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Petrol Prices Petrol prices: According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the weekly national average price of unleaded petrol rose by 6.4 cents to 154.4 cents a litre. After the rise of 5.9 cents in the prior week, petrol has recorded the biggest back-to-back gain in 10 months. The petrol figures have implications for retailers, […]

Chinese economic data Chinese economic growth: The Chinese economy grew at a 6.0 per cent annual rate in the year to December (forecast 6.0 per cent). Over 2019 the Chinese economy grew by 6.1 per cent – the slowest growth in 29 years. Chinese data (December): Retail sales rose at an 8.0 per cent annual […]

Consumer sentiment Consumer confidence: The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence rating rose by 1.1 points (1 per cent) to 107.3 – the first lift since early December. Sentiment remains below both the average of 114.2 points held since 2014 and the longer term average of 113.1 points since 1990. The consumer confidence figures have implications […]

Economic and financial perspectives Record expansion: Australia’s record economic expansion is now in its 29th year. Interest rates have fallen to fresh record lows; wages are growing near 2.2 per cent; underlying inflation is around 1.6 per cent; the jobless rate is 5.3 per cent. Good year for shares: Total returns on Australian shares (All […]

Perspectives on spending Consumer trends: We are travelling less, buying fewer cars, spending more on insurance and winning the battle on high electricity and gas budgets. But we are using public transport and services like Uber more often, cutting back a bit on gambling and buying more clothes. The findings are obtained by analysing the […]

International trade; Retail trade Retail trade: Retail trade was flat in October. The annual growth rate fell from 2.5 per cent to a 2-year low of 2.1 per cent. Foreign trade: The trade surplus fell from $6.85 billion in September (previously $7.18 billion) to $4.5 billion in October. Australia has recorded 22 successive monthly trade […]

The big issues of 2020 For the past 18 years we have produced “The Big Issues” report – a report that has sought to highlight the issues that are expected to influence the economy and financial markets over the forthcoming 12 months. This is not a crystal ball gazing exercise. The aim is not just […]

Weekly petrol prices  Petrol prices: According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average price of unleaded petrol rose by a record 10.9 cents last week to a 4-week high of 153.0 cents a litre. But prices in east coast capital cities are now easing from cyclical highs. Movements in the petrol price can […]

Consumer confidence lifts the most in 5 weeks Services sector gauges; Consumer sentiment Services sector: The Australian Industry Group (AiG) Performance of Services Index (PSI) rose from 51.5 points to an 11-month high of 54.2 points in October. But the ‘final’ CBA/Markit Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell from 52.4 points in September to 50.1 points […]

Retail trade; Weekly petrol prices Job Ads; Inflation gauge Retail trade lifts: Retail trade rose by 0.2 per cent in September after a 0.4 per cent increase in August. Economists had tipped a 0.4 per cent lift in sales. In real (inflation-adjusted) terms, retail trade fell by 0.1 per cent (forecast: +0.3 per cent) in […]