ECONOMIC INDICATORS – AUSTRALIA

Rising job insecurity myth busted

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 31-Jul-17

Analysis of labour market data survey suggests that despite unions’ claims to the contrary, job security in Australia seems to be improving. The analysis by the University of Melbourne’s Jeff Borland shows that the proportion of women in particular who have had the same job for more than 10 years has increased since 1982. Meanwhile, the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey data shows that the proportion of workers who are employed via labour hire firms fell from 3.1 per cent to 2.2 per cent between 2001 and 2015.

CORPORATES
UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Retail property sentiment dips

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Original article by Elizabeth Redman
The Australian – Page: 23 : 28-Jul-17

National Australia Bank’s latest survey of the commercial property sector has revealed that sentiment is at its least optimistic in the retail property segment. Sentiment in that category is at its lowest since the end of 2014, in part due to the looming arrival of Amazon. Sentiment towards CBD hotels is also down, but sentiment in the office and industrial segments rose. Looking at individual states, sentiment has improved in Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, but declined in New South Wales.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED

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