CONSUMPTION (ECONOMICS) – AUSTRALIA

Dollar’s fall lifts retailers’ spirits

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 21 : 10-Dec-14

The latest Deloitte Access Economics retail forecasts study shows that the sector can expect higher margins during the 2014 Christmas period, due to the fall of the Australian dollar against the US currency. The overall sales growth figure for the calendar year is tipped to be 5.4%, compared with 3% on average per annum since 2010. The Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) also forecasts turnover in the second week of December to reach $A7.6bn. However ANRA CEO Anna McPhee notes that retail sector margins have declined in the past three years

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Slower wages growth pushes out RBA hike

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 18-Dec-18

The May 2018 Budget had forecast wages growth of 2.75 per cent in 2018-19, but this has been pared back to 2.5 per cent in the mid-year budget update. Wages are also expected to increase by three per cent in 2019-20, compared with previous expectations of 3.25 per cent growth. Meanwhile, growth in household consumption is also expected to be lower than projected in 2018-19, while the unemployment rate is tipped to fall further than forecast. The lower wages growth outlook may affect the timing of any change in monetary policy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, KPMG AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

Treasury in warning on saving raids

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Original article by Michael Roddan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 25-Oct-18

Australia’s household savings rate fell to one per cent in June, compared with 2.5 per cent one year earlier. Treasury secretary Phil Gaetjens has told the Senate economics committee that it is likely to fall further as low wages growth forces consumers to use more of their savings. Treasury expects economic growth to continue to be bolstered by consumer spending, but Alan Oster of National Australia Bank says the bank’s own data indicates that consumer spending is not as strong as official figures suggest. Meanwhile, independent economist Saul Eslake says falling asset prices are likely to prompt consumers to reduce their spending.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

Jobs surge but economy still stuck in neutral

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 4 : 8-Mar-18

Australia’s latest national accounts data shows that the economy grew by 0.4 per cent in the December 2017 quarter, and 2.4 per cent year-on-year. However, consumer spending grew by one per cent during the quarter, after revised growth of 0.5 per cent in the September quarter. Andrew Hanlan of Westpac warns that the strong growth in consumer spending may not last, noting the low growth in wages and the high level of consumer debt. The data shows that there was zero growth in the average wage during the December quarter, with annual wages growth of 1.6 per cent.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Dollar’s fall lifts retailers’ spirits

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 21 : 10-Dec-14

The latest Deloitte Access Economics retail forecasts study shows that the sector can expect higher margins during the 2014 Christmas period, due to the fall of the Australian dollar against the US currency. The overall sales growth figure for the calendar year is tipped to be 5.4%, compared with 3% on average per annum since 2010. The Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) also forecasts turnover in the second week of December to reach $A7.6bn. However ANRA CEO Anna McPhee notes that retail sector margins have declined in the past three years

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED, DELOITTE ACCESS ECONOMICS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

How we spent the mining bonanza

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Original article by Matt Wade
The Sydney Morning Herald – Page: 4 : 25-Aug-14

A new study, "The Effect of the Mining Boom on the Australian Economy", has been published by the Reserve Bank of Australia. Authors Peter Downes, Kevin Anslow and Peter Tulip show that consumers saw a benefit from the resources boom due to two main factors. Income levels rose, and the foreign exchange rate was also lifted and made imports cheaper. This in turn meant a fall in car prices of 15% and one of 11% for household goods. Sales of these items were up 30% and 20% respectively as a result. The jobless rate is also some 1.25% lower than it would have been without the boom

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Job ads, buoyant retail raise pressure on rates

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Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 19 : 5-Aug-14

There is no clear consensus among economists on whether the Reserve Bank of Australia will move to lift or cut the official cash interest rate late in 2014. No change is expected at the board meeting on 5 August, but a number of economic indicators have created uncertainty about the longer-term picture. Retailing sector sales had been forecast to grow a subdued 0.3% during June, but instead rose 0.6% to $A23.2bn. It appears consumer confidence dented by the harsh federal Budget in May is starting to recover. Help-wanted advertising is also up 4% in annualised terms

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD

No retail rally after sales lift

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Original article by Blair Speedy
The Australian – Page: 17 : 4-Aug-14

The latest retailing sector turnover data to be issued by the Australian Bureau of Statistics are forecast to show an increase in seasonally adjusted terms of 0.3% for June 2014. While this would be an improvement from a 0.5% fall in May, investors are still likely to take a negative view on such stocks as many groups report slower earnings growth. Some listed retailers have already issued profit warnings, due in large part to warm winter weather. The first major retailer to report will be JB Hi-Fi on 11 August

CORPORATES
JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, PACIFIC BRANDS LIMITED – ASX PBG, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED – ASX TRS, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, DAVID JONES LIMITED – ASX DJS, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Budget blamed for retail slump

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Original article by Blair Speedy
The Australian – Page: 27 : 4-Jul-14

Australian retailers have blamed poor sales on the Federal Government’s May 2014 Budget. In May, retail sales dropped by a seasonally adjusted 0.5 per cent, the largest fall in 13 months. The greatest decline was in discretionary spending, with sales in department stores falling by 2.6 per cent. Australian National Retailers Association CEO Margy Osmond said that uncertainty about many Budget measures was weakening consumer confidence

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL RETAILERS ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN RETAILERS ASSOCIATION, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, PACIFIC BRANDS LIMITED – ASX PBG, FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL GROUP LIMITED – ASX FLT, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED – ASX TRS, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA