Australian Economy

HSBC runs a periodic “trade confidence” index that is worth the occasional mention: Australian businesses expect international trade conditions to considerably improve over the next six months with businesses in construction and wholesale/retail most positive, according to HSBC’s latest Trade Confidence Index.

By Leith van Onselen Reports have emerged that Australia’s state and territories will next week reach agreement with the federal government to lower the low value threshold (LVT) on the GST, possibly to as low as $20.

What’s happened in the board rooms of Australia’s oligopolies?

By Leith van Onselen The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has released an interesting paper today looking at Australia after the terms-of-trade boom.

Following the retracement in the NAB business survey last week, two more out today show similar falls.

From Westpac, here is their latest on jobs growth in the next quarter or so.

Cross-posted from The Conversation The recent productivity commission report into public infrastructure left the most important policy question unasked, namely: if there were better ways for planning and building transport infrastructure, would anyone actually be interested?

Fresh from Westpac: The six month annualised deviation from trend growth rate of the Westpac Melbourne Institute Leading Index which indicates the likely pace of economic growth three to nine months into the future fell from 0.53% in January to –0.19% in February.

Here’s a nice little video from Geoff Winestock at the AFR explaining the hot water rising around Assistant Treasurer Arthur Sinodinos.

Fresh from RM: ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 1.1% last week (ending 16 March) to 112.2.

I’ve been wondering for some time about the strange divergence in the national office market between rocketing vacancy rates and still reasonable pipelines of development.

By Leith van Onselen Commsec has released research today arguing that car affordability is the best in 38 years: The CommSec Car Affordability index has improved to the best levels since 1976.

The RBA’s Malcolm Edey appeared today to give his rendition of the causes of global financial crisis.

Cross-posted from The Conversation “Without trucks, Australia stops” is now a fact of modern life.

MB readers and especially members should take heart for today’s announcement of a Parliamentary Inquiry into affects of foreign investment on the Australian property market.

By Leith van Onselen The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has just released new motor vehicle sales for the month of February 2013, which registered a 0.1% seasonally adjusted rise over the month but a 3.5% decrease over the year (see next table).

The AFR is reporting exclusively that: The Australian Financial Review has learnt that at least two of America’s top business groups are lobbying intensely behind the scenes to kill off or dilute the plan outlined by Treasurer Joe Hockey and agreed to by G20 finance ministers in Sydney last month.

It is always refreshing to hear the views of retired politicians.