June’s apparent employment recovery was something to be pretty pleased about at the start of July, even though the nation knew it was all a bit sketchy. Still, 210,800 new jobs and ‘only’ 69,30…

Retail sales continued their roller coaster ride in June, with monthly sales reportedly up 2.7%, and annualised sales up a substantial 11.7%. Doubtless, the current situation in Victoria i…

Headline inflation, measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was recorded at -1.9% in the June quarter, marking a remarkable period, if only because it is so irregular. However, dig a littl…

Housing finance data for June defied the pandemic, with the total value of loans lifting 6.2%. That solid result, fuelled in part by some recovery, and in the main by a lot of stimulus, has drive…

At 170,487 dwelling approvals for the year-ended June, Australia’s residential housing market is hanging on in the midst of the pandemic, but approvals are still 8.3% lower than they were th…

Sawn softwood sales in the June quarter were higher than forecast for all of the grades for which forecasts are prepared by ABARES, for FWPA. Underscoring the challenges of forecasting in the…

Sales of domestic sawn softwood products lifted 4.3% year-ended June 2020, rising to 3.025 million m3. The result, the first time in 16 months the annualised total has been above 3.0 million m…

Our political leaders continue to impress upon us that it is difficult to look too far ahead when dealing with such a contagious virus as COVID 19. Having reached zero cases on 9 June in Victoria…