgage holders eye a rate cut on the horizon. Stocks in Australia and the US have clawed back ground in the past fortnight after US President Donald Trump...[Read More]
Jobs market strong but Trump tariff bomb yet to explode
24 April
Global headwinds stirred by āerraticā US policy decisions could still hit the Australian jobs market despite latest figures showing only a small uptick in unemployment. About 30,000 jobs were created in March after a shock 53,000 slump in...[Read More]
Economists send open letter opposing nuclear plan
24 April
An open letter from 60 Australian economists has rejected the coalitionās nuclear energy plan, promoting instead the subsidising of household clean energy policies, including incentives for home battery storage. The organiser of the letter, Gareth...[Read More]
Trump uncertainty set to smash Australian economy
24 April
Australiaās growth outlook has been slashed by a major international body as US President Donald Trumpās trade upheaval sends market volatility skywards. United Nations financial agency the International Monetary Fund said uncertainty had surged...[Read More]
Tariff turmoil triggers Reserve Bank inflation fears
17 April
The threat of Donald Trumpās tariffs loomed large over the Reserve Bank as it made the call to keep interest rates on hold, warning that US measures could lead to higher inflation. Minutes from the central bankās April 1 meeting, released on...[Read More]
Reserve Bank call for calm is welcome amid tariff drama
17 April
The treasurer backs Reserve Bank assurances the domestic economy is well-placed to deal with shockwaves from Donald Trumpās tariffs. The central bankās governor Michele Bullock tried to allay concerns in a speech on Thursday night after a week...[Read More]
Working women key to future economic growth: bank boss
16 April
Womenās participation in the Australian economy has been remarkably transformed in the past 40 years but more progress is needed, the head of the central bank says. Michele Bullock made history in 2023 when she became the first woman appointed...[Read More]
Tariff storm blows economy and election off course
10 April
WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH WORLD TRADE? * President Donald Trump announced a slew of tariffs on US trading partners, ostensibly to correct a decades-long trade deficit after complaining America had been taken advantage of * Global markets went into...[Read More]
Calls mount for RBA to intervene with jumbo rate cut
10 April
Odds are shortening for the Reserve Bank to cut rates by 50 basis points at its next meeting as global financial turmoil weighs heavily on Australians. Though most economists do not view an Australian recession as a realistic chance, the prospect of...[Read More]
Trade opportunities beckon amid global tariff meltdown
10 April
Australia can capitalise on āenormous opportunitiesā in the wake of Donald Trumpās tariffs, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says as the US president escalates his trade feud with China. The government hopes to reassure investors and the...[Read More]
Two data prints and a Trump wildcard to decide rate cut
3 April
Donald Trumpās so-called āliberation dayā looms over the economic calendar but another date could have even greater implications for interest rates in Australia. By April 30 Australians could know whether the Reserve Bank is set to cut rates...[Read More]
āCautiousā RBA holds rates steady ahead of election
3 April
Hopes remain high for mortgage relief in May despite a ācautiousā Reserve Bank of Australia keeping interest rates on hold. As widely expected by economists, the RBAās new monetary policy board held the cash rate steady at 4.1 per cent at its...[Read More]
Energy policy trips up leaders in cost-of-living poll
2 April
Voters are hearing less about nuclear and more about gas from the federal opposition as the major parties struggle to sell their visions for cheaper, cleaner power. Building seven nuclear power plants in five states is central to Opposition Leader...[Read More]
Budget focuses on power bills, tax cuts and healthcare
27 March
FEDERAL BUDGET AT A GLANCE * Budget deficit of $27.6 billion this financial year * Commonwealth gross debt to rise to $940 billion (33.7 per cent of GDP) in 2024/25 before cracking $1 trillion the year after * Net debt to rise to $556 billion in...[Read More]
Inflation falls in line with expectations
27 March
The Reserve Bankās efforts to curb inflation are heading in the right direction, with monthly inflation continuing downward, but it likely wonāt be enough to force a rate cut next week. The monthly consumer price index fell 10 basis points to...[Read More]