Economists say growth stunner won’t stop RBA rate cut

Original article by Jessica Sier
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 2-Jun-16

Deutsche Bank’s Adam Boyton says inflation will be a bigger influence on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s monetary policy deliberations than GDP data. New figures show that the economy expanded by a higher-than-expected 1.1 per cent in the March 2016 quarter, with year-on-year growth of 3.1 per cent. There is general consensus among economists that there will be at least one more interest rate cut in 2016, although Craig James of CommSec cautions that this could put more upward pressure on house prices.

CORPORATES
DEUTSCHE BANK AG. RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA. COMMONWEALTH SECURITIES LIMITED. AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS. NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence – Consumers cringe as confidence drops to 113.2

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 31-May-16

The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating for Australia fell 2.2 per cent to 113.2 in the week ended 29 May 2016, partially reversing the 3.6 per cent increase over the previous four weeks. Confidence remains just above its long-run average (+0.4 per cent). The fall last week was largely driven by concerns about the economic outlook. Consumers’ views towards their current finances rose 0.7 per cent, but consumers’ views towards their future finances fell 4.7 per cent.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

Business Confidence plunges in May – down 9.1% to 111.9 following Federal Budget and Election uncertainty

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-May-16

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence fell by 9.1 per cent to 111.9 in May 2016. Business confidence is now at its lowest since a 2016 low of 110.6 in January. The fall in Business Confidence comes even after a slight improvement on the Australian sharemarket in May. However, the large drop in Business Confidence is likely more tied to a poorly received Federal Budget in early May and the uncertainty surrounding the upcoming Federal Election. The weakest indicators in May relate to the upcoming year, which suggests the impact of election uncertainty. Net expectations of business performance over the next 12 months have dropped to 20.6ppts (down 17.5ppts in May) and net views of whether the next 12 months will be a "good/bad time to invest" are now 12.1ppts (down 14.2ppts).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, MORGAN POLL, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, DCNS SA

Morgan Stanley adds to gloom with 1pc rate tip

Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 35 : 26-May-16

Investment bank Morgan Stanley has forecast that the Reserve Bank of Australia will reduce the cash rate from 1.75 per cent to just one per cent by mid-2017. Chris Nicol and Daniel Blake of Morgan Stanley expect more aggressive monetary policy easing due to factors such as the need to reduce the value of the Australian dollar. They note that banks in particular will be adversely affected by a much lower cash rate, although there is likely to be a minimal impact on consumer stocks.

CORPORATES
MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

Overvalued Aussie dollar could dive below US50c, warns ANZ

Original article by Mark Mulligan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 34 : 26-May-16

The Australian dollar is currently trading above $US0.71, but Daniel Been of the ANZ Bank warns that it could potentially test the $US0.50 level. While the currency has shed 35 per cent against its US counterpart over the last five years, Been says its continued resilience can be partly attributed to Australia’s "AAA" credit rating, which has led to the dollar being regarded as a safe-haven currency. He notes that factors such as Australia’s current account deficit and high government debt would not usually result in such strong support for the currency.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, STRATTON STREET CAPITAL LLP, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence creeps higher – up 0.6pts to 115.7

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-May-16

The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating for Australia rose 0.5 per cent to 115.7 in the week ended 22 May 2016. It has risen 3.6 per cent over the past four weeks. The latest increase likely reflects several factors, including last week’s jobs report (which confirmed healthy conditions in the labour market), strong auction clearance rates, the positive impact from the RBA rate cut three weeks ago and ongoing gains in equity markets since early April. Consumers’ views towards their finances in the next 12 months rose 3.4 per cent, but consumers’ views toward economic conditions in the next 12 months fell slightly.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Macquarie tips 1pc cash

Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 20-May-16

James McIntyre of Macquarie Group says the Reserve Bank will have further ease monetary policy unless the Australian Government stimulates the economy with fiscal policy measures. He says this is unlikely, which will leave it to the central bank to put downward pressure on the dollar via rate cuts. McIntyre expects the cash rate to fall to at least one per cent.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BLOOMBERG LP, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence falls to 116.2 in May (down 3.8pts)

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-May-16

The ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence Index has fallen by four points to 116.2 in May 2016. In seasonally adjusted terms confidence eased from 117 to 115. The Current Conditions Index fell by four points to 119.3 and the Future Conditions Index fell by three points to 114.3.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence ticks up to 115.1 after Federal Election called for July 2

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-May-16

The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating for Australia rose 1.1 per cent to 115.1 in the week ended 15 May 2016, remaining above its long run average for the third consecutive week. The RBA’s cut to the official cash rate two weeks ago likely had a (delayed) positive impact on consumer confidence. Consumers’ views towards their current finances fell 1.8 per cent, but consumers’ views toward economic conditions in the next 12 months rose by 6.1 per cent.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

$A jump dampens predictions of further rate cuts soon

Original article by Jessica Sier
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 18-May-16

The minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia’s May 2016 board meeting show that the central bank considered leaving rates on hold. The cash rate was cut by 25 basis points, but opinion among market watchers is divided as to the timing and extent of further monetary policy easing. Royal Bank of Canada’s Su-Lin Ong says the RBA could cut the cash rate again in June, although Capital Economics and the Commonwealth Bank expect a rate cut in August. The latter also expects another cut in November.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, ROYAL BANK OF CANADA, CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC