Confidence falls to five month low on rate hike

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Housing finance; Consumer sentiment As expected, the Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer confidence fell in the latest month in response to the latest interest rate hike. The index fell by

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Profit slump but Government still upbeat

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NAB business survey; Mid Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) NAB business confidence index eased from +10.1 to +8.1 in October. The business conditions index fell from +6.7 in September

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Biggest slide in home building in a decade

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Latest economic data The outlook for home builders is gloomy. Council approvals to build news homes slumped by 6.6 per cent in September. Over the past six months approvals have

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The new age of consumer thrift

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Key points The GFC has ushered in a period of more cautious consumers in the US and to a lesser extent in Australia. Household savings rates are likely to be

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Inflation: Another beautiful set of numbers

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Consumer Price Index Australia’s main inflation measure – the consumer price index (CPI) – rose by 0.7 per cent in the September quarter, well below economist forecasts. The annual rate

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Good inflation data to cheer Reserve Bank

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Inflation gauge The TD Securities-Melbourne Institute monthly inflation gauge rose by just 0.05 per cent in September – the lowest increase in 11 months – after lifting 0.2 per cent

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Cold start to spring poses risks for retailers

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Economic focus Australian retailers, especially those dependent on seasonal purchases, could face new pressures unless the weather starts to warm up in the next few weeks. Capital cities such as

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Spending posts first gain in nine months

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CBA Business Spending index Tentative signs of a recovery in consumer spending. A key gauge of economy-wide spending posted its strongest result in nine months in August. The Commonwealth Bank

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Chinese economy powers along

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Chinese economic data The Chinese economy strengthened in August. Production, retail trade, inflation and money supply all grew at a stronger annual rate in August suggesting that authorities will need

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China engineers a soft landing

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Chinese economic data; Mobile phone sales Chinese trade surplus eases as imports surge. China recorded a trade surplus of US$20.03 billion in August – below forecasts centred on a result

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