Today I want to dissect some the latest data from New Zealand. In summary, inflation and costs of living continue to bite, more households are in financial distress, inward migration is at a record high, but the property market remains in the doldrums. Worth thinking about ahead of the general election at the weekend. http://www.martinnorth.com/ … Continue reading "The New Zealand Economy In A Nutshell"

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) Assistant Governor (Financial Markets), Christopher Kent, gave an Address to Bloomberg on Wednesday where he expressed why the RBA is reluctant to lift the official cash rate further. https://www.rba.gov.au/speeches/2023/sp-ag-2023-10-11.html The RBA is in its “third phase” of monetary policy tightening as it assesses the impact of interest-rate rises to … Continue reading "The RBA’s Third Phase Of Tightening, And What Happens Next…"

Today I want to dissect some the latest data from New Zealand. In summary, inflation and costs of living continue to bite, more households are in financial distress, inward migration is at a record high, but the property market remains in the doldrums. Worth thinking about ahead of the general election at the weekend. http://www.martinnorth.com/ … Continue reading "The New Zealand Economy In A Nutshell"

A deep dive into the thorny question of the economics of extending the loan term, something which the Bank of England highlighted in its latest report. Who wins (let you guess….) http://www.martinnorth.com/ Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Today’s post is brought to you by Ribbon Property Consultants. If you are buying … Continue reading "The Banks Are Winners, And Households The Losers!"

Elevated inflation means central banks may have to keep policy rates higher in a way that stretches the capacity of borrowers to repay debt said the IMF in its latest Global Financial Stability Report. And the Bank of England warned in their latest Financial Policy Summary that simply extending the term of mortgage loans is … Continue reading "Higher-for-Longer Interest Rate Environment is Squeezing More Borrowers"

This is an edit of a live discussion using data from our core market model. We look at the latest mortgage stress data, and answer viewers questions. Which post codes are most impacted, and what are the implications? Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Please consider supporting our work via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DigitalFinanceAnalytics … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Household Finances And Mortgage Stress Update"

More from our property insider, Edwin Almeida, as we look at the latest numbers, consider what may happen as we move through the spring selling season, and discuss the use of an umbrella when inspecting a house or apartment, and the rise of “kiddy-flats”. http://www.martinnorth.com/ Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Today’s … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

A surge in long-term bond yields has driven both the Australian dollar and the local sharemarket to an 11-month low earlier in the week, and may force Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock to deliver further cash rate rises, economists say. Adding to expectations that the RBA may deliver one further interest rate rise … Continue reading "Bond Market To RBA: Put Rates Higher!"

According to the AFR, Australia’s red-hot jobs market is preventing the country’s most indebted borrowers from falling behind on their home loan, as internal Reserve Bank research reveals nearly one in five borrowers may be in mortgage stress. While unemployment nationally was 3.7 per cent in August, unemployment among homeowners was likely “almost non-existent”. But … Continue reading "The Mortgage Stress Default Disconnect"

This has been another crazy week on the markets, as the truth of higher rates for longer has started to permeate not only bond markets, but equity markets too. And after a stunningly strong U.S. jobs report bolstered the case for more tightening from the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury yield surge that has shaken … Continue reading "Risks Build As Bonds Shoot For The Moon…"