Economy

The cumulative impact of four rate hikes this year has cut borrowing capacity by almost $90,000, according to data analytics company Cotality.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has delivered its latest cash rate decision as economic pressures continue to weigh on households and the wider mortgage market.

Brokers have been urged to prepare for a prolonged period of higher rates, as weaker mortgage demand and growing competition from banks puts client relationships in focus.

Business loan demand has jumped 11.3 per cent year-on-year, while demand for asset finance has continued to fall, new data from Equifax has found.

Australia’s big four banks have brought forward their forecasts for the next Reserve Bank of Australia rate hike, with all four now expecting the cash rate to rise at the September meeting

As the Reserve Bank of Australia edges closer to its next cash rate decision, banks have begun acting on their revised rate forecasts.

Regional and agricultural businesses have continued to borrow despite rising costs and uncertainty, with working capital, equipment, and technology increasingly shaping lending demand.

Business conditions have fallen into negative territory for the first time since the pandemic, according to National Australia Bank’s long-running survey.

Housing affordability has fallen to new lows in the 2026 financial year, with the national median-income household only able to afford 12 per cent of homes sold during the year.

A majority of Australian small businesses have achieved their revenue goals despite tough economic conditions, a new study has found.