Petrol hits 25-month high; Consumers slash debt

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Credit/debit cards; Weekly petrol; Lending finance Petrol prices to lift further. The terminal gate or wholesale price of petrol rose by another 3 cents a litre last week to 25-month

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Big issues for 2011

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Has consumer spending fundamentally changed? Is the US economy about to take off? Will China continue to dominate? Will the Aussie dollar be stronger for longer? How high will interest

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China tightens again to stem inflation

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Chinese economic data Chinese consumer prices rose at a 5.1 per cent annual pace in November – the fastest pace in over two years but driven by higher food prices.

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Investor Signposts: Week Beginning December 12 2010

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The big picture Economists of all descriptions rely on models to predict where the economy is going. Unfortunately most are based on past relationships and events, and of course that

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Employment soars; productivity now in focus

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Labour force Employment rose by 54,600 in November, well above forecasts centred on job gains of around 20,000 (range from +5,000 to +35,000 jobs). The October result was revised up

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Weak home lending reinforces need for rate pause

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Housing finance Lending to build new homes was flat in October. A key leading indicator for home construction barely moved in October – ahead of the November rate hike. Loans

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Bumper crop despite floods; Construction slumps

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ABARE Crop Report; Performance of Construction The Government’s commodity forecaster has lifted its crop forecasts. ABARES has lifted its forecast for the 2010/11 winter crop by 6.2 per cent. Despite

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Reserve Bank more relaxed about the road ahead

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Reserve Bank Board meeting The Reserve Bank Board has left the cash rate at 4.75 per cent at its final meeting for 2010. The next meeting is on February 1

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Petrol pain ahead; Tame inflation; Job ads slow

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Weekly Petrol Price, Inflation gauge; Job Advertisements Motorists need to prepare for higher petrol prices. The terminal gate or wholesale price of petrol leapt by over 3 cents a litre

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Migrant numbers hit 4yr low despite tight job market

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Latest economic indicators The job market is tight but permanent settler numbers have plunged. Net permanent and long-term arrivals to Australia hit 4-year lows in the year to October. In

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