Chinese economy: firm growth, low inflation

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Chinese activity and trade data were close to market expectations in May but inflation data printed below economist forecasts. What do the figures show? Retail trade rose at a 12.9

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11 Jun 2013

Data deluge: Economy is in good, not great shape

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Retail trade rose by 0.2 per cent in April after falling by 0.4 per cent in March and rising by 1.3 per cent in February. Annual spending growth held steady

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04 Jun 2013

Investment records biggest fall in 3½-years

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  New business investment in buildings or equipment fell by 4.7 per cent in the March – the weakest result in 3½-years and below forecasts for a +0.5 increase.  Mining

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31 May 2013

Smallest Budget Deficit in almost four years

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In the year to April, the budget deficit stood at $32,332 million (around 2.0 per cent of GDP), the smallest deficit in 44 months. What do the figures show? The

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28 May 2013

Budget 2013 – honey, who ate the surplus?

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The Federal Budget is hardly the most riveting document you are ever likely to read. Sure you know it’s important, but the problem is that it’s a huge document with

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15 May 2013

Home loans soar but business confidence still gloomy

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The number of new owner-occupier housing loans rose by 5.2 per cent in March, the strongest rise in four years. But the share of loans taken up by first home

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14 May 2013

15 key takeouts from RBA report

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The Reserve Bank has made only subtle changes to its forecasts on inflation and no change to forecasts on economic growth. Reserve Bank general views haven’t become more negative or

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13 May 2013

Interest rates hit 53 year lows

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The Reserve Bank Board has cut interest rates by 25 basis points to 2.75 per cent. Equivalent official interest rates were last at these levels in 1959/60.The next RBA Board

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08 May 2013

CommSec Investor Snapshot: Interest rates are low, but how low?

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Reserve Bank Board makes its decision today: Most economists expect no change in interest rates. How low are interest rates? Currently the official cash rate stands at 3.00 per cent

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07 May 2013

One-minute update: subdued business inflation paves way for a rate cut

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The broad measure of business inflation – the producer price index (PPI), or final stage prices, – rose by 0.3 per cent in the March quarter to stand 1.6 per

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06 May 2013