Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog

This is an edited version of a live Christmas discussion with our property insider Edwin Almeida, as we reflected on the property market over the past year, and look ahead into 2024. We covered underquoting, property price trends, auctions, service charges and granny flats as well as the risks from EV’s. https://www.ribbonproperty.com.au/ Go to the … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Its Edwin’s Christmas Cracker…"

This is our weekly market update. In the last trading day before the Christmas break, U.S. stocks gyrated to a mixed close on Friday having digested cooler-than-expected US inflation data which firmed bets for Federal Reserve interest rate cuts in the new year.That said, all three indexes turned less decisive in light trading as the … Continue reading "Markets Gyrate Into Christmas After A Two Year Round Trip!"

On the 23rd December 2021 Gill, my wife of 28 years died as a result of exposure to Asbestos and the cruel disease of mesothelioma. There are articles in a number of places, including The Daily Mail, about her story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10341353/Husbands-farewell-Gillian-North-warned-home-renovators-died-asbestos-related-cancer.html And her story is also told on the video I made, incorporating A Current … Continue reading "A Death, A Legacy And A Quest…"

In our final Friday afternoon chat, for the year Journalist Tarric Brooker and I look back at 2023, with all its ups and downs, and consider the year ahead, which Schrödinger’s cat like could go down quite different paths. And we look at the most burning question: When Could Australian Interest Rates Be Cut? Tarric’s … Continue reading "A Year Of Contradictions: With Tarric Brooker…"

The ABS reported that Household wealth rose for the fourth straight quarter (+2.3 per cent or $339 billion) in the September quarter 2023. What you say, we are not feeling it! The key of course is distribution across households, and the nexus is property values. The ABS says “Household wealth is supported by house prices … Continue reading "Will Rising Household Wealth Drive Interest Rates Higher?"

Prices rose by 3.9% in the year to November, down from 4.6% in October according to data from the ONS today, driven by positive base effects mainly across oil products. Remember that falling inflation also does not mean most goods and services are cheaper, but rather prices are rising less quickly. That rise compares to … Continue reading "UK Inflation Surprises On The Downside…"

Despite the recent recessionary news from New Zealand, low consumer confidence and high interest rates with floating rates around 8.63%, the latest ASB Housing Confidence survey shows that “for the first time in eighteen months, more New Zealanders expect house prices to increase than decrease”. Aucklanders continue to be the most bullish in their house … Continue reading "Kiwi’s More Bullish On Home Prices, Despite…"

This is an edit of a live discussion with Dr Cameron K. Murray, an independent economist who publishes at Fresh Economic Thinking https://www.fresheconomicthinking.com/. We discussed housing policy and economics in general. Here is the link to Cameron’s new book, out February 27th 2024 https://www.amazon.com.au/Great-Housing-Hijack-keeping-Australia/dp/176147085X He recently republished his book from 2017 Game of Mates: How … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A Replay: Cameron Murray: Mates, Power, Politics & Economics"

A final 2023 chat with Robbie Barwick from the Australian Citizens Party. We look at the RBA’s latest outing on cash usage, the Senate review of the RBA’s independence bill, and the formation of a National Investment entity. On 7 December 2023, the Senate referred the Treasury Laws Amendment (Reserve Bank Reforms) Bill 2023 [Provisions] … Continue reading "The Grinch Who Stole Cash: With Robbie Barwick…"

More from our Property Insider, as Edwin and I discuss the latest from the markets. The numbers are falling in the approach to the end of the year, significantly. We also look at a prime example of the need to lookout below! http://www.martinnorth.com/ Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Today’s post is … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"