Today
RBA should maintain its ‘wait and see’ approach to rates
Readers’ letters on what is playing into the Reserve Bank’s thinking on interest rates; what must change to make negative gearing fair; Woodside’s climate conundrum; and Peter Dutton’s nuclear problem.
- 1 hr ago
The apartment supply conundrum behind Perth’s housing price surge
There’s plenty of demand and many projects approved, but sky-high construction costs have left developers asking for more government money.
- Updated
- Tom Rabe
- Opinion
- Australian economy
If Musk wins high stakes global battle, X could still lose the war
A court victory in the legal stoush over Australia’s eSafety commissioner’s take-down order might invite government intervention that bolsters regulation of the social media giants.
- Patrick Considine
- Opinion
- Interest rates
How Boomers are busting hopes for rate cuts
Macro commentator James Aitken says interest rates may have to head higher after we underestimated the increasingly powerful wealth effect.
- Jonathan Shapiro
This Month
- Opinion
- The AFR View
Chalmers’ narrow budget path is now in peril
The sudden change in the interest rate outlook this week could be political dynamite for the Albanese government and the budget.
- The AFR View
Government spending surge to fuel sticky inflation
Monthly spending figures show the federal budget bottom-line in the nine months to March was running $4.1 billion ahead of projections from December,
- Michael Read
Imploding Star Entertainment, Woodside’s energy battle & inflation runs hot, again
This week on the Chanticleer podcast, James & Anthony look at casino operator Star Entertainment’s second brush with disaster, go inside the battle over energy giant Woodside’s climate plan, and ask where rates go next after hot inflation numbers.
Chalmers confronts a diabolical budget conundrum
Just a few months ago, the Australian economy was shaping up perfectly for the Labor government and its treasurer. Then came this week’s inflation data.
- Updated
- Ronald Mizen
- Exclusive
- Interest rates
RBA to lift cash rate to 5.1pc, says top forecaster
Judo Bank’s Warren Hogan, who was ranked 2023’s most accurate forecaster, predicts a resurgent economy will force the RBA to lift rates to 5.1 per cent.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Monetary policy
Why inflation is proving sticky on both sides of the Atlantic
What matters is not what is happening right now, but what will happen in the months or even years ahead, as past policy works through the system.
- Updated
- Martin Wolf
Why China’s slowing economy is Australia’s problem
This week on The Fin podcast, North Asia correspondent Michael Smith talks about the changes in China over the past six years and what its slowing economy means for Australian prosperity.
Haircuts, dentist visits and movie tickets inflict inflation pain
Everyday activities are among the 31 common household purchases where year-ended inflation rose between December 2023 and March 2024.
- Michael Read
- Analysis
- Interest rates
Ugly CPI data shows why rate cuts are a distant prospect
CPI report suggests fears about sticky inflation are becoming a reality, leaving the RBA board’s decision last month to abandon its stated tightening bias looking premature.
- Michael Read
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Hot inflation will require an ASX rethink
ASX investors, who’ve bid up retail, banking and tech stocks, need to accept that rate cuts aren’t coming before Santa arrives.
- James Thomson
Budget reality check for Chalmers after high home-grown inflation
“Unrelenting” domestic price pressures boosted consumer inflation in the first three months of 2024, while Treasurer Jim Chalmers would not be drawn on whether the May budget would add to demand.
- Ronald Mizen and Liam Walsh
Richard Goyder’s legacy is tarnished by his two biggest mistakes
Readers’ letters on how the Qantas chairman failed passengers; holes in the argument of a made in Australia champion; US aid’s boost to Ukraine; the real value of Anzac Day; and a Bondi victim’s service to humanity.
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Will Future Made in Australia push the RBA off the narrow path?
If the budget does deliver policy changes that add to demand, inflation will probably keep falling slowly and stay too high for the central bank’s inflation target.
- Paul Bloxham
- Opinion
- NSW budget
An unwise treasurer is losing NSW’s prized AAA rating
Treasurer Daniel Mookhey cannot blame GST payments. It’s his own rash spending and pay deals that are at fault.
- Updated
- Matt Kean
Economists dispute Chalmers’ downbeat growth tone
Leading economists have dismissed Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ pessimistic assessment of the global economy, and say it should not be used to justify inflation-boosting spending.
- Ronald Mizen
- Opinion
- Australian economy
Chalmers confronts Australia’s budget dilemma
Despite the global tensions and the national gamble on the “Future Made in Australia”, the treasurer is about to hand down another surplus next month.
- Jennifer Hewett
