Australians are ‘furious’ about inflation: RBA deputy

10 September

Australians are “furious” about inflation and it will take the nation years to fully get on top on higher post-pandemic living costs, the Reserve Bank’s deputy governor says.Ahead of the central bank’s meeting later this month on interest...[Read More]

Reserve Bank’s grim rates warning as oil prices spike

10 September

The Reserve Bank might have to raise interest rates if inflation is higher than expected as oil prices surge back towards $US100 a barrel.More attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz drove Brent crude above $US97 a barrel, which will seep...[Read More]

‘Green light’ for rate hike as GDP growth surprises

3 September

Australia’s economy grew by 2.1 per cent in the last financial year, cementing the odds for another rate rise as the economy proves more resilient than the Reserve Bank expects.Gross domestic product expanded by 0.4 per cent in the June quarter,...[Read More]

‘Hot mess’ inflation result puts rate rise on the table

27 August

More interest rate hikes are on the cards after Australia’s headline inflation rate came in higher than expected, despite falling to its lowest level in eight months.The consumer price index rose one per cent in July, resulting in the annual rate...[Read More]

Jobs data and a fireside chat: the economic week ahead

20 August

As the US dragged itself out of the Great Depression, newly-elected president Franklin D Roosevelt pioneered an informal style of radio address to nurture rapport with a bruised American public.It’s unclear whether the LED lighting at...[Read More]

AI boom, productivity malaise making RBA’s job harder

20 August

The surge in artificial intelligence investment and Australia’s sluggish productivity growth rate are forcing the Reserve Bank to keep interest rates higher, a top central bank official says.Speaking two days after the RBA kept the cash rate...[Read More]

‘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]

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]

‘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]

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 cent...[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]

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]

Jobs data tops economic agenda as Iran war re-escalates

23 July

Jobs data is expected to show ongoing resilience in Australia’s labour market but renewed conflict in the Middle East could bring more bad news for the domestic economy.The unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 4.4 per cent in June...[Read More]

Trump threatens to shoot down signs of economic rebound

16 July

Just as businesses and consumers were beginning to grow more confident, a return to arms in the Middle East risks sending sentiment back to the doldrums.Business confidence climbed nine points in June, despite warnings the federal budget would smash...[Read More]

Inflation-fuelling supply shocks under RBA microscope

9 July

Expect to hear more from the Reserve Bank as it grapples with how to navigate a world punctuated by more frequent supply shocks due to heightened geopolitical tensions and climate change.With shocks like the Middle East oil crisis and Donald...[Read More]