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Economics

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  WEDNESDAY, 6 SEP 2006
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has decided not to lift interest rates following its monthly board meeting yesterday. This comes as some relief to the market and mortgagees after last month's 0.25 per cent increase to 6 per cent, the second since ...

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  TUESDAY, 5 SEP 2006
Figures released yesterday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that the number of dwellings approved during July increased by 8.3 per cent to reach the highest level since May 2005. The result was largely a consequence of a 13.6 per cent increase ...

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  MONDAY, 4 SEP 2006
Recent commitments by the state governments of NSW and Victoria to increase spending on infrastructure have been added to by cash rich Western Australia which has announced it will be spending $18 billion over the next four years, including about $5 ...

Market wrap - midday

AAP  |  FRIDAY, 1 SEP 2006
Australian stocks followed the US lower today after a brief tick higher this morning, with a mixed performance across the board. At 1200 AEST the benchmark S&P/ASX200 had edged 4.6 points downwards to 5110.8, while the all ordinaries dipped 4.4 points ...

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  THURSDAY, 31 AUG 2006
Australian Bureau of Statistics data released yesterday revealed a 0.6 per cent increase in the seasonally adjusted value of retail sales in July to $18.1 billion, largely as a result of a 7 per cent increase in department store sales.

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  WEDNESDAY, 30 AUG 2006
The Australian automotive industry continues to struggle with the latest figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries showing that, following the reduction in tariffs to 10 per cent from 15 per cent in January 2005, locally made light cars ...

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  MONDAY, 28 AUG 2006
China has continued to lower the requirements for international investors wanting to access its so-called A grade stockmarkets in Shanghai and Shenzhen. The current level of foreign investment is presently $10 billion. Qualified Foreign Investors Status(QFII) ...

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  FRIDAY, 25 AUG 2006
The release yesterday by the ABS of the House Price Index showed an increase of 3.1 per cent over the June quarter which tallies to an annual growth rate of 6.4 per cent which is the fastest annual rate since December 2003. Perth house prices led the ...

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  THURSDAY, 24 AUG 2006
The Westpac-Melbourne Institute's Leading Index rose by 1.8 points in June resulting in a year on year growth rate of 5.3 per cent, the highest monthly reading since March 2004. The index measures four components of future activity in the approvals for ...

Daily economic round-up

PETER BELL  |  WEDNESDAY, 23 AUG 2006
Following on from his comments on the need for discussions about the future of the oil industry at the forthcoming November Group of 20(G20) meeting to be held in Melbourne, Treasurer Peter Costello has added that there needs to be a widening of the ...