Inflation eases to 2.8 per cent in September quarter

30 October

Australia’s annual inflation rate has returned to the range targeted by the central bank, clocking in at 2.8 per cent in the September quarter. The headline annual rate was down a whole percentage point from the June quarter and landed broadly in...[Read More]

Petrol and energy relief drag headline inflation lower

30 October

Cheaper fuel and energy bill relief have helped drag headline inflation down to its lowest rate since early 2021. A 2.8 per cent rise in the September-quarter consumer price index marks a return to the Reserve Bank’s target range of two to three...[Read More]

Pandemic cash splash let inflation genie out of bottle

30 October

Unnecessary COVID-19 spending and Reserve Bank delay in lifting interest rates significantly worsened inflation, a review of Australia’s pandemic response finds. While supports like JobKeeper and HomeBuilder were desperately needed and an...[Read More]

Cost of living woes trump worker satisfaction

23 October

Four in five working Australians are more concerned about living costs than job satisfaction. Research by tech company SafetyCulture details challenges facing frontline industries amid several years of inflation. It found women workers to be more...[Read More]

Australia facing further economic troubles

23 October

Labor has defended its economic track record as sluggish growth is expected for the Australian economy, while unemployment is likely to climb. Treasurer Jim Chalmers will meet with world counterparts in Washington as the International Monetary Fund...[Read More]

Stage three tax cut spending spree yet to surface

17 October

Tax cuts don’t appear to be fuelling shopping sprees, with transaction data suggesting extra take-home pay is going towards staples and paying down debt. Footy finals were the only bright spot in an otherwise glum September for spending, with...[Read More]

Melbourne, SE Qld lead way for new jobs figures

16 October

Parts of Victoria and Queensland are leading the charge for new jobs being created, figures show. Analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics labour data show Melbourne and southeast Queensland had the greatest increase in employment in the year to...[Read More]

Outstanding invoices go unpaid as businesses squeezed

16 October

More businesses are struggling to pay outstanding invoices to suppliers though the proportion falling behind is still below pre-pandemic levels. Wednesday’s risk update from CreditorWatch suggests lacklustre consumer spending and elevated costs of...[Read More]

Debit card surcharges could be scrapped in crackdown

16 October

Surcharges for payments made by debit card could soon be dumped, but business groups have warned there might be unintended consequences for consumers. The federal government said it was prepared to ban debit payment surcharges by 2026, pending a...[Read More]

Spring brings brighter outlook as rate hike fears fade

9 October

Consumers can see light at the end of the tunnel as fears of further interest rate hikes fade. As signs of improving consumer and business confidence emerged, minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia’s last meeting confirmed the case to lift...[Read More]

Prosperity and climate action can go hand-in-hand

9 October

Protecting nature and combating climate change need not come at the expense of Australia’s prosperity, a global summit has been told. Climate change, energy, environment and water department secretary David Fredericks says his department is...[Read More]

Generation dread: Aussies unprepared for money shocks

2 October

Less than a quarter of Australians are satisfied with their financial position, with younger generations increasingly relying on grandparents for support. Research conducted by investment group MLC found 70 per cent of people said financial...[Read More]

Retail sales to show economy continues to sputter along

2 October

Retail sales figures should show the Australian economy continues to “muddle along” without setting off too many alarm bells about an imminent recession or inflation kicking off again. Economists expect the Australian Bureau of Statistics on...[Read More]

Power subsidies and cheaper petrol drive down inflation

25 September

A drop in inflation has been welcomed as a small respite for struggling shoppers but households are being warned prices are set to bounce around and not come down in a straight line. Inflation cooled to 2.7 per cent in the 12 months to August, down...[Read More]

Slight reprieve as inflation cools to 2.7 per cent

25 September

Australians have been gifted a slight reprieve, with inflation moderating to 2.7 per cent as price pressures hurt shoppers at the checkout. The drop in the inflation figure spanning the 12 months to August was spurred by a decrease in transport...[Read More]