Reserve Bank discovers its dovish side

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Reserve Bank Board meeting The Reserve Bank Board has left the cash rate at 4.75 per cent for the eighth straight month (covering seven formal meetings). The next meeting is

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RBA confirms that it is ‘wait and see’ mode

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In a speech by RBA Assistant Governor (Economic) Philip Lowe entitled “Inflation: The Recent Past and the Future”, Mr Lowe has reiterated that the RBA believes underlying inflation will lift

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CommSec: Improved conditions for retailers

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CBA Business Spending Index There appears light in the tunnel for retailers. A key measure of economy-wide spending is now edging slightly higher after contracting for most of the past

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CommSec: Petrol set to fall as global oil price slides

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Weekly petrol prices According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average Australian price of unleaded petrol rose by 1.1 cents per litre to 140.2 cents a litre in

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CommSec: Lending near 5-year low; Credit cards shunned

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Lending finance; Credit & debit card statistics Lending slides again. Total lending finance fell for the third time in four months, dropping by 3.8 per cent in April to near

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CommSec: Job ads slump; Inflation eases to 5-year low

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TD Securities monthly inflation gauge; Job Ads; Weekly petrol price Job market slows. The ANZ job advertisement index slumped by 6.5 per cent in May with internet jobs down 6.6

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CommSec: Aussies go on a health kick; exports reliant on China

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Retail trade; International trade Retail spending grew by 1.1 per cent in April after falling by 0.3 per cent in March. The lift in sales was driven by increased spending

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CommSec: Patchwork economy in reverse; manufacturing shrinks

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National accounts The Australian economy fell by 1.2 per cent in the March quarter. And while the downturn can be largely explained by the disruption to coal exports caused by

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Home loans slump to decade lows

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Housing finance; Weekly Petrol Price; New Car Sales The number of new owner-occupier housing loans fell by 1.5 per cent to 44,968 new commitments –marking the lowest result since March

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Investor Signposts: Week Beginning May 8 2011

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The big picture During the year, the spotlight is rarely thrown on the Federal Government’s Budget position. Certainly there is the handing down of the annual budget statement in May and

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