Retirees face dilemma as cash rates remain on hold

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The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to keep official interest rates on hold for the ninth consecutive month was expected but still came as a blow for income-hungry retirees grappling

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Weekly market & economic update – week ending 7 February, 2014

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Key events of the past week and implications While the past week got off to a bad start after a weather affected slump in the US ISM manufacturing conditions index,

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How & where we spent in 2013

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Consumer spending perspective Retail trade in 2013: Over 2013 as a whole, Australians spent $264.2 billion at retail outlets. Spending was up 3.2 per cent over 2012 – the strongest calendar-year

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RBA: Caught between a rock and a hard place

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Standard Life Investments, the global asset manager, believes the Reserve Bank of Australia is likely to keep interest rates on hold well into 2014, with the strength of the housing

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RBA: Cautious optimism but in wait and see mode

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RBA Board minutes Reserve Bank Board minutes: Minutes of the November Board meeting confirm that the Reserve Bank is assessing developments before deciding the next move in interest rates. “it was

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Petrol price slides, but Middle East the key

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Petrol prices Petrol prices: According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average Australian price of unleaded petrol fell by 4.5 cents a litre to 149.2 c/l in the week

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Weekly market & economic update – week ending August 23

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Key events of the past week and implications Fed taper fears dominated over the past week resulting in further increases in bond yields and volatile share markets. Some emerging share

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Lending lifts to 5-year high; Petrol price slides

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Petrol prices; Lending Finance; Credit & debit card lending Petrol prices: According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average Australian price of unleaded petrol fell by 2.3 cents

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Weekly market & economic update: week ending August 9

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Key events of the past week and implications Positive global economic data was a mixed blessing over the last week as it combined with comments from various US Federal Reserve

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Job losses but Aussies work longer hours

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Labour force; Chinese trade data Jobs & jobless rate: Employment fell by 10,200 in July after rising by a revised to 9,300 jobs created in June (previously reported as a 10,300

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