A behind-the-scenes glimpse at the Reserve Bank’s shock interest rate decision could offer clues into its next ruling. Borrowers and mortgage holders are still reeling after its board flouted expectations and held the cash rate at 3.85 per cent in July. But the release of the RBA...
The unemployment rate has reached its highest level in nearly four years as global uncertainty and the fallout from US tariffs cause firms to rethink hiring plans. Australian Bureau of Statistics data released on Thursday showed the jobless rate rose from 4.1 per cent to 4.3...
The Reserve Bank has signalled its next interest rate move as it offers further insight into a shock hold call. Australia’s central bank on Tuesday released minutes from its July 7-8 meeting, in which its “cautious” monetary policy board defied the expectations of traders and economists...
With pressure easing on hip pockets, Australians are splurging more online but some remain wary of being stung by interest rate speculation. Shoppers spent $19.2 billion online from the start of April to the end of June, up 15 per cent compared to the same period...
A rise in construction costs is likely to stoke inflation while pushing home-building targets further out of reach, fresh data analysis suggests. Construction costs rose 0.5 per cent in the June quarter, picking up slightly from a 0.4 per cent rise in the March quarter, according...
Two in three Australian businesses are not ready to implement artificial intelligence, a study has found, despite most companies being committed to spending more on the technology. The lack of clear plans or trained staff has dragged Australia down the AI readiness rankings over the past...
Regulations could soon govern the use of cash distribution services to ensure Australians still have access to physical currency. A report from the Council of Financial Regulators has called for fresh powers for the federal government to ensure cash distribution services remain in place, despite the...
Penalty rates for millions of workers will be legally protected under laws set to be introduced when federal parliament resumes. Measures enshrining penalty rates and overtime pay as workplace conditions will be among the first pieces of legislation brought into parliament as part of the Albanese...
More and more Australians are delaying retirement as the dream of home ownership becomes a nightmare at the end of their working life. The number owning their home outright has halved in the past 20 years, census data shows, while the proportion of over-65 households with...
Extending the weekend could be the recipe for improving employee health and the secret sauce to boost business productivity. A large-scale, peer-reviewed study has found a four-day working week could reduce employee burnout and improve job satisfaction. But the research released also found that working fewer hours...