Manufacturing contraction compounds growth concerns

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Chinese private sector manufacturing contracted for the seventh consecutive month: The HSBC Flash Purchasing Managers Index (the earliest indicator of China’s industrial activity) fell from a final reading of 49.3

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Aussie spending – is the recovery faltering?

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Economy-wide spending rose in April but at the slowest pace in seven months, raising questions about the path of recovery. The Commonwealth Bank Business Sales Indicator (BSI) rose by 0.5

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Wages – winners & losers

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Average weekly ordinary time earnings rose by 1.1 per cent in the March quarter with private sector wages up 1.2 per cent and public sector wages up 1.0 per cent.

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Low inflation profile keeps rate cuts on the agenda

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A low inflation outlook and downward revisions to domestic growth forecasts prompted the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates. Given recently accumulated information on demand and the rate of inflation,

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Door opens for Chinese stimulus

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Chinese consumer prices fell by 0.1 per cent in April, dragging annual inflation down from 3.6 per cent to 3.4 per cent. Producer prices rose by 0.2 per cent in

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Australia outperforms the world

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What a sweet set of numbers! Back to back monthly job gains and the unemployment rate sliding to a one-year low. The latest employment figures provide a great deal of

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CommSec Budget 2012 chart pack

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The Federal Budget is hardly the most riveting document you are ever likely to read. Sure you know it’s important, but the problem is that it’s a huge document with

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Australia’s budget 2012: surplus or bust

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The Federal Budget is hardly the most riveting document you are ever likely to read. Sure you know it’s important, but the problem is that it’s a huge document with

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Record deflation prompts Aussies to spend

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Retail spending rose by 0.9 per cent in March – the strongest gain in 11 months. After adjusting for inflation, retail trade rose by 1.8 per cent in the March

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Deficit on track, but surplus in 2012/13 is hard work

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On current figuring the Government will go close to achieving its goal of a budget deficit just over $37 billion this financial year, representing just over 2.5 per cent of

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