ECONOMIC INDICATORS – AUSTRALIA

Second jobs growth steady, dispels fears

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 26-Jul-17

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the overall proportion of workers who have more than one job has remained steady at six per cent since 2010-11. Some 763,200 Australians had a second job in 2015-16, which is 3.7 per cent higher than the previous financial year and 9.2 per cent higher than in 2010-11. The figures are part of the ABS’s new "Labour Account" data, which aims to estimate the actual number of jobs across the economy.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rises to 115.1 (up 2.3%)

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Jul-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose 2.3% to 115.1 in the week ended 23 July 2017, following an 0.4% fall the previous week. The increase in confidence was driven primarily by an improvement in consumers’ views towards both current and future economic conditions. Households’ views around current financial conditions rose 1.8%, entirely reversing the prior week’s fall. Views towards future financial conditions were less positive, with the sub-index slipping 1.1%. Both sub-indices currently sit above their long-term averages. Consumers’ views towards current economic conditions increased a sharp 7.9%, bringing the sub-index to its highest point in 20 weeks. Views around future economic conditions rose 2.7%, more than offsetting the 1.6% decline in the previous week.

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

Fifth year of record advertising market growth

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Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 24-Jul-17

Australian advertising expenditure for 2016-17 is expected to slightly exceed the total of $A7.12bn for 2015-16, according to Standard Media Index. The outdoor advertising sector has recorded the biggest growth, with spending up 7.9 per cent to $A863.5m in 2016-17, while expenditure on programmatic digital advertising rose by 67.3 per cent to $A337.7m. Meanwhile, advertising expenditure by the retail sector increased by $A90.1m, while government spending on advertising was down $A92.2m.

CORPORATES
SMI MEDIA INCORPORATED, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD

Job surge adds to dollar’s strength

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 30 : 21-Jul-17

The Australian dollar peaked at a two-year high of $US0.7989 in local trading on 20 July, in response to data showing that 62,000 full-time jobs were created in June. The economy added a net 14,000 jobs, due to a sharp fall in part-time positions, and the unemployment rate was steady at 5.6 per cent. Capital Economics’ Katie Hickie says the Reserve Bank is likely to leave official interest rates on hold until at least the end of 2018, arguing that growth in wages will be limited by excess capacity in the labour market.

CORPORATES
CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

Sydney unit rents on par with houses as affordability bites

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 20-Jul-17

Data from Domain Group shows that the median weekly rent for apartments in Sydney rose by 4.8 per cent in the year to June 2017. The median weekly rent for detached houses increased by 3.8 per cent. Meanwhile, the median weekly rent for apartments and houses in Melbourne increased by 5.3 per cent and five per cent respectively. The figures also show that the median house price in Sydney rose by 1.6 per cent to a new high of $A1,178,417 in the June quarter, while the median price in Melbourne rose 3.5 per cent to $A865,712.

CORPORATES
DOMAIN.COM.AU, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ

Economy on the rise: Morrison

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 20-Jul-17

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison will address a conference in Melbourne on 20 July 2017. He will note that key indicators – such as business and consumer sentiment, corporate profits and job advertisements – show that the Australian economy is gaining strength. Morrison will also caution against trying to return the Budget to surplus too quickly, as this could potentially stall economic growth. Meanwhile, Morrison argues that although Australia’s gross debt now exceeds $A500bn, it would be closer to $A1trn if the Australian Labor Party was still in office.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence virtually unchanged at 112.5

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Jul-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence edged down 0.4% to 112.5 in the week ended 16 July 2017, following a 1.3% fall the previous week. The details were mixed. Consumers were quite optimistic about their financial conditions next year, but were less upbeat towards the current financial situation. Households’ views around current financial conditions fell 1.8%, following two straight weekly rises. Views towards future conditions were more upbeat, with the sub-index rising a solid 3.7%. Both sub-indexes remain close to their long-term averages. Consumers’ views towards current economic conditions remained unchanged, but views around future economic conditions fell 1.6%, following a 2.5% decline previously. Both sub-indexes remain under their long-term averages.

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

PM’s pitch as business rebounds

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Original article by Adam Creed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jul-17

National Australia Bank’s latest business survey shows that there was a month-on-month improvement in sales, profits and trading conditions in June 2017. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, who addressed a business forum in London on 11 July, cited the data as proof that the Australian economy is growing and has not been unduly affected by a fall in mining investment. He attributed the continued resilience of the domestic economy to factors such as Australia’s stance on free trade. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen argues that low wages growth is the main issue of concern for workers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, PACIFIC INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LLC, HSBC AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence steady at long-term average – now 113.0

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 12-Jul-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence slipped 1.3% to 113.0 in the week ended 9 July 2017, following a 2.4% rise the previous week. The details were mixed. Consumers were less optimistic about economic conditions but relatively more upbeat about their current finances. Households’ views around current financial conditions continued to climb last week, (up 1.4%) after a solid 3.8% rise previously. Consumers were less optimistic about future financial conditions, however. This sub-index fell 0.8% last week, entirely unwinding its previous rise. Confidence around current economic conditions fell 6.2%, largely reversing gains over the previous three weeks. Views around future economic conditions fell 2.5%. This sub-index remains below its long-term average.

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

It’s official: June employment is at a record high of 12,330,000

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Jul-17

A Roy Morgan survey on unemployment and under-employment shows that the total Australian workforce was a record 13,530,000 in June 2017 (up 540,000 in 12 months) and employment grew to a record 12,330,000 (up a large 587,000). The number of Australians who were unemployed and looking for work was 1,200,000 (down 47,000), while 1.445 million were under-employed (10.7% of the workforce). A total of 2.645 million Australians (19.6% of the workforce) were looking for work or looking for more work. Australia’s real unemployment for June was 8.9%, compared with the official Australian Bureau of Statistics figure of 5.5% for May. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says June was the 21st straight month more than two million Australians have been looking for work or looking for more work and is a concern ahead of the imminent closure of the Australian automotive manufacturing industry in three months.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS