Jobless rate at pre-Covid level
Unemployment has unexpectedly sunk to pre-pandemic levels after the number of employed Australians surged by 115,000.
Economics
Regulators warn banks on home loan risks
Financial watchdogs warn banks not to go easy on home loans, as they watch the risks of borrowing outpacing income growth.
Low-cost ‘mindset’ a brake on wages
RBA chief says a ‘laser-like focus on costs’ by business is stopping the powerful jobs recovery from flowing through to pay rises.
Beware central bank forecasts
US bond investors have learned that central bank forecasts can be misleading. Australia must learn the same lesson.
Fed pencils in earlier interest rate increase
Fed officials signal a rise in interest rates by late 2023, sooner than earlier forecast, as the US economy recovers and inflation heats up.
Timber prices sink as hoarders unload
Prices have dropped from record highs, spurred by the economic reopening and potentially pointing to an eventual return to normalcy.
Hipster antitrust chief signals tech shake-up
Lina Khan’s appointment as head of the US Federal Trade Commission signals a radical campaign against the big tech platforms from the US government.
All options on table for hospitality
Bold reforms will help Australia’s hospitality industry recover from Covid-19.
Morrison’s big coup as a G7-plus emerges
It’s a talkfest for sure, but the prime minister’s invitation to this particular one is a big deal.
RBNZ seeks to cool home price boom
Like the RBA, NZ’s central bank can’t directly target house prices. But its new debt-to-income curbs may help tame the market.
Aussies still back strong tourist, trade links with China
Australians still overwhelmingly support investment and tourism from China despite increasingly frosty relations between the two countries.
Labour pains as hard borders sink profits
Skill shortages and supply chain bottlenecks have been slowing work and blowing out costs across the economy.
The good, bad, and ugly of state budgets
Victoria’s state budget settings stand apart from the rest – for the wrong reasons.
Unorthodox policy here to stay: RBA
The RBA has effectively ruled out ending its bond purchasing program as scheduled in September, despite an expanding economy.
ABC’s diesel ute ‘subsidy’ lie
Their ABC’s Alan Kohler really should know better – but he’s so misty-eyed about the fantasy of useless renewable energy, he actually might not.
Answering the vaccine call
Australia’s response to Covid-19 is to be hailed, not feared.
Qantas a key link in carbon club
Aviation ranks as one of the hardest sectors to transition to a net-zero-emissions world.
Dramatic call by US bond investors
The 10-year bond market is telling us there is now clear doubt that inflation in the longer term will move up sharply.
Climate the burning issue for oil and gas
Climate change will surely get an airing in every panel discussion, something not conceivable just a year ago even by the most enthusiastic ESG activists.
How US businesses are coping with inflation
The chief executives of many big American companies are wary of discussing inflation in public.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/economics/page/199