Author: roymorgansocial

Gold miners’ margins dented by diesel costs

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Original article by Mark Wembridge
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 21-Oct-26

Regis Resources has advised that it produced 83,000 ounces of gold in the September quarter, compared with 101,500 tonnes in the previous three months. Regis has maintained its full-year guidance of between 360,000 and 400,000 ounces. Regis has also indicated that the rising price of diesel fuel contributed to a near-30 per cent rise in its production costs, to more than $3,600 an ounce; however, Regis received an average of $6,088 for each ounce. Bellevue Gold has also reported a sharp rise in costs, while it sold nearly 36,000 ounces of gold during the September quarter at an average of $,4980 per ounce.

CORPORATES
REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL,{STORE}BELLEVUE GOLD LIMITED – ASX BGL

Victorian spends like pandemic never went away

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Original article by Sumeyya Ilanbey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 21-Oct-26

The Victorian government’s spending as a proportion of gross state product has averaged 19.5 per cent annually since it peaked at 20.12 per cent in fiscal 2022. The 2026 budget papers show that this is not projected to fall to the pre-Covid average of 13.2 per cent over the forward estimates period; it will instead still be 16.9 per cent in four years’ time. Martin Codina, the executive director of economic advocacy group Amplify, warns that the state’s financial position will become even more precarious unless spending and the budget are returned to sustainable levels.

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AMPLIFY PTY LTD

Chalmers faces $11b budget hole

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Original article by Michael Read
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 21-Oct-26

The recent rise in bond yields will add to government borrowing costs, which was not factored into the federal or state budgets for 2026. The federal Treasury had already forecast a $64.1bn headline budget deficit for 2026-27 prior to the increase in bond yields, and the government will have to achieve some $11bn worth of spending cuts to prevent a much larger deficit. Treasurer Jim Chalmers recently advised that the upcoming mid-year budget update will include a savings package. HSBC’s chief economist Paul Bloxham says the government should consider reducing off-budget spending, which is forecast to exceed $32bn in 2026-27.

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AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY,{STORE}HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD

Labor’s gas scheme needs clarity

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Original article by Colin Packham
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 21-Oct-26

Origin Energy’s CEO Frank Calabria says the group supports a domestic gas reservation scheme that will provide a durable framework for the Australian market. However, he says the federal government must clarify some details of its proposed scheme, including how its plans to force LNG producers to sell up to 20 per cent of their output to the domestic market will work during periods when there is sufficient supply of gas. Australian Energy Producers CEO Samantha McCulloch has in turn warned that the forced-sale requirement could prompt some gas producers to exit the domestic market.

CORPORATES
ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG,{STORE}AUSTRALIAN ENERGY PRODUCERS

Victorian State Voting Intention: Victoria’s Upper House is evenly split between L-NP/One Nation (18 seats) and ALP/Greens (18 seats) with four seats undecided

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Oct-26

The race to secure a majority of seats in Victoria’s Upper House is evenly poised with the L-NP Coalition/One Nation set to secure 18 seats, level with the ALP/Greens (18 seats); the remaining four seats are undecided. This special Roy Morgan survey was conducted over the three months from July to September, with a representative Victoria-wide cross-section of 2,845 electors and an average of around 360 electors in each of the state’s eight Upper House regions. This interviewing period included the resignation of former Premier Jacinta Allan on 28 July, the swearing in of Ben Carroll as the new Premier on the same day, One Nation’s announcement of Warren Pickering as its Victorian leader on 3 August, and revelations about Pickering’s past. This is a closer result than an earlier SMS Roy Morgan Poll conducted in early August, which showed the L-NP Coalition and One Nation securing a majority of 21 seats in Victoria’s Upper House. The changed result is driven by an improved performance from the Greens in recent months.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED,{STORE}MORGAN POLL,{STORE}AUSTRALIAN GREENS,{STORE}AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY,{STORE}LIBERAL PARTY OF VICTORIA,{STORE}ONE NATION PARTY

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 67.7 in mid-October

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Oct-26

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence was virtually unchanged at 67.7 in the week to 18 October. However, Consumer Confidence is now 16.3pts lower than a year ago (84), and 4.3pts below the 2026 weekly average of 72.0. Analysis by State shows that Consumer Confidence has fallen in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, and increased slightly in Queensland and Western Australia. Now 15% of Australians (unchanged) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 56% (up 1ppt) say their families are ‘worse off’. Looking forward, 20% (up 1ppt) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 44% (up 2ppts) expect to be ‘worse off’. Only 5% (unchanged) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 49% (up 4ppts) expect ‘bad times’. Meanwhile, 17% (up 3ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items, while 44% (down 3ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED,{STORE}AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Charges laid against man accused of attacking Federal MP Helen Haines

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Original article by Shelby Brooks
The Age – Page: Online : 21-Oct-26

The 43-year-old man who was allegedly responsible for the vehicular attack on independent federal MP Helen Haines will face three charges when he appears before the Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court today. Brendan Nugent has been charged with dangerous driving causing injury, intentionally causing injury and causing harm to a Commonwealth public official. Police allege that the incident was a targeted attack; it is believed that they were not able to interview Nugent on Monday night because he was still under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Haines sustained life-changing injuries and remains in a critical condition; she has lost one leg, and surgeons are trying to save her other leg.

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NAB takes axe to 2,500 jobs as economy falters

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Original article by Cliona O’Dowd
The Australian – Page: 13 & 19 : 21-Oct-26

National Australia Bank expects its 2026-27 financial accounts to include a pre-tax restructuring charge of about $300m, after revealing plans to shed six per cent of its workforce. NAB will intially shed 1,500 jobs by the end of 2026, and a further 1,000 positions by June 2027. The job cuts are expected to be focused on back-office roles, rather than customer-facing staff; NAB says the move is aimed at simplifying its operations. NAB has also advised that 180 jobs will be shifted offshore; it already has more than 5,000 workers in India and 2,000 in Vietnam.

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NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

Aussies keep the Halloween spirit alive

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Oct-26

Research from the Australia Retail Council in partnership with Roy Morgan shows that Australians are tipped to spend $510 million on costumes, decorations and treats this Halloween ($10m more than last year), although fewer people will embrace the spooky spirit as household budgets remain under pressure. Around 4.4 million Australians plan to celebrate Halloween themselves or through their children this year, down 400,000 from last year. Among those celebrating, 22 per cent plan to spend less than last year, 16 per cent plan to spend more and 62 per cent expect to spend about the same. Popular activities include providing treats for trick-or-treaters (45%), dressing up in costumes (44%), trick-or-treating (40%) and decorating homes (35%). This ARA-Roy Morgan Snap SMS survey was conducted with an Australian-wide cross-section of 5,237 Australians aged 18+ from 29 September 29 to 3 October, including 877 who plan on celebrating Halloween.

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ROY MORGAN LIMITED,{STORE}AUSTRALIAN RETAIL COUNCIL

BHP vows to double local copper output by 2040 after early slump

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 21-Oct-26

BHP produced 71.9 million tonnes of iron ore in the Pilbara during the September quarter; it is on track to achieve the full-year production guidance of between 286 million and 298 million tonnes for 2026-27. However, BHP’s copper output was 19 per cent lower than the previous quarter, at 400,000 tonnes; the underperformance has been attributed to factors such as a mechanical outage in South Australia and poor weather at its copper mines in Chile. Meanwhile, BHP has outlined plans to upgrade its Olympic Dam smelter and refinery in South Australia at a cost of nearly $US4bn; it is part of a plan to ramp up production in SA to 500,000 tonnes by 2035 and 650,000 tonnes by 2040.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP