Petrol set to surge but inflation still contained

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Weekly Petrol; Latest economic data According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average Australian price of unleaded petrol rose by 1.2 cents per litre to 136.3 cents a

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Businesses bank on second half recovery

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Private New Capital Expenditure; Average weekly earnings New business investment rose by a less than expected 1.3 per cent in the December quarter. Manufacturing dominated investment plans with investment in

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Unleaded petrol sales slump to 13-year lows

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Petrol Sales; RBA Speech; Imports Petrol sales in the September quarter were the lowest for any September quarter in five years, as consumers and businesses focussed on cutting costs. Unleaded

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Car sales slide as buyer caution emerges

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New car sales Australian new car sales recorded a modest fall in January. Car sales fell by 1.9 per cent in January – marking the biggest monthly fall in six

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Lending lifts but consumers still cautious

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Lending finance; ABARE Crop Report; RBA Board minutes Lending rose in December. Total lending finance rose for the fourth consecutive month up by 2.4 per cent in December. Lending totalled

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Confidence stabilises but trend index at 20mth lows

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Consumer sentiment The Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer confidence rose modestly in February following the sharp slide in January. The index rose by 1.9 per cent to 106.6 in February.

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Cheaper homes encourage buyers

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Housing finance; Credit card lending; Weekly Petrol Price Lending to build new homes recorded a healthy increase in December. Loans for the construction of dwellings rose by 1.0 per cent

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Jobless rate steady but young workers left behind

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Labour force Employment rose by 24,000 people in January, slightly above forecasts centred on gains of around 15,000 (range from -11,000 to +35,000 jobs). The December result was revised lower

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Confidence stabilises but trend index at 20mth lows

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Consumer sentiment The Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer confidence rose modestly in February following the sharp slide in January. The index rose by 1.9 per cent to 106.6 in February.

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Business conditions near two year lows

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NAB Business Survey; Migration & Tourism The NAB business confidence index rose from -2.7 to +4.0 in January. The business conditions index slumped from +5.8 in December to -5.8 in

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