Jobs rebound yet outlook still murky

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Employment rose by 14,000 in July after a revised fall of 28,300 in June (previously 27,000). Economists had expected 10,000 jobs to be added. In July part-time jobs rose by

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Reserve Bank exhibits quiet confidence

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The Reserve Bank Board has left the official cash rate at 3.50 per cent for the second straight month. The variable housing rate is applying modest stimulus to the economy

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The CommSec iPad Index: Aussie dollar too dear?

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Over time we have modified the index to keep pace with changes in products such as the iPod touch, iPad2 and the “new iPad”. This update looks at the pricing

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Aussies spend again, but for how long?

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Retail spending rose by 1.0 per cent in June after lifting by 0.8 per cent in May. In the June quarter retail trade rose by 1.4 per cent in real

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Solid improvement in Federal Budget

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The underlying budget deficit for the twelve months to May stood at $34.1 billion – the lowest result in almost three years (33 months). The deficit has improved by 45

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Gender gaps: More work required

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The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its latest Gender Indicators publication, showing how men and women fared on a range of economic and social indicators. The ABS has

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The truth about the economy & optimism on China

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An upbeat Reserve Bank Governor Glenn Stevens delivered a speech “The Lucky Country” – in the question & answer session, the Governor reportedly said that monetary policy settings are about

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State of the states – economic update

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How are Australia’s states and territories performing? Each quarter CommSec attempts to find out by analysing eight key indicators: economic growth; retail spending; equipment investment; unemployment, construction work done; population

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RBA maintains holding pattern, inflation the key

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The latest Reserve Bank Board minutes confirms that the decision to leave rates on hold in July was largely due to a modest improvement in economic conditions and also given

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Australia’s richest towns

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The latest release of Census data permits comparisons to be made across states, regions and even postal areas (postcodes). While more data is still to be released, the comparisons that

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