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Economics

Chief economist update: Fed will go hiking in June

BENJAMIN ONG  |  THURSDAY, 24 MAY 2018
Another rate hike is coming soon! This is the almost unanimous verdict financial markets and the intelligentsia gave after reading the minutes of the US Federal Reserve's latest meeting.

Chief economist update: A US dollar story

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 22 MAY 2018
In as much as the dollar weakness of days gone by has underpinned stronger US economic growth, the greenback's continued ascent would have an opposite impact.

Chief economist update: Wisdom of the crowd

BENJAMIN ONG  |  MONDAY, 21 MAY 2018
While financial market volatility has come down - the VIX index closed at a reading of 13.42 last week (down from this year's high to date of 37.32) - there remains lingering geopolitical uncertainty.

Chief economist update: Forget asking for a pay rise

BENJAMIN ONG  |  FRIDAY, 18 MAY 2018
The slowing trend in employment growth explains the continued sluggishness in wage growth as well as indicating continued tepid wage growth in the coming months.

Chief economist update: Onwards and downwards to a recession?

BENJAMIN ONG  |  THURSDAY, 17 MAY 2018
It's over! Japan's eight consecutive quarters of expansion is no more.

Chief economist update: Stuck in the very slow lane

BENJAMIN ONG  |  WEDNESDAY, 16 MAY 2018
Lacklustre Australian wages growth would continue to dampen household spending that's already saddled with record high levels of debt.

Chief economist update: All Ords rising

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 15 MAY 2018
Aside from the fact that no one in their right mind would complain about the government reducing tax payables, the promised tax cuts should help plug a missing link between lacklustre wage growth and household spending.

Chief economist update: New RBNZ Governor maintains old policy

BENJAMIN ONG  |  MONDAY, 14 MAY 2018
New Zealand's official cash rate will remain at 1.75% for some time to come.

More mums in the workforce: ABS

DARREN SNYDER  |  FRIDAY, 11 MAY 2018
As Mother's Day fast approaches, latest Census data shows more than 53% of Australia's six million mums are active in the workforce - an increase of about seven percentage points over the 10 years to 2016.

Chief economist update: BOE fails market expectations

BENJAMIN ONG  |  FRIDAY, 11 MAY 2018
The Bank's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) met as scheduled, but decided to keep monetary policy settings unchanged.