Rates on hold as inflation bottoms
The Reserve Bank has been given licence to leave interest rates on hold at its first board meeting for the year, after the delivery of a low inflation result in line with its expectations and signs it will lift.
The Economy
'Well and truly alive': Weak inflation raises RBA rate cut prospects
Australia's rate of inflation in 2016 was below expectations, sparking fears of continued economic weakness and keeping the door open for an interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank.
How your nest egg drops by thousands due to unpaid super
Australians who have been underpaid their super entitlements have balances that are almost $20,000 or about 50 per cent lower, new research Industry Super Australia shows.
'Back to the drawing board' on trade after Trump dumps TPP
The government is being urged to revisit bilateral trade deals with Australia's big Asian trade partners, after Donald Trump's move to pull the plug on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Dear Gladys, here are 11 ways to improve housing affordability
The new premier claims to be "open minded" on the best ways to improve housing affordability, but here are 11 economist-endorsed ideas that might test her mettle.
Sydney has the second least affordable housing in the world: study
It's the global ranking Australians don't want.
Reflation a long way off in Australia
Consumer prices are likely to have edged higher last quarter driven by petrol, but core inflation will still linger at worryingly low levels.
What are the Canberra job trends for 2017?
Which industries are performing and likely to offer strong employment opportunities in 2017?
Still going strong: ACT in Australia's top three economies
The ACT easily held its spot as Australia's third best performing economy after NSW and Victoria, respectively, with strong consumer, business and housing spending.
Nobody noticed Australia's million woman march
Women are marching on Washington this weekend, but they've been storming the Australian workforce for decades, with implications for mortgage rates.
Business calls for spending to roll on after Mike Baird's exit
Business chiefs are urging the next NSW premier to continue driving the state's infrastructure boom, crediting Mike Baird's support for big projects with helping to resurrect the state economy to a position of national leadership.
Victoria the nation's job star as NSW slumps
The Australian economy added 91,500 jobs in 2016 – the worst yearly figure since 2013.
Job creation hit three-year low in 2016
The Australian economy added 91,500 jobs in 2016 – the worst yearly figure since 2013.
Consumer spending above trend in December
The first measure of consumer spending in December to be released suggests Australian businesses had one of their better holiday seasons in 10 years, with consumer spending over the holiday period well above the decade growth average for the month.
NBN sets sights on 'significant turning point'
NBN Co believes its network build will be halfway complete by the end of this financial year, as its roll out moves into metropolitan areas.
The big worry for CEOs around the world
The world's chief executives are shrugging off worries around global volatility and are increasingly confident their businesses will grow in the next year.
Pay a key symbol as inequality dominates Davos
Chief executive pay has become a powerful symbol of the widening gap between the winners and losers created by globalisation, and boards must put more focus on justifying the bonuses they pay executives amid a backlash against free-market policies.
Chance and incompetence - our recipe for success
Where does the time go? This year will mark the 10th anniversary of the onset of the global financial crisis.
Are we in a housing bubble? No one really knows
House prices are out of control in some Australian capitals. And this week comes a proposal that this should be countered by halting interest rate cuts — a move that would not only fail to solve the problem but also have detrimental impact on the rest of the country, where housing is not booming.
'Vicious cycle': the biggest global risks over the next decade
Rising income inequality is the most important underlying trend determining global events, according to the WEF's annual assessment of global risks. For business, the biggest risk is the potential for cyber attacks.
Business chiefs more cautious in 2017
Fresh from a year that delivered major political shocks and proved tougher than expected, Australian business leaders are taking a cautious approach to 2017.
Why most economists are so worried about Trump
It's the double whammy that worries economists, that Trump's populist pose assigns less value to economic expertise, while also creating the conditions under which it's most likely to be needed.
The debt pile fuelling Sydney's property price growth
Here are some excellent and, to some, disheartening, maps of the median house price in Australia's largest and most expensive capital city, Sydney.
What we splashed our money on in the lead-up to Christmas
Hardware performed strongly in the lead-up to Christmas, attracting lots of shoppers, but electrical and recreational goods struggled.
Retail sales stumble in November
Economists are hopeful that a reasonable Christmas shopping period will make for a constructive quarter of consumer spending and help stave off fears of a recession, despite "tepid" retail sales growth in November.
'Alarming levels of financial illiteracy' across Australia
Soaring property prices is creating a legion of new 'sophisticated investors' who could be pushed into riskier financial products.
Governments are bystanders as inequality festers
While wealth inequality has fallen across countries, within countries it has increased.
Housing approvals jump, but trend reversal not expected
Housing approvals rebounded strongly in November, but the data is unlikely to herald a change in a declining trend from 2016's peaks, economists said.
Building slows for third straight month
Construction activity finished the year weak as home building wound down in December.
Sharks and ladders: What is saving an Australian life worth?
How much is it worth to save an Australian life? The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet says not more than $4.2 million, on average.
Small Business
How women are succeeding in export
Former small business minister Bruce Billson is excited by female entrepreneurship in export.
The top suburbs for business growth revealed
Sydney and Melbourne CBDs are losing ground to the outer suburbs when it comes to commerce.