Banks set to deliver more pain on rates
Eric Johnston, Peter Martin BORROWERS are in for more pain this week with the Commonwealth and National Australia banks expected to begin separate reviews of their mortgage and business rates before announcing...
New round of mortgage pain looms
Eric Johnston and Peter Martin Borrowers face further pain, with Commonwealth and NAB expected to review mortgage, business rates.
ANZ stings new clients in rate rise
Peter Martin and Eric Johnston ANZ has quietly lifted the mortgage rate it charges new customers.
Credit card use wanes as consumers hold back
Peter Martin An unusually weak Christmas for credit card use suggests the end-of-year spending malaise may have extended beyond retail stores.
Markets bet on rates cut
Peter Martin A betting plunge on financial markets puts an interest rate cut today as good as certain with weak retail sales figures indicating the worst growth on record.
Line drawn on economic growth
Peter Martin MENTION ''the Brisbane Line'' to someone old enough and they will think of the line on a map allegedly drawn during World War II to separate the Australian south-east from the rest of the nation,...
Carbon tax plan to cost $3.5bn
Peter Martin Exempting agriculture and deforestation from the carbon tax will cost $3.5 billion a year.
Sydney home prices rise as nation falls
Peter Martin SYDNEY housing prices have defied the nation, climbing in seasonally adjusted terms in December while they continued to fall in every other capital.
Central banks move in unison on rate cuts
Peter Martin Israel may hold the key to next week's Australian decision about interest rates
Tumbling inflation makes rates cut firmer
Peter Martin A DRAMATIC drop in inflation means there is now nothing to stop the Reserve Bank cutting interest rates when it meets for the first time this year on Tuesday week.
Sydney to feel the brunt as thousands of finance sector jobs are put on the line
Peter Martin AUSTRALIA needs to be ready with a new economic stimulus program the moment Europe ''blows'', a leading economist says.
Jobs performance hits 20-year low
Peter Martin A SURPRISE decision by retailers to shy away from the usual Christmas practice of hiring extra workers has given Australia the worst jobs performance in two decades, sparking talk of two more...
Financial crisis: get ready for next wave
Peter Martin, Jessica Wright AUSTRALIA should brace for a return to the ''ugliest'' of times if the latest World Bank warning of a new financial crisis proves correct, a leading economist says.
Wary buyers turn to fixed rate loans despite cuts
Peter Martin FINANCIAL markets are banking on at least three more rate cuts over the next six months, but an increasing proportion of home borrowers appear not to care.
Wary home buyers lock in fixed-rate repayments
Peter Martin Financial markets are banking on more rate cuts over the next six months.
We'll ride out turmoil in Europe
Peter Martin Interest rates are down, our sharemarket will climb, and we'll survive Europe's storm.
Surplus splits experts
Peter Martin It will be a line-ball whether Wayne Swan gets his promised 2012-13 budget surplus.
Natural disasters throw predictions out of whack
Peter Martin None of the Age's economic forecasting panel forsaw the events and trends of 2011.
More gain than pain tipped for year ahead
Peter Martin INTEREST rates are headed down, the sharemarket will climb, and we'll survive whatever Europe throws at us.
Peter Martin
Economic forecasters lose their way in extreme weather
Peter Martin WHO would have thought it? Certainly none of the 20-odd members of the economic forecasting panel this time last year.
