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Economics

Consumer (un)confidence

BENJAMIN ONG  |  WEDNESDAY, 24 FEB 2016
Consumers' mood dictates their spending. Happy consumers spend happily, supporting economic growth. Unhappy ones stay at home and sulk.

Bad news on global activity and prices is the good news

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 23 FEB 2016
The overriding reason behind the recent turn in sentiment are expectations that central banks would need to do something, anything, very soon to prevent the slowing global activity and inflation from becoming self-feeding.

A negative sum game

BENJAMIN ONG  |  MONDAY, 22 FEB 2016
But a cheaper currency also leads to a decrease in demand for imports from the "global economy" - in the present case, mainly emerging markets - slowing their respective economies further, necessitating lower interest rates to lower their currencies ...

Global market slide hits NZ Super Fund

ALEX BURKE  |  FRIDAY, 19 FEB 2016
The New Zealand Super Fund has released its performance report for January 2016, revealing a negative 3.57% return.

Aussie jobs trend is our friend

BENJAMIN ONG  |  FRIDAY, 19 FEB 2016
It was a surprise of the negative kind for January with 7,900 workers losing their jobs - full time down by 40,600; part-time positions up by 32,700 - when Australian businesses were expected to add 13,000 more staff during the month

Another 6-9 months under Downunder

BENJAMIN ONG  |  THURSDAY, 18 FEB 2016
An economy that's growing below trend with activity continuing to operate below potential over the next six to nine months.

Dear Chancellor

BENJAMIN ONG  |  WEDNESDAY, 17 FEB 2016
The Governor's assessment seems rational, particularly given the continued improvement in the country's labour market.

More negatives

BENJAMIN ONG  |  TUESDAY, 16 FEB 2016
The Japanese economy shrinks, the Japanese sharemarket sings hallelujah!

Gold starts to glisten (like 2008?)

BENJAMIN ONG  |  MONDAY, 15 FEB 2016
Gold is again surging as central banks try to goose the system with more liquidity and this time, negative interest rates.

US growth stable due to resilient consumer-base

ALEX BURKE  |  FRIDAY, 12 FEB 2016
Growth in the US economy will remain stable at 2% due to resilient consumption and parity between labour costs and productivity, according to State Street Global Advisors Australia chief economist Bob Baur.