Consumer sentiment hit by tariff turmoil

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The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Consumer Sentiment Index fell 6% in April, to 90.1 from 95.9 in March. Matthew Hassan, Westpac Head of Australian Macro-Forecasting, said: “Consumers are showing deepening unease about... Read more continue reading

The Trump Dump in shares – what does it mean for Australia and investors?

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Key points Share markets have fallen further on US President Trump’s worse than expected tariff policies. Further weakness is likely but at some point Trump is likely to pivot towards... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic and market update – week ending 4 April, 2025

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Investment markets and key developments Global share markets fell again over the last week taking most markets below their mid-March lows in response to Trump’s higher than expected tariffs which... Read more continue reading

Old listings climb but distressed activity remaining benign

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Key points Total listings increased by 0.9% for the month of March Year on year (March), total property listings decreased by 1.7% New property listings recorded a decline of 5.5%... Read more continue reading

The 2025 Australian Federal election – implications for investors

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Key points Australian election campaigns tend to see uncertainty driving weak gains for shares, followed by a bounce. Labor is offering more of the same whereas the Coalition is offering... Read more continue reading

RBA April preview: keep calm and carry on

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Coming into next week’s Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Board meeting, it is extremely difficult to envisage anything other than a decision to leave the policy rate unchanged at its... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic and market update – week ending 21 March, 2025

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Investment markets and key developments Global share markets mostly rebounded over the last week from oversold conditions helped by an absence of new tariff comments from Trump and as the... Read more continue reading

The fog of trade war and why Franklin Templeton is calling for at most one rate cut this year, with some probability of none

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Sonal Desai, Chief Investment Officer, Franklin Templeton Fixed Income believes markets have been excessively worried about stagflation risk and are now too confident that the Fed would rush to support growth... Read more continue reading

The Fed: “transitory” turbulence?

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As the Trump Administration assumed office, markets not only had priced ‘goldilocks’ but looked to be embracing a euphoric scenario. Inflation was in retreat; the Fed was cutting rates; bond... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic and market update – week ending 15 March, 2025

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Investment markets and key developments Global share markets fell again as uncertainty over Trump’s tariffs and the gathering global trade war added to fears about a hit to growth and... Read more continue reading