Labor markets in 2014: a year like few others

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Strong and broad-based labor market gains in 2014 clearly indicate a significant change in the economic cycle and strong momentum into 2015. Policymakers have been waiting for a substantial turn... Read more continue reading

Weekly market update – week ending 13 February, 2015

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Investment markets and key developments over the past week Shares generally saw good gains over the last week thanks to a combination of optimism regarding Greece, a new Ukraine ceasefire... Read more continue reading

Australian unemployment at its highest since 2002 = more rate cuts on the way

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Australian jobs growth back to earth in January After three months of unbelievably strong jobs growth (101,000 new jobs were created between September and December last year), employment fell back... Read more continue reading

Weekly market update – week ending 6 February, 2015

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Investment markets and key developments over the past week Shares generally rose over the past week with gains helped by better US earnings reports, a further gain in the oil... Read more continue reading

Electronic retailers record strongest growth in 7yrs

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Retail Trade; New Home Sales Retail trade grew: Sales rose for the seventh straight month, up by 0.2 per cent in December after rising by 0.1 per cent in November.... Read more continue reading

Retail spending disappoints over December

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Retail trade rose by a soft 0.2% in December.  Annual growth has come down to 4.1% The volume of retail spending still remains high.  In volume terms, retail trade increased... Read more continue reading

Australian interest rates still on the slide

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Introduction Ever since commodity prices and the mining investment boom peaked 3 or 4 years ago there has been a constant chorus of doom regarding the Australian economy: the reversal... Read more continue reading

Reserve Bank goes for growth

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Reserve Bank Board meeting The cash rate has been cut by a quarter of a percent to a record low of 2.25 per cent. What does it all mean? The... Read more continue reading

Stonger US economy and implications for Fed policy

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Over the past three quarters, the US economy expanded at a 4% annualized rate, the fastest gain in a decade. The economy is also starting 2015 with added stimulus from... Read more continue reading

Housing bubble risk if rates are cut?

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Home Value Index; TD Inflation Gauge; Performance of Manufacturing Home prices lift: The CoreLogic RP Data Home Value Index of capital city home prices rose by 1.3 per cent in... Read more continue reading