Lending disappoints

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Private sector credit (lending) rose by 0.2 per cent in August after rising by a similar amount in July – and matching the weakest monthly growth in seven months. Annual... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic & market update

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“We’re on a road to nowhere, Come on inside, Taking that ride to nowhere…we’ll take that ride”  – Road to Nowhere, Talking Heads Spain’s Federal Government continues on the “Road to... Read more continue reading

Banks warned on lending standards

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The Reserve Bank has warned banks to “resist the pressure to ease lending standards to gain market share.” Household conservatism is encouraged – “Ongoing consolidation of household balance sheets would be desirable... Read more continue reading

Budget on track despite record monthly shortfall

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The federal budget was in deficit by $43.7 billion in 2011/12 or 3.0 per cent of GDP. At the time of the May 2012 budget the government projected a deficit... Read more continue reading

Oliver’s Insights – 3 steps forward, 2 steps back – but Euro-zone risks are receding

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The risk of a break up in the Euro-zone peaked in May, and has been declining since as European leaders have opted for “more Europe” and the ECB has committed... Read more continue reading

Weekly economic & market update

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Global monetary easing continued over the past week with the Reserve Bank of India cutting banks’ required cash ratios and the Bank of Japan increasing the size of its quantitative... Read more continue reading

Tough trading times for business

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There was a further easing in economy-wide spending in August after temporary stimulus boosted spending in May and June. After sliding 5.4 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms in July,... Read more continue reading

Principal Global Investors 2012 Central Bank Watch

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Principal Global Investors’ today released their monthly Central Bank Watch which evaluates the Reserve Bank of Australia’s current and expected interest rate policy. The report refers to the Reserve Bank... Read more continue reading

RBA “no change” decision more finely balanced

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The latest Reserve Bank Board minutes confirms that the decision to leave rates on hold in September was more finely balanced than in prior months, due to the “significant downside... Read more continue reading

Oliver’s Insights – Q&A on QE3

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This edition of Oliver’s Insight looks at the latest round of quantitative easing announced last week in the US. The key points are as follows: Open ended quantitative easing (QE3) in... Read more continue reading