ECONOMIC INDICATORS – 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

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rises across the board – up 2.7pts to 114.5

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Jul-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose 2.4% to 114.5 in the week ended 2 July 2017, bringing the index to its highest point since early April and above the long-run average. The rise in confidence was broad-based, with all sub-indices posting gains. The volatility in households’ views around current financial conditions continues, with the sub index rising 3.8%. Consumers were less optimistic about future financial conditions. This sub index rose 0.8% last week, only partially offsetting the 1.7% decline in the previous week. Confidence around both current and future economic conditions rose solidly (+3.7% and +3.0% respectively). The current economic conditions sub index now sits at its highest point since mid-March.

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

Business Confidence down in June to 111.8 driven by declines in the Retail and Electricity industries

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 5-Jul-17

Business Confidence in Australia fell 2pts (-1.8%) to 111.8 in June, according to the Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey. Business Confidence declined on the back of falling expectations of the Australian economy, with fewer businesses expecting "good times" for the economy in both the short-term and the long-term. Some 46.9% (down 6.3ppts) of businesses expect "good times" for the economy over the next year and 49.6% (down 0.9ppts) expect "good times" for the economy over the next five years. Meanwhile, 46% (up 5.2ppts) of businesses expect "bad times" for the economy over the next year and 42.5% (up 2.4ppts) expect "bad times" for the economy over the next five years. Roy Morgan Research CEO Michele Levine says the back-to-back declines for Business Confidence over the past two months has seen Business Confidence dip below the ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rating for the first time since early March.

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

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence edges lower again to 111.8 (down 0.6pts)

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Jun-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence edged 0.5% lower to 111.8 in the week ended 25 June 2017, down for the second week in a row. The sub-indicators continue to show volatility. Households’ views around current financial conditions were largely unchanged (down 0.2%), while views towards future conditions fell 1.7%, following four consecutive weeks of gains. Households’ confidence in future economic conditions ticked 0.4% lower last week, while expectations of current economic conditions edged 2.4% higher, up for the second consecutive week.

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

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence stability masks volatility in the sub-indices – down 0.5pts to 112.4

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 21-Jun-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell 0.4 per cent to 112.4 in the week ended 18 June 2017. Broadly, though, confidence has recovered from the mid-May low. That said, there continues to be significant volatility between sub-indices. Households’ expectations of current economic conditions edged up 0.6%, after a 5.2% decline the previous week. However, households’ confidence in future economic conditions rose 2.8%, more than offsetting the 2.6% fall in the previous week. Meanwhile, households’ views around current financial conditions dropped 8.1%, unwinding most of the 9.4% jump in the previous week. Views towards future conditions edged up 0.2%. This sub-index is at its highest point in seven weeks.

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

Resource states recover to drive jobs growth

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Original article by David Uren
The Australian – Page: 6 : 16-Jun-17

The Australian Bureau of Statistics has reported that 42,000 new jobs were added to the economy in May 2017. Full-time jobs accounted for 80 per cent of the 141,000 new jobs in the past three months. New South Wales added 49,000 new jobs over the past six months, while Victoria added 41,000. Resources states Queensland and Western Australia both recorded improved jobs growth in the past six months. Kristina Clifton of the Commonwealth Bank said the recent good job figures means an interest rate cut is unlikely in the foreseeable future.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence steady at 112.9

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Jun-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence remained unchanged at 112.9 in the week ended 11 June 2017, following the release of the disappointing GDP result for the March quarter. The headline number masked significant changes in the sub-indices. Household expectations of current economic conditions dropped a sharp 5.2% last week, almost entirely unwinding gains made over the last three weeks. Views towards future economic conditions also declined 2.6%, following a 3.2% fall in the previous week. This sub-index currently sits at its lowest level since September 2015. However, household views around current financial conditions jumped 9.4%, bringing the index to its highest level in 14 weeks. Views towards future conditions also improved, rising 1.5% last week following a 2.7% rise the previous week.

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

Over 2.6 million Australians were unemployed or under-employed in May

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 13-Jun-17

Australia’s real unemployment rate was 9.8% (1.284 million Australians looking for work) in May 2017. In addition 1.338 million Australians were under-employed (10.2% of the workforce). This is a total of 2.622 million Australians (20% of the workforce) looking for work or looking for more work. In May the total Australian workforce was 13,074,000 (up 291,000 in 12 months) and employment grew to 11,790,000 (up 376,000). However, the increase in employment was almost entirely driven by a large increase in part-time employment, which rose 346,000 to 4,238,000. Full-time employment rose a modest 30,000 to 7,552,000. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says last week’s Fair Work Commission decisions to increase the minimum wage by $22 per week (+3.3%) and partly defer cuts to Sunday penalty rates over three years instead of now have dealt a significant blow to the prospect of more jobs for Australia’s unemployed and under-employed.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Business Confidence gives soft ‘thumbs down’ to Federal Budget

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Jun-17

Business Confidence in Australia fell 2.8pts (-2.4%) to 113.8 in May, according to the Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey. The fall in Business Confidence came during the month Treasurer Scott Morrison handed down a Federal Budget which included plans to increase taxation on Australian banks and coincided with the Australian All Ordinaries falling 186.3pts (-3.1%) to 5,761.3. The business specific financial indicators drove this month’s fall in Business Confidence back to the pre-Budget March rating of 113.8. In May 44.4% (down 4.3ppts) of Australian businesses expected to be "better off" financially this time next year, compared to 22.6% (up 2.9ppts) that expected to be "worse off" – a net negative movement of 7.2pts. Also fewer Australian businesses, 39% (down 3.2ppts), said the business is "better off" financially than a year ago while 32.9% (up 3.6ppts), said the business is "worse off" – a net negative movement of 6.8pts.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY