Stronger Aussie dollar outpaced by gains in oil price

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Job advertisements; Petrol price Petrol prices are set to rise – but modestly. The rally in the Australian dollar has been outpaced by gains in regional oil prices. According to

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Weekly market & economic update: 5 November 2010

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Headline developments of the past week The contrast in global central banks was stark over the past week with those in weak countries such as the US, Japan and Europe

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Investor Signposts: Week Beginning November 7 2010

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The big picture In the past there have been a host of factors cited by the Reserve Bank to justify lifting interest rates. So what about the most recent lift

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Consumers remain super-cautious on spending

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Retail trade, International trade Retail spending grew by just 0.3 per cent in September, below expectations centred on a rise of 0.4 per cent. Non-food retailing rose by 0.4 per

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Reserve Bank returns to watchful stance

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RBA Statement on Monetary Policy; PCI The Reserve Bank has tinkered with economic growth forecasts, but the trajectory is largely unchanged. However the Reserve Bank has modestly downgraded inflation forecasts.

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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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Reserve Bank takes a punt

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Reserve Bank Board meeting For the first time in six months the Reserve Bank has elected to increase official interest rates, lifting the cash rate by 25 basis points to

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Tame inflation; Manufacturing orders sink

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Inflation gauge; Weekly Petrol Price, PMI, House Price Index The TD Securities-Melbourne Institute monthly inflation gauge rose by 0.3 per cent in October after lifting 0.1 per cent in September,

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QE2 not fazing investors

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“Print, baby, print” echoes the chorus of economists, investors and currency speculators worldwide. The strong possibility the US will create more money out of thin air has led to a

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Weekly market & economic update: 29 October 2010

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Headline developments of the past week US GDP grew an annualised 2% in the September quarter, which was right in line with market expectations. Clearly the US economy has not

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