‘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]

‘Put people first’: landmark AI probe to set guardrails

13 August

A national-first royal commission will investigate the dangers and benefits of artificial intelligence in society as a premier pledges to get the balance right.South Australian leader Peter Malinauskas announced the inquiry on Monday after returning...[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]

Treasurer moves to fix ‘widow’s tax’ after backlash

6 August

The government is moving to fix its so-called “widow’s tax” following criticism its tax reforms denied Australians who inherited an investment property from their partner access to negative gearing concessions. The fix is part of a raft of the...[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...[Read More]

Small businesses under pressure from soaring costs

5 August

Australia’s 2.7 million small businesses are being squeezed, with their costs up by almost a quarter since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report by a business-focused bank. AMP Bank Go on Tuesday released its inaugural...[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]

Labor backs super boost for youngest Aussie workers

30 July

Labor has backed superannuation payments for Australia’s youngest workers, regardless of the number of hours they work. The party says it will “ensure that all workers, including those under 18 and regardless of how they are engaged, can...[Read More]

Red tape strangling efforts to tackle housing crisis

30 July

Allowing three-storey townhouses to be built on most residential land is one of the key recommendations of a major report outlining what Australia needs to do to fix its housing crisis. Governments have gotten in the way of new housing supply by...[Read More]

‘Build resilience’: refinery touted but discount to end

29 July

Australia’s fuel security could soon be bolstered by a new refinery, but questions have been raised about the business case for the facility. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced plans to look into building Australia’s third oil refinery in...[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]

Young investors bet the house on dialling up their risk

23 July

Lofty stock valuations and the biggest investment tax shake-up in decades don’t appear to be impacting the risk appetite of young Australians, according to investing platforms. This cohort is increasingly turning to investing to save for their...[Read More]

Workers ‘forced’ to accept AI systems or leave jobs

23 July

Australians are at risk of losing jobs or being trapped in unethical situations as artificial intelligence use soars, despite the hopes of the federal government, an expert has warned. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used a speech in mid-July to...[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]