RBA

Debt concerns: treasurer’s era of cheap-money ending

30 September

Because everyone wants your money, you can charge them more for it.That’s the issue facing governments forced to pay investors more for borrowing cash in the form of bonds.The eye-watering sums being raised by artificial intelligence...[Read More]

Labour pains: jobs market too hot for inflation fight

23 September

Australia’s unemployment rate probably needs to edge a little higher to help get inflation back under control, Reserve Bank governor Michele Bullock says.Prefacing her remarks by saying the RBA does not want to see high unemployment, Ms Bullock...[Read More]

Soft landing botched: IMF backs more rate rises

23 September

A global financial body has given the Reserve Bank the green light to hike interest rates and urged Treasurer Jim Chalmers to be bolder on tax reform.With a break-out in price growth hitting Australians’ living standards, returning inflation to...[Read More]

Australians are ‘furious’ about inflation: RBA deputy

9 September

Australians are “furious” about inflation and it will take the nation years to fully get on top on higher post-pandemic living costs, the Reserve Bank’s deputy governor says. Ahead of the central bank’s meeting later this month on interest...[Read More]

AI boom, productivity malaise making RBA’s job harder

19 August

The surge in artificial intelligence investment and Australia’s sluggish productivity growth rate are forcing the Reserve Bank to keep interest rates higher, a top central bank official says.Speaking two days after the RBA kept the cash rate...[Read More]

Jobs data tops economic agenda as Iran war re-escalates

22 July

Jobs data is expected to show ongoing resilience in Australia’s labour market but renewed conflict in the Middle East could bring more bad news for the domestic economy. The unemployment rate is expected to hold steady at 4.4 per cent in June...[Read More]

Freefall: home prices notch biggest drop in years

1 July

Home prices have recorded the biggest monthly fall in almost four years as tax changes accelerate Australia’s housing downturn. Sydney’s median home price fell 1.2 per cent to $1,265,608 in June, leading a nationwide decline of 0.4 per cent,...[Read More]

Strong jobs figures clock on for future rate rise shift

1 July

Stronger-than-expected jobs and spending data has bolstered the case for more rate hikes, but events overseas could stay the Reserve Bank’s hand. An extra 40,300 jobs were added to the economy in May, driving down the unemployment rate to 4.4 per...[Read More]

Labor shrugs off claim tax shift will sink house prices

3 June

Contentious changes to taxes on property investments won’t be the main driver of expected falls in prices, the housing minister says. As auction clearance rates hit lows not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic, Clare O’Neil said it was unclear how...[Read More]

Jobless jump, Iran war shoot down fears of rate rise

27 May

The likelihood of a rate hike in June has shrunk after a surprise jump in the unemployment rate showed the Iran war is having a material impact on Australia’s economy. While bad news for workers, the rise in the jobless rate from 4.3 per cent to...[Read More]

Credit card points schemes in firing line after tweaks

8 April

Overseas trips and hotel stays funded through credit reward schemes could be in trouble as Australia’s central bank cuts fees on card transactions. The Reserve Bank has revamped card usage by banning surcharge payments and cutting interchange...[Read More]

Confidence tanks as fuel spike flows to building costs

25 March

Australian consumers are the least confident they’ve been since records began, as high oil prices threaten to worsen the housing crisis by pushing up building costs. Motorists have already been feeling under the pump from petrol price...[Read More]

Spike in jobless rate unlikely to end RBA hiking cycle

25 March

Noisy jobs data has revealed a tight labour market, giving the Reserve Bank the green light to further hike interest rates despite a spike in unemployment. The jobless rate jumped to 4.3 per cent in February, despite almost 50,000 more people...[Read More]

Vested interest ‘cartel’ killing Aussie housing dream

25 February

A “cartel” of vested interests is stymying crucial tax reforms which could help free up more homes, a former boss of the Reserve Bank says. Bernie Fraser, the only person in Australian history to have served as both RBA governor and Treasury...[Read More]

Labour pains for borrowers as jobs data hits rate hopes