Fed Zigs while RBA Zags in Inflation Battle
Two different economies at different stages of their battle with inflation – but there are some similarities between the US and Australia, as well as one glaring disparity.
Read MoreTwo different economies at different stages of their battle with inflation – but there are some similarities between the US and Australia, as well as one glaring disparity.
Read MoreChina is looking for consumers to grow the economy faster than it did in Covid-damaged 2022, but remains reluctant to set an actual target as opposed to rough estimates and generalities.
Read MoreThursday’s release of January building data by the ABS included a 10-year low for new private housing approvals, and we won’t have to wait long for some insight into why this might be.
Read MoreWhile the December quarter and 2022 calendar year growth figures were on forecast, the tantalising bit of economic data yesterday was January’s sharp monthly inflation fall.
Read MoreThe Chinese economy was fully open for business in February, news that – along with Hong Kong’s mask mandate ending – helped markets in the region bounce strongly on Wednesday.
Read MoreThe prospects for a better-than-expected December quarter GDP figure later today have risen with a much-improved current account surplus that could make a significant boost to growth.
Read MoreRBA Governor Philip Lowe’s disbelief of a wage price spiral was yesterday borne out in the December quarter and 2022 Wage Price Index data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Read MoreThe local jobs market has seemingly cracked at last after eight rate rises from the RBA, with the January unemployment rate rising to 3.7% according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Read MoreWe got a taste Tuesday of what could become an ongoing reality for markets – a one step forward, one step back, going nowhere stream of news about the battle against inflation.
Read MoreThe National Australia Bank’s February business survey unexpectedly showed business conditions ending a three-month slide with a small pick-up and confidence also rebounding.
Read MoreThe US Consumer Price Index is back again to terrorise investors for a day or two this week and heaven help the markets if there’s a repeat of that massive jobs data forecast miss.
Read MoreDisinflation – a fall in the rate of inflation – is suddenly the new big buzzword of American economic commentary, as is sure to be the case in Australia, once it can be found here.
Read MoreRecent stronger-than-forecast economic data has led to an upturn in forecasts for a rate rise larger than 0.25% to emerge from the Reserve Bank monetary policy meeting today.
Read MoreThe strong US jobs data on Friday threatens both the anticipated pause in rate rises from the Fed and the belief that it is still onwards and upwards for the 2023 rally.
Read MoreThe monthly building approvals data from the ABS have retained their lack of consistency with the 18.5% jump in December more than reversing the 8.8% drop in November.
Read More‘Normal’ service from now on for the US Federal Reserve to get investors to understand that it will still take a while yet to wring cost pressures out of the American economy.
Read MoreAfter some contradictory updates from various retailers, December data from the ABS has confirmed it was a poor month for the sector overall with sales down 3.9%.
Read MoreThe China re-opening story got a significant boost yesterday with sharp rises in the pace of activity in the wake of the relaxation of Covid restrictions over the new year.
Read MoreThe first estimate for US 4th quarter economic growth raises a worrisome question: American consumers are keeping the economy growing, can they keep it up?
Read MoreWhile the jump in the December quarter CPI naturally grabbed all the headlines, it’s the monthly inflation indicator that will keep the RBA tweaking its cash rate higher.
Read MoreBusiness conditions continue to show signs of the economy slowing but remain on a solid growth pace, according to the first business survey for 2023 from the NAB.
Read MoreRatings group Moody’s was pretty sanguine about the US government hitting its $US31.4 billion debt limit last Thursday and the likely lengthy political brawl to follow.
Read MoreThe ASX rose and the AUD fell after the 2022 labour data was released Thursday, highlighting the ongoing confusion about the direction of the economy and other indicators.
Read MoreSchroders looks at whether policymakers should ditch the ubiquitous 2% target and instead set their sights on higher inflation, after first achieving their existing objectives.
Read MoreA double whammy for China as the country’s National Bureau of Statistics said GDP grew by just 3% in 2022 and the population declined for the first time in more than half a century.
Read MoreMarkets will start wondering just how much relief there will be in the Chinese economy re-opening story after the 2022 trade data on Friday produced a surplus of more than $US800m.
Read MorePlenty of economic and company data for investors to chew over this week but all might be eclipsed by the impending doom of the US debt ceiling being breached.
Read MoreGold and other commodity prices are rising primarily on the hope that the slowing inflation and weakening greenback become the trend in 2023, not just a one-off.
Read MoreA drop in the value of energy imports enabled Australia to offset falls in the prices and volumes of key exports like iron, ore, coal and LNG in the month of November.
Read MoreWednesday’s big post-holidays data dump from the Australian Bureau of Statistics seems to be telling us little changed in the economy from October to November.
Read MoreWe had a key pointer yesterday towards the strength of retail consumption when the latest spending data showed a solid but slowing rate of growth in November.
Read MoreThe decline in the home building industry is set to continue deep into 2023 after data from the ABS revealed another sharp fall in approvals across the housing spectrum.
Read MoreIt was more divot than pivot for the Wall Street hackers, who seem to have wildly misjudged the Federal Reserve’s course of action even as inflation continues to fall.
Read MoreChina has given us a foretaste of what economic activity will be like heading into 2023, as Covid infection waves afflict the economy and millions of unprotected people.
Read MoreDespite all the rate rises, the local labour market has had one of its strongest calendar years – with the jobless rate at 4.2% and around 466,000 more people in work.
Read MoreAustralian business conditions remained above average in November despite a small easing, but confidence levels turned negative for the first time in a year.
Read MoreChina’s move to further relax its Covid controls was made easier to understand by the the worst performance for two and a half years in both imports and exports.
Read MoreSolid consumer spending and several smaller contributors helped the economy grow 0.6% in the September quarter despite all of the RBA’s efforts to rein it in.
Read MoreThe RBA has raised interest rates for an eighth straight month, lifting its key cash rate by 0.25% to 3.1% as it continues to try and get inflation under control.
Read MoreYes, we got another rate rise from the Reserve Bank yesterday but there was arguably an even bigger news item – the country’s first current account deficit in just over four years.
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