Australian credit growth is slowing with Investor housing credit growth slowest ever, Broad Money Supply growth slowest since the last recession 26 years ago

Australian credit growth is slowing but outstanding debt remains at historically high levels. Housing credit growth, personal credit growth, investor housing credit growth and business credit growth are all slowing. But the rather surprising thing is broad money (M3) supply growing at a 12-month rate of just 1.9%, the slowest since 1992 when Australia faced eight consecutive quarters of declining economic growth.

Australia Broad Money M3 12-month growth rate until July 2018
Data Source: Reserve Bank Of Australia

Continue reading “Australian credit growth is slowing with Investor housing credit growth slowest ever, Broad Money Supply growth slowest since the last recession 26 years ago”

Household saving rates are falling globally

We recently wrote about the UK household savings ratio falling to a record low of 4.9% in 2017 (since comparable records began in 1963) as growth in households’ spending exceeded the growth of households’ income. (Read more here).

Households saving ratio, seasonally adjusted
UK Household Saving Rate, Source: Office for National Statistics

We also wrote about the household savings rate in the US falling to a multi-year low of 3.1% as household expenditure grew quicker than income (Read more here). Continue reading “Household saving rates are falling globally”

The Athens Stock Exchange General Index has returned 19% over the last year (but lost 85% since 2007); Australian interest rates are lower than that of the US for the first time in 18 years

The Greek stock market has been one of the best performing markets in the world over the past year. The Athens Stock Exchange General Index has returned 19% over the last year. But it has lost 85% (5334.5 to today’s close at 781.14) in value since October 2007. Continue reading “The Athens Stock Exchange General Index has returned 19% over the last year (but lost 85% since 2007); Australian interest rates are lower than that of the US for the first time in 18 years”