ABS data shows headline inflation fell from 3.8% in October to 3.4% in November. That’s progress – but it’s not the clean victory many hoped for mid-2025. Back in June, when inflation dipped to 1.9%, it felt like the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) had done its job. Since then, price pressures have proven harder …
New debt-to-income (DTI) limits have taken effect as of 1 February, creating a guardrail around the riskiest home loans. From this month, APRA, the banking regulator, will ensure that authorised deposit-taking institutions keep high-DTI loans to no more than 20% of their new mortgage lending in both owner-occupier and investor segments. A ‘high-DTI’ loan is …
Renting and buying are both getting harder at the same time – and that tension is shaping decisions across the market. Australia’s national vacancy rate is just 1.2%, according to SQM Research, while the national median property price has climbed to a record $912,000, according to Cotality. Prices are up 9.4% over the past year …
Borrowers are now feeling the impact of February’s rate move. Since the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) lifted the cash rate on 3 February, many lenders – including all four major banks – have increased their variable rates. That means the typical variable borrower is now paying more in interest. And it didn’t start there. …
Loan activity is rising again – but that doesn’t mean banks have loosened the gates. The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics data show the number of new loan commitments (excluding refinancing) in the December 2025 quarter was 13.4% higher than a year earlier. Under the surface:Owner-occupier activity rose 7.4%.First home buyer loans increased 9.1%.Investor activity …
Hiring conditions are cooling unevenly – but certainly not collapsing. ABS data shows job vacancies fell 0.2% in the November 2025 quarter and were 5.2% lower than a year earlier. That suggests easing demand, but context matters. Vacancies are well below the mid-2022 peak, yet remain high by historical standards, meaning competition for skilled staff …
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is reviewing card fees – and many businesses don’t realise how much they’re leaking. The RBA’s Payments System Board is progressing its review of merchant card payment costs and surcharging, including whether interchange caps should be reduced and how commercial cards are treated. One concern is that without further …
HOW CARD PAYMENT COSTS COULD BEQUIETLY DRAINING PROFITS Read More »
Inflation is easing, but not defeated – which keeps borrowing conditions in play for 2026. ABS data shows headline inflation fell from 3.8% in October to 3.4% in November. That’s progress – but it’s not the clean victory many hoped for mid-2025. Back in June, when inflation dipped to 1.9%, it felt like the Reserve …
INFLATION STILL STICKY,RATE CERTAINTY STILL ELUSIVE Read More »
With established property prices climbing, more Australians are finding better value in building. This is reflected in new data from the Housing Industry Association (HIA), which shows new home sales rose 25.9% in September and 4.0% over the quarter.HIA chief economist Tim Reardon said lower interest rates, government incentives and rising property prices have made …
BUYERS TURNING TO NEW BUILDS AS AFFORDABILITY SHIFTS Read More »
If you’ve noticed fewer bank branches in your neighbourhood lately, you’re not imagining it – and you’re certainly not alone in looking elsewhere for help with your finances. The number of bank branches across Australia has fallen sharply, down 5% over the past year and a staggering 33% over the past five years, according to …