The latest rental affordability report from PropTrack revealed that at the end of 2024, Australian households could afford to rent the smallest share of advertised rentals since at least 2008, when records began. The primary cause of the collapse in rental affordability is the extreme growth of rents, which have risen by 48% nationally since
The Market Ear on the short squeeze. Most since August S&P 500 +18% from the lows 4 weeks ago. More than 88% of S&P 500 stocks are trading above their 20 day moving average, the most since August. However, many sentiment & positioning indicators are still massively lagging, which would indicate room for more buying.
Following the 2022 federal election, the Australian Greens declared themselves the “third force” in Australian politics after picking up 12.2% of the primary vote and winning four federal seats: During this election campaign, the Greens salivated at the prospect of forming a minority government with Labor whereby it could force its policy agenda. The outcome
Goldman wraps a Q1 dud. Nominal retail sales rose 0.3%mom in March, broadly in line with expectations (GSe: +0.2%mom, BBG: 0.4%mom). That said, the details were softer, with ex-food sales broadly flat for a second consecutive month. The quarterly data were also weaker than expected, with volumes flat in 1Q2025 against expectations for an ongoing
Australian households are suffering their longest recession in generations. The Q4 national accounts, released in March, revealed that real per capita household consumption fell for an eighth consecutive quarter. A steep decline in household incomes is behind the fall in consumption. As illustrated below, real per capita household consumption had declined by around 8% from its
Many were hoping for a minority government moderated by the Senate. It made perfect sense. Two mainstream sides of politics have served up the same gruel for 15 years. The gruel is nasty, and the punters don’t like it. Small changes moderated by a batch of independents are a least-worst option. For a nation that
There are hints of the trade shock landing on China but they are so far minor. American freight route costs have pancaked. But freight volumes are still fine. Perhaps as dumping elsewhere begins. Ahead is a problem. With some offset already accelerating on the ground. It’s not going to be a banner year for China.
DXY is making hard work of it. AUD is ripping your face off now. Lead boots will be lead boots. Oil is about to crater. I will buy a deeper gold pullback. Metals have no interest in growth. Miners yuck. EM gapped into madness. Junmk says no bueno. Treasuries are confused. Stocks are on fire
The federal election has delivered a stomping Labor victory with the party winning 85 seats and a comfortable majority, with 19 seats still in doubt. The Coalition was routed, scoring one of its lowest primary votes on record. Leader Peter Dutton lost his seat (good riddance), alongside senior figures like Michael Sukkar. Shadow immigration minister
Australians are about to be jilted. There is a very widespread disenchantment and disillusionment with politics, the media, any given person being reported on or even doing the reporting, and a pervasive sense of ‘this country is increasingly stuffed’ on the streets. The issues at the core of that are issues which both mainstream sides