Investor Signposts: Week Beginning July 21 2013

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Upcoming economic and financial market events Australia July 22: State of the States – CommSec’s quarterly assessment of state/territory economies July 24: Consumer Price Index (June Qtr) – We expect

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CommSec: New data allays fears about Chinese economy

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Latest Chinese economic data The Chinese economy grew at 7.5 per cent annual pace in the June quarter – in line with forecasts.The economy grew by 1.7 per cent in

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Investor Signposts: Week Beginning July 14 2013

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Australia July 15   Lending finance (May) – Covers personal, business, housing and lease loans July 15   New vehicle sales (June) – Sales hit record highs; up 5.5% over the year

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Commsec: Mining states more pessimistic

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Consumer confidence; Chinese trade data Consumer sentiment: The Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer confidence fell by 0.1 per cent in July. Three of the five components of the index fell in

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Youth unemployment falls to a 4½-year low

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Employment rose by 1,100 in May after rising by a revised 45,000 jobs in April (previously reported as a 50,100 rise in jobs). Economists had expected a 10,000 fall in

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Stable rates boost confidence

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The Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer confidence rose by 4.7 per cent in June. All five components of the index rose in June. The index is up 6.9 per cent

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Chinese economy: firm growth, low inflation

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Chinese activity and trade data were close to market expectations in May but inflation data printed below economist forecasts. What do the figures show? Retail trade rose at a 12.9

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Data deluge: Economy is in good, not great shape

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Retail trade rose by 0.2 per cent in April after falling by 0.4 per cent in March and rising by 1.3 per cent in February. Annual spending growth held steady

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Investment records biggest fall in 3½-years

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  New business investment in buildings or equipment fell by 4.7 per cent in the March – the weakest result in 3½-years and below forecasts for a +0.5 increase.  Mining

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Smallest Budget Deficit in almost four years

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In the year to April, the budget deficit stood at $32,332 million (around 2.0 per cent of GDP), the smallest deficit in 44 months. What do the figures show? The

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