News
Westpac profit lifts as provisions surge, margins compress
4+ hour, 9+ min ago (573+ words) Australia's second largest bank, Westpac, has reported a net profit of $3. 4 billion for the six months to 31 March 2026, up 3 per cent on the prior corresponding period, as balance sheet growth offset margin compression and a sharp increase in impairment charges....
Australia's productivity decline is an investment problem in disguise
6+ hour, 35+ min ago (183+ words) While productivity remains a dominant topic of debate in Australia, Colter Bay Capital has argued the issue is being misdiagnosed, with the real problem lying elsewhere. Australia talks about productivity the way a patient talks about a chronic ache: often,…...
JPMAM downplays recession fears for the Aussie economy
1+ day, 3+ hour ago (598+ words) Despite softer growth, inflation pressures and limited exposure to the AI boom, JP Morgan'Asset Management (JPMAM) believes'recession is not in its outlook for the Australian economy.' At a recent Sydney briefing, the firm said'global recession risks have risen on the…...
Fuel shock drives CPI spike as May rate hike looms
6+ day, 9+ hour ago (988+ words) Image supplied by the ABS Australia's inflation rate accelerated sharply in March, with a fuel-driven jump in headline prices reinforcing market expectations that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will lift interest rates again next week. ABS head of prices…...
RBA's Hauser signals central bank may still hike on oil shock
2+ week, 1+ day ago (726+ words) Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) deputy governor Andrew Hauser has reinforced market expectations that the Reserve Bank may still be forced to lift rates again, warning Australia entered the Iran-linked oil shock with inflation risks already elevated and little room…...
Unemployment rate holds as full-time hiring lifts in March
2+ week, 5+ day ago (924+ words) Image supplied by the ABS Australia's unemployment rate held steady at 4. 3 per cent in March, with full-time employment driving overall jobs growth even as the participation rate edged lower, according to the latest Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data. The…...
Israel strikes revive stagflation fears after ceasefire
3+ week, 5+ day ago (649+ words) Israeli strikes have rattled the fragile US-Iran ceasefire, lifting oil back up after its post-truce lows and prompting fresh warnings that the Gulf conflict may continue to weigh on inflation and growth even if the diplomatic pause holds. The renewed…...
Gold "down but not out" as China props up market
3+ week, 6+ day ago (648+ words) Gold was "down but not out" during the first quarter of 2026, and despite recent market volatility, State Street Investment Management (SSIM) believes the precious metal remains in the middle innings of a bull cycle. The firm described the recent oil…...
PIMCO flags energy crunch raises recession threat
4+ week, 5+ hour ago (704+ words) PIMCO has warned financial markets may be underestimating the recession risk building beneath the Iran war, arguing investors remain too focused on the inflationary impact of higher oil prices while discounting the growing threat of a prolonged global supply shock....
Energy shock clouds central bank path: T. Rowe Price
1+ mon, 6+ day ago (635+ words) A war-driven spike in energy prices has increased the risk of central bank policy mistakes, with policymakers now facing a more difficult trade-off between inflation control and economic growth, according to T. Rowe Price. T. Rowe Price CIO and head of global…...