More people give up search for work

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The unemployment rate eased from 5.2 per cent to 5.1 per cent in August. The participation rate eased from 65.2 per cent to a near 6-year low of 65.0 per

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Happy 21st Birthday Australia!

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The Australian economy has just completed its 21st year of growth; the last recession ended in the June quarter of 1991. It is the longest expansion in Australia’s history. In

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Reserve Bank holds fire… for now

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

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Barrage of economic data

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There is a barrage of economic data coming out… Retail trade: Retail spending fell by a surprising 0.8 per cent in July after lifting by 1.2 per cent in June.

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Weekly economic & market update

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Share markets fell further over the past week on the back of global growth worries and in nervous trade ahead of Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s address in Jackson Hole, before

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Home sales slump to near 11-year low

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New homes sales fell by 5.6 per cent in July, wiping out all the gains recorded over the previous five months. Sales stand at the second lowest level in 11

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Oliver’s Insights: has the $A disconnected from fundamentals?

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This edition of Oliver’s Insights looks at the rebound and ongoing strength in the Australian dollar and the debate about whether the RBA should intervene directly to limit its strength.

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Olympic medals…seasonally adjusted

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On a per capita (per person) basis, Grenada could be judged the most successful at the Olympics with the best ratio of medals per person (I per 105,000 people). Jamaica

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Weekly economic & market update

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The news on the policy front out of Europe over the past week has been pretty quite. ECB officials have reaffirmed their determination to act and its clear the ECB

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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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