In 2023, the media in Australia and around the world became enamoured by research claiming that ‘upzoning’ planning changes introduced in Auckland in 2016 had resulted in a building boom and lower home prices and rents.

Risk markets in Asia are responding positively to possible news that the Republican shutdown of the US government may finally be coming to an end with the Senate passing a spending bill.

IEEFA wants Albo to waste another $1bn on green iron.

China printed a bit of inflation in October, but it was pretty obviously seasonal.

It is time to shutter the ABC.

Last week, I reported an AFR analysis of 16 financial reports from federal agencies, which revealed that 14 had unbudgeted increases in staff expenses totaling $841 million.

With the election of Zohran Mamdani to the office of Mayor of New York, an event thought practically impossible just a few decades ago has come to pass: the most populous city in the United States and the centre of the financial world has an avowed socialist as its mayor.

OMG.

The Market Ear kicks us off.

Like other advanced nations, Australia is facing pressures from an ageing population.

DXY faded Friday night.

No jobs report for you!

The Albanese government’s fantastical target of building 1.2 million dwellings over five years, or 240,000 homes a year, is based on delivering another boom in high-rise apartment towers, even greater than the one experienced between 2015 and 2020.

The housing market appears to have lost some momentum due to the recent inflation shock and expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will keep interest rates on hold for the foreseeable future.

Aussie punters are drooling with anticipation of a new housing boom.

By Harry Ottley, economist at CBA: The RBA left the cash rate on hold at 3.60% as widely expected.The post-meeting communication was not quite as hawkish as we had expected.

The ferrous complex is buckling.

Asian equities are not doing well as markets start agitate over AI amid tonight’s looming US jobs report with the recent strength in the USD about to be tested.

When the Luxon government came to power in late 2023, it came with a promise to reinstate negative gearing as it previously was and reduce the holding period required for an investment property to be sold tax-free.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) released its Statement of Monetary Policy (SoMP) this week, which revised its medium-term unemployment rate forecast to 4.4%, up from 4.3%.

The Deloitte Investment Monitor for the September quarter is out.

We’ve suddenly lurched from AI is unstoppable to a growth scare as jobs data weakens.