Weak business investment underlines productivity battle
Encouraging productivity-boosting investment, such as infrastructure connecting regions with capital cities, is needed amid a slowdown in capital expenditure.
Encouraging productivity-boosting investment, such as infrastructure connecting regions with capital cities, is needed amid a slowdown in capital expenditure.
Australia's banks have helped push the local stock market higher as the nation's most valuable company notches a share price record.
Hospitality venues are feeling the pinch from high business costs and low spending, but lower interest rates should help ease the pain
Donald Trump's trade war has clouded economic forecasts as Australia's central bank seeks to thread the needle to avoid the nation tipping into a recession.
Australian shares have pushed higher each session this week as easing trade tensions and hopes of incoming interest rate cuts buoyed markets.
Mortgage-holders are poised to bank an interest rate cut within weeks despite the latest inflation reading coming in slightly higher than expected.
Quarterly numbers are expected to show inflation has drifted into the Reserve Bank's target range to set up a further interest rate cut.
Uncertainty over US tariffs and a brewing global trade war cast a shadow over the Reserve Bank of Australia as it deliberated on cutting interest rates.
As rate-cut bets see-saw, the Reserve Bank governor says Australia is well placed for overseas shocks in her first speech since Donald Trump's tariff thump.
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Australia is still well-placed to navigate the economic uncertainty generated by Donald Trump's wide-ranging tariffs.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept the cash rate unchanged at 4.1 per cent, as global uncertainty clouds the economic outlook.
Another interest rate cut is firmly on the table with analysts expecting the Reserve Bank to seriously consider the move on the back of fresh inflation data.
The opposition's claim Labor has added $350 billion in spending omits the impact of inflation, while Labor's response misconstrues the coalition's planned cuts.
The opposition's claim Labor has added $350 billion in spending omits the impact of inflation, while Labor's response misconstrues the coalition's planned cuts.
Slowing inflation helped convince the Reserve Bank to cut rates at its last meeting but uncertainty over tariffs was also a factor, the deputy governor says.
Caution has been urged over future cash rate changes as uncertainty looms large over global policy, the impacts of rate decisions and the labour market.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says ongoing growth in real wages is a good thing, but the RBA will be more encouraged that wage rises are showing signs of slowing.
An AAP survey of 32 leading Australian economists has tipped the Reserve Bank to cut interest rates this week, but more than one in five remain unconvinced.
Anthony Albanese remains coy on when Australians will head to the polls, after the Reserve Bank delivered cost-of-living relief for mortgage holders.
Australians are expected to have pulled back on retail spending after major sales, with the latest data unlikely to shift the dial for the Reserve Bank.
Strong retail spending figures are not expected to deter the Reserve Bank from cutting rates at its next meeting as one big bank lowers fixed-rate loans.
With the stars aligned for a February interest rate cut, borrowers are now concerned with how many cuts the Reserve Bank will hand down.
Renters are more likely to support Labor or Liberal than the Greens despite the minor party running hard on issues faced by tenants, fresh polling shows.
The strength of Australia's labour market has kept the Reserve Bank from cutting interest rates but growing evidence suggests it's not as crucial as thought.
Easing inflation is increasing the likelihood of a near-term rate cut, which would provide a welcome boost to consumer sentiment in 2025.
A decline in spending on household goods has bolstered hopes of an RBA rate cut, which would help boost dour consumer sentiment.
Unexpected jobs figures have diminished hopes of an interest rate cut in February but favourable inflation data could put lower mortgage costs back on the menu.
The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come has visited the RBA deputy, revealing little chance of the global economy plunging into another Depression.
The re-election of Donald Trump as US president could have "adverse implications" for the Australian economy but it has not changed the RBA's view on inflation.
Firms are struggling to retain workers as activity from mining, infrastructure projects and even the 2032 Brisbane Olympics keeps demand for labour high.
Mortgage-holders should not get their hopes up for near-term relief, says a hawkish Reserve Bank governor as the cash rate was again held at 4.35 per cent.