Australia
Real Gross Domestic Product
Gross domestic product, chain volume measures, % change, SA
Real gross domestic product measures the change in the inflation-adjusted value of all goods and services produced in the economy. It comprises private consumption and investment, inventory buildup, government spending and net exports. Markets watch this indicator to gauge the strength and composition of growth.
Australia
Unemployment Rate
Labour underutilisation rates, all persons, %, SA, updates monthly
The unemployment rate measures the percentage of the labor force currently not working but actively seeking employment, while the underemployment rate measures part- and stood-down full-time employees who are not working as much as they desire. The underutilisation rate is the sum of the unemployment and underutilisation rates. Markets monitor these rates to assess the cyclical health of the economy and the likelihood that wage demands may increase inflationary pressures.
Australia
Consumer Prices
All groups, ex. volatile items, trimmed mean, annual % change, SA, updates monthly
The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the change over time in the average prices paid by consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. As the most widely used measure of inflation, changes in the index are closely followed by policymakers, financial markets, businesses, and consumers. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports an 'All Groups' number that includes all categories in the calculation basket, an ex-"volatile items" measure that excludes fruit, vegetables, automotive fuel, and holiday travel, and a 'Trimmed Mean' number that strips out the most volatile 30% of items.
Australia
Trade Balance
Balance on goods and services, millions AUD, SA, updates monthly
The trade balance measures the difference in value between imported and exported goods and services over the reported period. A positive number indicates that more goods and services were exported than imported - generating a trade surplus - and a negative number indicates a deficit. Trade imbalances may reflect fleeting differences in growth rates or more permanent factors in the composition of growth or the endowment and price of natural resources
Australia
Cash Rate Target
Reserve Bank of Australia target for the overnight rate, %
The cash rate target is an overnight interest rate that the Reserve Bank of Australia targets in order to influence monetary variables in the economy, including consumer prices, exchange rates, and credit growth. The Reserve Bank reviews the target rate on eleven fixed dates each year.
Australia
Financial Aggregates
Broad money supply and total credit , annual change, %, SA, updates monthly
Illustrates year-on-year growth rates for broad money and total credit, based on the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Financial Aggregates data. Broad money reflects the aggregate stock of money held by the private sector (currency and deposits, including term and other liquid liabilities) and is a key indicator of liquidity in the economy. Total credit captures the annual growth in lending by financial institutions to households and businesses. Plotting both series together highlights how monetary liquidity and credit extension have evolved over time, offering insight into financial conditions and potential pressures on demand and inflation.
Australia
Central Bank Assets
Reserve Bank of Australia total assets, billions AUD
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s assets consist primarily of government and corporate bonds, gold and foreign exchange reserves, reverse repurchase agreements, and other instruments. Its liabilities are mostly currency in circulation, commercial bank reserves, and collateralized reverse repurchase agreements. The balance sheet is used to influence interest rates - when officials want to stimulate the economy, it expands, and when they wish to tighten financial conditions, it shrinks.
Australia
Debt Ratios
Credit to general government, non-financial corporate, and household Sectors, % of gross domestic product at market value, updates quarterly
Aggregate debt ratios measure the total borrowing of the general government, non-financial corporate, and household sectors, expressed as a share of gross domestic product. Total debt is followed by investors as a gauge of the vulnerability of an economy to financial shocks. An overly fast pace of debt growth is also frequently associated with a buildup of unproductive investment and excessively high asset valuations.
Australia
Currency Reserves
Official reserve assets, foreign currency reserves (in convertible foreign currencies), billions USD, updates monthly
Currency reserves are external financial holdings that are freely usable for settlement of international transactions, and are readily available to and controlled by monetary authorities for meeting balance of payments financing needs, for intervention in currency markets to affect exchange rates, and for other related purposes. Developed markets with widely used, freely tradeable international currencies typically provide reserve assets rather than engaging in reserve accumulation.
Latest Analysis
Volatility rises as conflict spreads, but currency movements remain restrained
02 March, 2026
Good morning. Financial markets are experiencing violent price action after the weekend’s US-Israeli strike on Iran triggered a classic—if short-lived—flight to safety and a sharp repricing in global energy...
Duck & Cover
01 March, 2026
• Geopolitical nerves. US/Israel conflict with Iran has dampened risk sentiment in early Asian trade. USD firmer. NZD slips back. AUD underperforms.• Lingering risks. Market nervousness may persist for...
Currency markets brace for modest moves as Iran strikes fail to shift strategic calculus
01 March, 2026
Currency markets are set for a jolt when trading resumes this afternoon, though the reaction may prove less dramatic than the weekend’s headlines might suggest.
US and Israeli strikes on Iran have sent...
US and Israel launch regime change attempt in Iran, potentially roiling markets
28 February, 2026
The US and Israel launched air strikes on Iran earlier this morning, with the apparent aim of overthrowing the regime that has ruled since 1979. In an early-morning address, US president Donald Trump said...
Currency ranges hold as risk appetite softens
27 February, 2026
Good morning. Tensions between the US and Iran, doubts about the sustainability of the artificial intelligence boom, and uncertainty over the Trump administration’s tariff plans are restraining risk...
AUD outperforms
25 February, 2026
• AUD strength. Positive sentiment & firmer inflation have supported the AUD. This & JPY weakness have propelled AUD/JPY to a multi-decade high.• Data flow. US producer price inflation due later...
Markets stabilise as State of the Union address proves uneventful
25 February, 2026
Financial markets are becalmed after US president Donald Trump stuck to the script in his State of the Union address last night, avoiding any major policy announcements and striking a more measured tone...
Dollar resumes its climb against still-uncertain backdrop
24 February, 2026
Good morning. The dollar is advancing against most of its major counterparts and measures of implied currency volatility are tracking near historic norms as foreign exchange traders downplay tariff risks...
Dollar softens as policy uncertainty climbs
23 February, 2026
Equity markets are lower and the dollar is weaker against all of its major counterparts after the US cycled through four different tariff frameworks between Friday morning and Saturday afternoon, underscoring...
Tariff Whiplash
22 February, 2026
• US tariffs. US Supreme Court rules against Pres. Trump. US tariffs being rejigged. USD softer. AUD & NZD a little firmer. AUD still near multi-year peak.• Macro trends. Over medium-term reworking...