ECONOMIC INDICATORS – AUSTRALIA

Aust job vacancies rise 1.3pct to new peak

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Original article by Alex Druce
News.com.au – Page: Online : 10-Jan-19

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that there was 1.7 per cent growth in job vacancies during the three months to November, or 1.3 per cent in seasonally-adjusted terms. The total number of vacancies rose to 241,600, compared with 238,400 in the three months to August. The number of job vacancies in the public sector grew by four per cent to 21,600 in the November quarter, while there was 1.1 per cent growth in private-sector jobs.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, INDEED INCORPORATED

Approvals for new apartments slump

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 10-Jan-19

New figures highlight the downturn in Australia’s residential construction market. Just 5,921 units, townhouses and semi-detached dwellings were approved in November 2018, which is 18.4 per cent lower than in October. In contrast, some 12,823 dwellings were approved during November 2017. There was a 9.1 per cent decline in approvals for detached dwellings in November, which is the lowest monthly level since July 2013.

CORPORATES
HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY

Trade surplus eases in November

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Original article by Sarah Turner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 9-Jan-19

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the nation’s exports rose by one per cent to $38.4bn in November, while imports increased by two per cent to $36.5bn. Australia recorded an 11th consecutive monthly trade surplus in November, although it fell from a downwardly revised $2bn in October to $1.9bn. The consensus of economists polled by Bloomberg had been for a trade surplus of $2.2bn in November.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, BLOOMBERG LP, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence softens to 115.2

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Jan-19

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell 2.2% to 115.2 in the week ended 6 January. Households’ views towards current financial conditions fell 4.3%, the third consecutive fall, while future financial condition rose 1.1%. Consumers’ views toward current and future economic conditions fell by 4.2% and 3.1% respectively. The ‘time to buy a household item’ sub-index fell 1.1%.

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

Manufacturing falls to two-year low

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 8-Jan-19

The Australian Industry Group’s Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index declined 1.8 points to 49.5 in December. It was the lowest that the Index has been since August 2016. Five of the Index’s eight manufacturing sub-sectors expanded, while the report noted the strong performance of the Victorian manufacturing sector. The decline in Australian manufacturing activity mirrors the global economy, with the US and China having both recently recorded falls in manufacturing output.

CORPORATES
THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, JP MORGAN CHASE AND COMPANY, IHS GROUP

Banks turn off the investor tap

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Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian – Page: 13 & 18 : 3-Jan-19

Data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority shows that the nation’s four largest banks held $471.4bn worth of investor mortgage loans in the year to November 2018. This compares with $471.1bn for the same period in 2017. Westpac and National Australia Bank increased their investor loan books slightly, while the Commonwealth Bank and ANZ recorded declines. Meanwhile, Richard Wiles of Morgan Stanley says APRA’s recent move to abolish caps on interest-only loans is unlikely to boost the major banks’ growth in housing loans.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BANKWEST, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, BANK OF MELBOURNE LIMITED, BANK OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MST FINANCIAL SERVICES PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, COUNCIL OF FINANCIAL REGULATORS, CORELOGIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, P&N BANK, FINDER.COM.AU, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

Private sector wage rises hit two-year high

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 21-Dec-18

The federal government has released data showing that there was an average pay rise of three per cent for new enterprise agreements struck in the private sector during the September quarter. However, the average pay rise for existing private-sector agreements was just 2.7 per cent. The number of private-sector workers who are covered by enterprise agreements fell by 90,000 during the quarter. Meanwhile, the average pay rise for public sector workers was 3.4 per cent in the quarter.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, ACTU

Part-time workers drive jobs spike

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Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 21-Dec-18

Official data shows that the Australian economy added 37,000 jobs in November, with a 43,400-strong increase in part-time jobs offsetting the loss of 6,400 full-time positions during the month. The data shows that full- and part-time jobs have grown by 180,200 and 105,500 respectively over the last year. Meanwhile, Australia’s official unemployment rate rose from five per cent to 5.1 per cent in November, while the labour market participation rate increased by 0.2 per cent to 65.7 per cent.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF JOBS AND SMALL BUSINESS, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH SECURITIES LIMITED, INDEED INCORPORATED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Goldman hits at doomsday savings chatter

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Original article by Tim Boyd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 12 : 21-Dec-18

Andrew Boak and Tom Kennedy have differing views on whether low savings rates are a sign that Australian consumers are optimistic. Boak, who is Goldman Sachs’ chief economist in Australia, believes that low saving rates show that consumers are using their savings to spend, and it reflects a sense of optimism. However, Kennedy, who is JP Morgan’s global fixed income strategist, says if consumers were feeling that optimistic this would also be reflected in similar moves in credit card debt and short-term debit items.

CORPORATES
GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NOMURA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence levels to 117.8

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Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 19-Dec-18

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence rose 0.1% to 117.8 in the week ended 16 December, essentially unchanged from the previous week. Households’ views towards current financial conditions fell 2%, while future financial condition were flat. Consumers’ views toward current economic conditions rose 0.2%, but future economic conditions fell 0.9%. The ‘time to buy a household item’ sub-index rose 2.7%.

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