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Economics

Westpac leading index slows in November

AAP  |  WEDNESDAY, 21 JAN 2004
Economic activity in Australia will begin to slow down sooner than expected after a sharp fall in the Westpac leading index for November.

New vehicle sales fall 4.8% in December

AAP  |  WEDNESDAY, 21 JAN 2004
Australian new motor vehicle sales fell 4.80% in seasonally adjusted terms in December.

International merchandise imports rise in December

AAP  |  TUESDAY, 20 JAN 2004
Australia's international merchandise imports rose by $847,000 in December compared with the previous month.

Housing finance falls 3.9% in November

AAP  |  MONDAY, 19 JAN 2004
New figures today pointed to a further cooling in the housing market, with a drop in owner-occupied housing finance in November.

Economy continues to boom, but may start to slow: Access

AAP  |  MONDAY, 19 JAN 2004
The Australian economy will continue to shine through 2004 but may start to lose some of its gloss by next year, a leading economic forecaster predicts.

Rate rise will have slowed home loan demand: economists

AAP  |  MONDAY, 19 JAN 2004
An unexpected interest rate rise from the Reserve Bank of Australia last November probably slowed housing finance applications that month, according to economists.

Jobs figures strengthen expectations of further rate hike

AAP  |  FRIDAY, 16 JAN 2004
Better-than-expected jobs growth in December strengthened expectations of a further rate hike next month as figures showed unemployment remained at 14-year lows.

Unemployment rate 5.6% in December: ABS

AAP  |  THURSDAY, 15 JAN 2004
The jobless rate for December remained steady at a 14-year low of 5.6%, new figures showed today.

FTA opponents to urge protection of health/culture

AAP  |  THURSDAY, 15 JAN 2004
Opponents to a free trade deal between Australia and the United States will today demand health and cultural policies be excluded from any agreement.

January consumer inflation expectations record sharp rise

AAP  |  THURSDAY, 15 JAN 2004
Australian consumers' expectations of inflation in the coming year rose sharply in January despite recent developments pointing to waning inflationary pressures.