The Budget on Tuesday evening comes at an interesting time in the life of the current Government, as well as for ordinary Australians. With a year or so to go before the next election which must be held by May 2025 at the latest. (or sooner perhaps if Albo sees a window of opportunity) this … Continue reading "Budget Smudge-it As “The Announcables” Flow!"

This is my weekly market update, starting in the US, crossing to Europe, then Asia and ending in Australia plus commodities and crypto. An unusually strong solar storm hit the Earth overnight producing northern lights in the US and Europe and southern lights across Australia, including Queensland. Bright auroras were visible at unusually low latitudes. … Continue reading "Into The Storm: What Next?"

Housing affordability is shot, as we have been discussing, thanks to demand stoked by high migration, higher lending multiples as the financial system was deregulation, and higher interest rates mirroring the RBA’s battle to tame inflation. As a result first time buyers are delaying their purchase by several years, and more borrowers are leveraged up … Continue reading "The “Tapping Super For Home Purchase” Conundrum!"

According to a recent report, Australian capital cities are becoming more segregated along socioeconomic lines. And the trend is worst in Sydney. Inequality is rising. The Conversation published: Our cities are widening the divide between the well-off and the rest. How can we turn this damaging trend around? Written by three researchers from the University … Continue reading "Danger: Inequality Rising!"

Those following my regular Property Rants with Edwin will know we have been speculating that there would be budget measures announced next week to help property developers. Well, they could not wait it seems… The 600,000 plus migrants arriving in Australia this past year are continuing to put more pressure on the housing sector, and … Continue reading "More Housing “Announcables” From The Government…"

This is an edited version of a live discussion, as we looked at the latest data on mortgage and rental stress, and many other metrics from our models, which gives us a view of how households are really travelling in this higher for longer rate environment, and in the light of the RBA’s rate decision. … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A Replay: Latest On Household And Post Code Financial Pressure"

Another outing with our property insider Edwin Almeida, as we kick around the latest news and data across the Australian Property market. Can you believe the theoretical housing announcables? Where is demand for property really coming from? What is the story of overseas purchasers? Plus, we look at the latest numbers, and Edwin was a … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

Guess what, Bankers are looking at ways to ease lending standards to pump the market some more, as bank margins are under pressure at a time when lending growth is already strong, and more households are already in financial difficulty. The value of new housing loans have risen by 17.9% since March 2023, to $27.6 … Continue reading "As More Households Are Crushed, Bankers Talk Their Own Book On Easing Mortgage Lending Rules!"

This is our latest weekly market update. Another wild week on the markets, driven by conflicting data, and a reactive FED, who has effectively given up on forward guidance, and who does not know where rates will go. But despite Powell’s protests to the contrary, some are suggesting Central Bankers are being swayed by political … Continue reading "Are Central Bankers Becoming Political Animals?"

Contrary to the bankers claiming digital payments are replacing cash, yet more evidence is showing that use of cash is on the RISE! We look at data from New Zealand based on a recent survey as the Reserve Bank there announces pilots to make access to cash easier. The trend of rising cash use was … Continue reading "Don’t Believe The Bankers: More People Are Using Cash!"

We had important releases from Stats NZ and The New Zealand Central Bank, which combined highlights a weird and unsettling cognitive dissonance. It was perhaps a matter of perspective, because the focus was on the financial system, not individual households, but given the economy is so strongly connected to what households and businesses do, the … Continue reading "Kiwi’s Cracking Under The Pressure, But RBNZ Says Nothing To See Here!"