Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog

Another chat with our property insider Edwin Almeida, as we look at the latest from the market. More supply questions, as construction costs rise, while some plan to offer zero deposit loans to attract voters. Meantime the rental crisis deepens and opinion is divided in the WeeChat sphere. The craziness continues… http://www.martinnorth.com/ Go to the … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

The Commonwealth Bank subsidiary Bankwest, the 130-year-old former Bank of Western Australia bank announced last Wednesday that it was moving to become a digital-only bank and would close 45 locations in the state. The 45 Bankwest branches that have been earmarked for closure will close their doors by October this year. There are 28 locations … Continue reading "“Deaf” Bankers Called To Account!"

This is our weekly market update. A week of records, and dips this week as shares opened higher in New York on Friday after the February jobs data failed to slow the market’s upward momentum. The S&P 500 initially reset its record high as did Nvidia, AMD, Meta Platforms and Super Micro Computer In early … Continue reading "Is A Market Pull-Back Coming?"

The desperate quest for housing is playing out across Australia, with renters fighting to find an affordable place, and being confronted with significant rent hikes, while others are trying to buy their way into the property market, despite tight lending conditions, and are fighting directly with some property investors who are still hoovering up more … Continue reading "Operation Housing Mincemeat!"

Well, now we know, according to official data Australian households are faring worse than the broader economy and are mired in recession. The Australia’s economy slowed in the final three months of last year, growing 0.2%, easing from an upwardly revised 0.3% in the prior quarter, and below expectations. From a year earlier, the economy … Continue reading "Recession Saved By The Voice?"

This is an edited version of a live discussion about the current state of the markets as I was joined by Damien Klassen, Head of Investments at Nucleus Wealth and Walk The World Funds. Given the rise of AI related stocks, while the broader markets go sideways, and Central Banks keep rates higher for longer, … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A Replay: Investing Now: With Damien Klassen"

Our latest surveys to the end of February reveals the current state of Household Finances in Australian as measured by cash flow. A record 73.3% of those living in the rental sector are under pressure, while just over half of those with a mortgage are also in net negative cash flow. All up around 48% … Continue reading "Pop Goes My Budget!"

In our weekly market update once again, the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 reset their record intraday and closing highs as tech shares continued to lure investors enthused over the potential impact of artificial intelligence across the economy. And MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe rose 0.76%, to 767.09 and hit a record high, … Continue reading "The AI Craze Continues…"

Our latest Friday afternoon chat with journalist Tarric Brooker focussed in the great housing debate, which has become a touchstone for debate in Parliament at the moment. And using the great charts which Tarric presents we look at the issue from multiple dimensions, as well as a quick look at China’s property sector. You can … Continue reading "The Aussie Housing Supply Shortfall: With Tarric Brooker"

We got the January 2024 retail data from the ABS today, and they reported that Australian retail turnover rose 1.1 per cent (seasonally adjusted) in January 2024. This follows a fall of 2.1 per cent in December 2023 and a rise of 1.5 per cent in November 2023. Economists were divided on what to expect, … Continue reading "Retail Sales Scream Recessionary – If You Look Under The Hood!"