Economy
Exports drop as trade deficit widens
A fall in coal exports and other mining commodities have increased the trade deficit.
Housing
Construction declines for 33rd straight month
Glenda Kwek Australia’s construction sector has declined for the 33rd consecutive month as apartment and commercial construction activity continued to fall.
GDP
Public spending drives economic growth
Glenda Kwek Australia’s economy grew 0.6 per cent last quarter, as government investment and exports increased, taking growth for the year to 3.1 per cent.
Housing
Rate reductions boost home affordability
Australian homes are the most affordable in three years, thanks to rising incomes and falling interest rates.
Mal Maiden
RBA locked, loaded and ready to fire
Malcolm Maiden The Reserve Bank has kept its rate-cut powder dry, but the gun is still loaded.
Michael Pascoe
RBA holding out for stormy weather
Michael Pascoe The Reserve Bank’s foot remains on the accelerator, ready to feed the economy bus more juice if any steep hills appear.
Chronology of interest rate moves since 1990
The following is a chronology of the Reserve Bank of Australia's interest rate moves since 1990.
RBA keeps rates on hold
Glenda Kwek The Reserve Bank has kept interest rates at 3 per cent for the second month in a row at its March board meeting today.
Car sales
Japanese vehicles trump locals
Sales of new vehicles in Australia were up 5.2 per cent in February from a year earlier, with Japanese carmakers taking out the top three spots.
Current account deficit narrows in December quarter
Australia’s current account deficit narrowed to $14.678 billion in the December quarter, seasonally adjusted.
Government spending jumps in final quarter
Australian government spending on consumption and investment jumped 4.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2012 to an inflation adjusted $86.39 billion.
Consumers
Retail sales outshine expectations
Glenda Kwek Retail sales have risen by 0.9 per cent for the month of January, surpassing economists’ expectations, following three consecutive months of falls.
Little chance of rate cut as RBA waits for clearer signs
Glenda Kwek The Reserve Bank is expected to look through the mixed set of economic data released today and keep interest rates on hold at its board meeting tomorrow.
Inflation
Consumer prices flat in February
Consumer prices were unchanged in February as a rise in vehicle fuel and fruit and vegetables prices offset falls in holiday and travel accommodation.
Manufacturing shrinks again, but slower
Australia’s manufacturing sector continued to shrink in February, but the rate of contraction has slowed.
Michael Pascoe
Capital goes on strike
Michael Pascoe I don’t know what happy drug the markets were on yesterday but it must have been powerful to get a positive reaction out of poor business investment figures.
Chances of March rate cut sink
Glenda Kwek A better-than-expected forecast of business investment and a lift in new home sales have eased pressure on the Reserve Bank to cut the cash rate next week.
Miners scale back spending plans
Glenda Kwek Business investment unexpectedly fell last quarter but estimates for 2013-14 come in at the top end of expectations.
Economy strong, but housing vulnerable: S&P
Gareth Hutchens The economy is likely to keep growing steadily and the AAA rating is not at risk, but the housing market appears vulnerable to a downturn, S&P says.
Bright spots in construction spending
Construction spending was flat last quarter as engineering work came off record highs, though a pick-up in home and commercial building could be a sign that lower interest rates are starting to feed...
