Invest
Consumer confidence edges back above neutral
The slight rebound in consumer confidence is linked to improvements in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland.
Consumer confidence edges back above neutral
The slight rebound in consumer confidence is linked to improvements in Western Australia, Victoria and Queensland.
Consumer confidence lifted 2.2 per cent last week after consecutive falls in the first two weeks of the year brought the reading below its neutral level of 100.
ANZ and Roy Morgan reported a consumer confidence rating of 100.1 for the third week of 2022, down 11.1 percentage points from the same week in 2021 but a small rebound from the rating of 97.9 seen in the previous week.
“The recovery came in the same week that the unemployment rate was reported as dropping to its lowest in more than 13 years,” said ANZ head of Australian economics David Plank.
“COVID cases appear to have peaked, though deaths unfortunately made new highs.”
Western Australia recorded the strongest rise in confidence among the states, lifting 8.8 per cent compared to a week earlier, while gains were also seen in Victoria (7.7 per cent) and Queensland (3.7 per cent).
“The live entertainment of the Australian Open tennis and great weather might have added to Victoria’s positive outlook,” noted Mr Plank.
However, falls were recorded in both NSW (-2.4 per cent) and South Australia (-2.6 per cent).
The survey, taken in the week leading up to the latest inflation figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, put inflation expectations over the next two years at 5 per cent, an increase of 0.1 percentage point and matching the recent high reached in December.
Improvements were seen in the measures of current financial conditions, which lifted 6.3 per cent after last week’s 11.3 per cent drop, and future financial conditions, which moved up 0.6 per cent following a fall of 4.3 per cent.
Current economic conditions marked the third consecutive week of decline and fell 0.5 per cent, while future economic conditions dropped 0.9 per cent.
Meanwhile, the “time to buy a major household item” measure recovered by 6.3 per cent after crashing 15.8 per cent in the first two weeks of the year.
RELATED ARTICLES
-
Australia’s spending surprise raises the odds of a February rate move — here’s how to protect margin and momentum
-
Australia’s inflation cools to 3.4% — why the RBA’s next move still isn’t a lay‑up for business
-
Inflation cools to 3.4% — but the RBA’s reaction function keeps businesses on a knife-edge
Economy
Australia’s spending surprise raises the odds of a February rate move — here’s how to protect margin and momentum
Household outlays are running hotter than economists expected, with the latest ABS readings showing broad-based gains across services and goods. That resilience is exactly the kind of demand impulse ...Read more
Economy
Australia’s inflation cools to 3.4% — why the RBA’s next move still isn’t a lay‑up for business
Headline inflation easing is good optics; balance sheets feel something different. With year‑on‑year CPI down to 3.4% in November from 3.8%, hopes for rate relief are rising — but policymakers remain ...Read more
Economy
Inflation cools to 3.4% — but the RBA’s reaction function keeps businesses on a knife-edge
Australia’s headline CPI edged down to 3.4% year-on-year in November, from 3.8%, easing immediate pressure but not eliminating the risk of further tightening. With services inflation sticky and ...Read more
Economy
Higher-for-longer, not higher forever: How Australia’s inflation ‘surprise’ is rewriting CFO playbooks for 2026
Australia’s latest inflation pulse eased but didn’t budge bank outlooks: near‑term rate cuts are still a long shot, with some houses flagging upside risk. That steadier‑for‑longer cash rate is pushing ...Read more
Economy
Australia's inflation illusion: the real challenge lies in pricing power and productivity
Headline inflation has cooled to 3.4% year-on-year, but the Reserve Bank’s caution—and a still‑hot housing backdrop—mean the rate threat hasn’t left the room. For boards, the next few quarters are ...Read more
Economy
When house prices lift, tills ring: A case study in turning Australia’s wealth effect into growth
Australia’s latest upswing in household wealth, anchored by higher dwelling values, is more than a feel‑good statistic—it is a profit and planning signal. The ABS notes property’s centrality to ...Read more
Economy
RBA's hawkish stance reflects inflation concerns, State Street economist comments
In a recent statement, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has signaled a hawkish stance on interest rates, drawing insights from financial experts about the implications for Australia's economic ...Read more
Economy
Navigating the inflation maze: How CFOs can outsmart economic hurdles in Australia
Fresh inflation data have cooled expectations of near-term rate cuts in Australia, intensifying pressure on margins, capital allocation and demand. Rather than wait for monetary relief that may not ...Read more
Economy
Australia’s spending surprise raises the odds of a February rate move — here’s how to protect margin and momentum
Household outlays are running hotter than economists expected, with the latest ABS readings showing broad-based gains across services and goods. That resilience is exactly the kind of demand impulse ...Read more
Economy
Australia’s inflation cools to 3.4% — why the RBA’s next move still isn’t a lay‑up for business
Headline inflation easing is good optics; balance sheets feel something different. With year‑on‑year CPI down to 3.4% in November from 3.8%, hopes for rate relief are rising — but policymakers remain ...Read more
Economy
Inflation cools to 3.4% — but the RBA’s reaction function keeps businesses on a knife-edge
Australia’s headline CPI edged down to 3.4% year-on-year in November, from 3.8%, easing immediate pressure but not eliminating the risk of further tightening. With services inflation sticky and ...Read more
Economy
Higher-for-longer, not higher forever: How Australia’s inflation ‘surprise’ is rewriting CFO playbooks for 2026
Australia’s latest inflation pulse eased but didn’t budge bank outlooks: near‑term rate cuts are still a long shot, with some houses flagging upside risk. That steadier‑for‑longer cash rate is pushing ...Read more
Economy
Australia's inflation illusion: the real challenge lies in pricing power and productivity
Headline inflation has cooled to 3.4% year-on-year, but the Reserve Bank’s caution—and a still‑hot housing backdrop—mean the rate threat hasn’t left the room. For boards, the next few quarters are ...Read more
Economy
When house prices lift, tills ring: A case study in turning Australia’s wealth effect into growth
Australia’s latest upswing in household wealth, anchored by higher dwelling values, is more than a feel‑good statistic—it is a profit and planning signal. The ABS notes property’s centrality to ...Read more
Economy
RBA's hawkish stance reflects inflation concerns, State Street economist comments
In a recent statement, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has signaled a hawkish stance on interest rates, drawing insights from financial experts about the implications for Australia's economic ...Read more
Economy
Navigating the inflation maze: How CFOs can outsmart economic hurdles in Australia
Fresh inflation data have cooled expectations of near-term rate cuts in Australia, intensifying pressure on margins, capital allocation and demand. Rather than wait for monetary relief that may not ...Read more
