NAB cuts rates ahead of Reserve

Original article by Cameron Micallef
The Australian – Page: 19 : 4-Feb-25

National Australia Bank has pre-empted the Reserve Bank’s upcoming monetary policy decision by reducing some of its mortgage interest rates. NAB has become the first major bank to cut its fixed interest rates in 2025, although Sally Tindall from Canstar expects rival banks to do so as well. Canstar notes that NAB has reduced its fixed rates for owner-occupiers by up to 0.25 percentage points, while fixed interest rates for property investors have been cut by up to 0.3 percentage points. The RBA is widely tipped to reduce the cash rate at its board meeting in mid-February.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, CANSTAR PTY LTD

Risk of mortgage stress up again in December after Reserve Bank again decided not to cut interest rates

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 30-Jan-25

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,595,000 mortgage holders (27.9) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in December 2024. This represents a second straight monthly increase since October but is still 2.4% lower than the June figures prior to the Stage 3 income tax cuts. Modelling by Roy Morgan shows that the number of mortgages ‘At Risk’ will fall by 26,000 in February 2025 to 1,569,000 (27.4% of mortgage holders) if the Reserve Bank drops interest rates to 4.10% at its first board meeting for the year. The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 788,000 since May 2022, when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered to be ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered 973,000 (17.4% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.6%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with more than 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Risk of mortgage stress up in November after Reserve Bank decides not to cut interest rates

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 15-Jan-25

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,514,000 mortgage holders (26.8%) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in November 2024. This represents a small increase on October but is 3.5% lower than the June figures prior to the Stage 3 tax cuts. Modelling by Roy Morgan shows that the number of mortgages ‘At Risk’ will fall by 26,000 in February 2025 to 11,488,000 (26.3% of mortgage holders) if the Reserve Bank drops interest rates to 4.10% at its first board meeting for the year. The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 707,000 since May 2022 when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered to be ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 931,000 (16.9% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.6%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with more than 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Risk of mortgage stress eases for fourth straight month – the lowest for over 18 months since February 2023

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Nov-24

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,487,000 mortgage holders (26.2%) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in October 2024. This is down 2.1% points since September, and 4.1% lower than the June figures prior to the Stage 3 tax cuts that increased household income for Australians. Modelling by Roy Morgan shows that the number of mortgages ‘At Risk’ will fall by 12,000 in December to 1,475,000 (25.9% of mortgage holders) if the Reserve Bank drops interest rates by 0.25% to 4.10% at its last board meeting for the year. The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 680,000 since May 2022 when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increase. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered to be ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 928,000 (16.7% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.6%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with over 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Risk of mortgage stress eases for third straight month

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 24-Oct-24

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,724,000 mortgage holders (28.3%) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in September 2024. This represents a decrease of 0.2% points on the June figures, prior to the Stage 3 tax cuts that increased household income for millions of Australians. However, modelling by Roy Morgan shows that the number of mortgages ‘At Risk’ will increase to new record highs in November and December if the RBA raises interest rates by 25 basis points in both months. The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 917,000 since May 2022, when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered to be ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 1,082,000 (18.3% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.6%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with over 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

The share of mortgage holders At Risk of mortgage stress fell in July after the Stage 3 tax cuts

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Aug-24

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,604,000 mortgage holders (29.8%) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in the three months to July 2024. This represents a decrease of 0.5% points on the June figures after the introduction of the Stage 3 tax cuts in July increased household income for millions of Australians, including many mortgage holders. The level of mortgage holders ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress is set to fall further over the next few months. However, a reduction in mortgage stress will not happen if the Reserve Bank board decides to raise interest rates at its next meeting in September. The number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 797,000 since May 2022, when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered to be ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 982,000 (18.9% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.5%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with over 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Mortgage stress increased in June, but set to ease in the months ahead after the Stage 3 tax cuts

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 23-Jul-24

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,602,000 mortgage holders (30.3%) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in the three months to June 2024. This represents an increase of 88,000 (+0.6%) on a month earlier, but is below the record highs reached earlier this year. The RBA left interest rates on hold during its June board meeting, and there is no RBA board meeting in July. The level of mortgage holders ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in June is set to fall over the next few months after the Stage 3 income tax cuts were introduced from the start of July. Compared to May 2022, when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases, the number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 795,000. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered to be ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 1,016,000 (20.0% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.5%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with over 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Average home loan surges to record high

Original article by Nick Lenaghan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 9-Jul-24

Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the average new home loan for owner-occupiers reached a record high of $626,055 nationally in May. The average size of new home loans reached fresh highs in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia in May. NSW still boasts the nation’s highest average home loan, at $767,584; however, this is below the state’s peak of $803,235 in early 2022. In contrast, the average home loan in Victoria fell to $601,891 in May, compared with a peak of $651,364 in 2022. Sally Tindall of RateCity notes that home buyers are taking out bigger mortgage loans than ever, despite the cash rate rising to its highest level in 12 years.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, RATECITY PTY LTD

Mortgage stress down in May and set to fall further in the months ahead after the Stage 3 tax cuts begin

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 26-Jun-24

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,514,000 mortgage holders (29.7%) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in the three months to May 2024. This represents a decrease of 46,000 (-1.1%) on a month earlier and is now the lowest level of mortgage stress reached so far this year. The RBA left interest rates on hold during their June board meeting and there is no RBA board meeting to decide upon interest rates during the month of July. The level of mortgage holders who are ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in May is the lowest rate since July 2023 (29.2%), and the first time this year the rate has dropped below 30% of mortgage holders. The lower level of mortgage stress in recent months has been driven by rising household incomes, which has reduced the financial pressure on some mortgage holders. However, the number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 707,000 since May 2022 when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 976,000 (19.9% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.4%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with over 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Mortgage stress increased to 30.8% of mortgage holders in April but remains below highs reached earlier in 2024

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 22-May-24

New research from Roy Morgan shows that 1,560,000 mortgage holders (30.8%) were ‘At Risk’ of ‘mortgage stress’ in the three months to April 2024. This represents an increase of 29,000 (+0.5%) on a month earlier, but remains below the highs reached earlier in 2024. There was no RBA board meeting on interest rates during the month of April. The proportion of mortgage holders now ‘At Risk’ is well below the record high of 35.6% reached during the Global Financial Crisis because of the larger size of the Australian mortgage market today. However, the number of Australians ‘At Risk’ of mortgage stress has increased by 753,000 since May 2022 when the RBA began a cycle of interest rate increases. Meanwhile, the number of mortgage holders considered ‘Extremely At Risk’ of mortgage stress is now numbered at 994,000 (20.2% of mortgage holders), which is significantly above the long-term average over the last 10 years of 14.4%. These are the latest findings from Roy Morgan’s Single Source Survey, based on in-depth interviews conducted with over 60,000 Australians each year, including over 10,000 owner-occupied mortgage-holders.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED