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Leading Indicators

This Month

While surveys show fears of retirement is the top source of stress for workers, retirees themselves are among the most financially secure cohorts in the country.

Relax, here’s why you don’t need that much super

While surveys show fear of retirement is the top source of stress for workers, retirees themselves are among the most financially secure cohorts in the country.

  • Michael Read

December 2024

Victoria is now the fourth most indebted advanced economy state government outside the US. It may soon find there’s a fine line between nation-building and overbuilding.

How Victoria became one of the rich world’s most indebted states

Victoria is the fourth-most indebted advanced economy state government outside the US. It may soon find there’s a fine line between nation-building and overbuilding.

  • Michael Read

November 2024

Australians have experienced the sharpest decline in living standards across the OECD since 2019. Voters overseas have turfed out governments for much less.

How Australia became the world’s biggest cost-of-living loser

Since 2019, Australians have experienced the sharpest decline in living standards across the OECD. Voters overseas have turfed out governments for much less.

  • Michael Read
Australia’s budget numbers are increasingly a mirage as billions in spending are labelled as ‘investments’ to improve the fiscal optics.

Inside Canberra’s hidden $180b spending boom

Australia’s budget numbers are increasingly a mirage as billions in spending are labelled as ‘investments’ to improve the fiscal optics.

  • Michael Read

October 2024

After increasing steadily for decades thanks to the Baby Boomers, participation in property investment has started to wane as regulators tighten the screws on lending.

Australia has passed peak property investor

For many around the country, especially Baby Boomers, property investing is a national pastime. But if you look closely, landlord numbers are declining.

  • Michael Read
Despite headlines about the fickle Millennial and Gen Z employee, young people are switching jobs less than previous generations.

Myth of the job-hopping Millennial worker exposed

Despite headlines about fickle Millennial and Gen Z employees, young people are switching jobs less than previous generations.

  • Michael Read

The NDIS-ification of the economy is in full swing

A scheme only ever meant to cost $22 billion is underwriting a once-in-a-generation rise in government spending that rivals the mining boom in terms of scale.

  • Updated
  • Michael Read

September 2024

The rise in insolvencies is largely the economy getting back to normal after what was a very abnormal situation during the pandemic.

The ‘insolvency armageddon’ is all hype

Concern about the record number of company failures is not only overblown, but the surge in businesses going bust is probably a good thing.

  • Michael Read
Small shifts in behaviour can have a big effect. A jump in the number of homeowners welcoming flatmates has added the equivalent of 106,000 houses onto the market.

These two charts show the worst of the rental crisis is over

Small shifts in behaviour can have a big effect. A jump in the number of homeowners welcoming flatmates has added the equivalent of 106,000 houses onto the market.

  • Michael Read

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/leading-indicators-6gx4