China: Investment slides to a 15-year low

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Chinese economic data Chinese retail sales rose at a 10.0 per cent annual rate in April – the slowest growth rate in nine years. The result was below forecasts (+10.5... Read more continue reading

The 2015-26 Australian Budget – repair, fair or dispair

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Key points The 2015-16 Budget has seen a shift in focus from budget repair towards supporting growth and fairness. Thanks to another blow to revenue the budget deficit for 2015-16... Read more continue reading

Looking at the world economy on the eve of Australian Federal Budget

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Long bonds dominate as the oil price recovers In Australia this week,  eyes will be on today’s Federal Budget, which may well live up to the “dull” label slapped on it... Read more continue reading

Federal Budget: Short & longer-term goals

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Federal Budget preview Kinder, gentler Budget? The Federal Budget will be focussed on the short-term imperative of rebuilding confidence and the longer-term goal of increasing participation in the workforce. In... Read more continue reading

Weekly market update – week ending 8 May, 2015

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Investment markets and key developments over the past week Shares had a rough week on the back of a continuation of the global bond sell-off, some soft US data, comments... Read more continue reading

Jobs figures – employment falls in April

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Labour Force – April 2015 Employment fell by by a small 2.9k in April following an upwardly revised 48.1k lift in March (previously reported as +37.7k). The fall in employment... Read more continue reading

Hours worked lifts at the fastest pace in four years

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Labour force Jobs losses: Employment fell by 2,900 in April after rising by a revised 48,200 in March (previously estimated at a 37,700 gain in jobs). Full-time jobs fell by... Read more continue reading

The RBA cuts the cash rate to a new record low

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Key points The RBA’s latest rate cut along with downwards pressure on the value of the $A should help Australian economic growth pick up to around trend next year. While... Read more continue reading

Retail lift; Beer consumption at 68-year low

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Retail Trade; New Home Sales; Alcohol Consumption Retail trade grew: Sales rose for the tenth straight month, up by 0.3 per cent in March after rising by 0.7 per cent... Read more continue reading

High-rise Australia; Job ads up again

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Inflation gauge, Building approvals, Job Ads; Weekly petrol price Hiring lifts: Job advertisements rose by 2.3 per cent in April – the 10th gain in 11 months. Record dwelling approvals:... Read more continue reading