Weak lending adds weight to rate cut case

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Private sector credit (lending) rose by just 0.1 per cent in October after rising by 0.3 per cent in September. Annual credit growth eased from 4.0 to 3.8 per cent

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Aussie dollar lifts in response to Chinese data

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There were further signs of recovery of the Chinese economy with the HSBC “flash” purchasing managers index rising from 49.5 to a 13-month high of 50.4 in November. The Aussie

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RBA considers further rate cuts

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The latest Reserve Bank Board minutes suggests that the decision to leave interest rates on hold in November was finely balanced as higher inflation offset a slowing domestic economy. The

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Have interest rates bottomed?

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The Reserve Bank has retired to the interest rate sidelines to assess the impact of the three rate cuts over 2012: “there are signs that easier conditions have been having

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Interest Rates: End Game or Strategic Pause?

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The Reserve Bank Board left the official cash rate at 3.25 per cent. The Bank basically indicated that it wanted to assess the impact of previous rate decisions. In addition

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Talk of an Australia housing bubble misguided

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The notion that Australian housing is in a price bubble is misguided, Dr Chris Caton, BT Chief Economist, has told Vow Financial’s third national conference being held in Phuket, Thailand. 

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RBA justifies rate cut

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The latest Reserve Bank Board minutes suggests that the decision to cut interest rates in October was more to boost confidence rather than to address any significant structural downturn. The

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Underlying strength in volatile job data

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Employment rose by 14,500 in September after a revised loss of 9,100 jobs in August (previously -8,800). Economists had expected 5,000 jobs to be added. In September, full-time jobs rose

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Ho hum consumers: Should the RBA be worried?

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The Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer confidence rose by 1.0 per cent in October to a reading of 99.2. Sentiment levels are up 2.0 per cent on a year ago.

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Not keen to hire: Job advertisements at 32mth low

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Bad news for job seekers – the number of job advertisements fell for the sixth straight month, dropping by 2.8 per cent in September to stand 10.8 per cent lower

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