Newspaper icon
The latest issue of Financial Standard now available as an e-newspaper
READ NOW

Economics

Building approvals slide for second month in a row

AAP  |  TUESDAY, 3 FEB 2004
Building approvals slid for the second month in a row in December, new figures showed today, indicating two back-to-back interest rate rises have taken some steam out of the housing market.

Economy begins 2004 with momentum: ANZ

AAP  |  TUESDAY, 3 FEB 2004
The Australian economy has made a strong start to 2004 but interest rate hikes will slow economic growth later in the year, according to an ANZ Bank report.

December trade balance widens to $2.55 billion: ABS

AAP  |  MONDAY, 2 FEB 2004
Australia's trade gap widened in December as consumers took advantage of cheaper imported goods in the lead-up to Christmas.

Inflation rises 0.4% in January: report

AAP  |  MONDAY, 2 FEB 2004
Australian prices for consumers goods and services rose 0.4% in January, a report said.

December goods and services deficit $2.5 billion

AAP  |  MONDAY, 2 FEB 2004
The Australian balance on goods and services was a deficit of $2.5 billion.

Credit growth continues steady rise in December

AAP  |  MONDAY, 2 FEB 2004
Australia's credit growth continued its steady rise in December with the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) recent interest rate hikes seemingly doing little to reduce the demand for credit.

US GDP growth slows in Q4

AAP  |  MONDAY, 2 FEB 2004
US economic growth slowed to a 4% annual rate in the closing three months of 2003, less than half the third-quarter pace as consumers curbed their spending.

Market Wrap

AAP  |  MONDAY, 2 FEB 2004
The Australian dollar opened stronger today, after the United States currency reversed its earlier gains to close weaker against the euro on Friday.

Labor to crack down on corporate crooks

AAP  |  FRIDAY, 30 JAN 2004
Labor will crack down on corporate crooks and give shareholders a vote on executive pay packages and golden handshakes under reforms endorsed by the ALP national conference today.

Strong A$ not all bad news for exporters: CommSec

AAP  |  FRIDAY, 30 JAN 2004
A report on the way a strong Aussie dollar affects share prices has challenged conventional wisdom that it is bad for exporters, saying resource shares can gain value alongside a muscular local currency.