9 To 5 Aussie

Updated: 28 October 2026, 12:25 p.m. AEDT Australia’s annual inflation rate increased to 4.3 per cent in September, up from 4.0 per cent in August, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Wednesday. Consumer prices rose 0.8 per cent during the month, twice the August increase. Housing made the largest contribution to the annual rise, with prices up 5.2 per cent. The ABS release identified higher new dwelling and electricity costs as contributors. New dwelling prices were 4.7 per cent higher than a year earlier. Transport prices rose 8.7 per cent over the year. Automotive fuel increased 9.4 per cent in September alone, which the bureau attributed to higher world oil prices. The annual trimmed mean measure of underlying inflation reached 3.6 per cent. August’s figure was revised down from 3.6 to 3.5 per cent following changes to seasonal factors. For the September quarter, the overall CPI rose 1.3 per cent, while the quarterly trimmed mean on its pre-October 2025 basis increased...

Updated: 27 October 2026, 6:24 a.m. AEDT Reserve Bank assistant governor Brad Jones warned on Monday, 26 October, that rising retirement withdrawals and growing liquidity demands would make it harder for Australia’s superannuation sector to cushion future financial shocks. Speaking at the AFR Super and Wealth Summit in Melbourne, Jones said the sector had historically helped stabilise markets, including by buying Australian shares during the 2008 and 2020 crises. Recent stress testing by the RBA and APRA suggested funds were generally well placed to withstand substantial stress, according to the RBA’s published transcript . However, he said weekly net inflows of $1 billion to $2 billion had provided an important buffer. As more members draw down retirement savings, more funds will face net cash outflows, while foreign-exchange hedging will require more liquidity. Jones also highlighted concentrated service providers and the risk of an operational disruption occurring alongside financia...

Updated: 26 October 2026, 10:23 a.m. AEDT Reserve Bank of Australia chief economist Sarah Hunter said the bank had not yet finished tackling inflation, in a television interview broadcast on Sunday night, 25 October. The RBA’s published transcript says the Sydney interview for 60 Minutes was recorded on 21 October. Asked whether enough had been done after four interest-rate increases this year, Hunter said the task was not yet complete and that higher rates needed time to work through the economy. Hunter pointed to two pressures: an overseas oil shock feeding into Australian costs, and domestic demand remaining above what the economy could sustainably supply. She said the bank needed to prevent inflation from becoming entrenched. She acknowledged the strain on mortgage holders while also highlighting the effect of rising living costs on renters and lower-income households. Hunter said the bank was watching closely for signs of a sharp downturn and was not seeking a recession. ABC News...

Updated: 22 October 2026, 5:20 a.m. AEDT Reserve Bank deputy governor Andrew Hauser warned in Sydney on Wednesday, 21 October, that Australia’s inflation outlook had become “materially worse” than the bank’s August forecast, as policymakers prepare for their November interest-rate meeting. Speaking at Citi’s Australia and New Zealand Investment Conference, Hauser said the RBA was still finalising its forecasts. The bank’s published transcript identifies higher oil prices, the AI and technology investment boom, and domestic capacity constraints as continuing sources of inflation pressure. Hauser said oil prices were about a third above the level assumed in August. He also pointed to rising technology prices and Australian data-centre construction, while services inflation remained sensitive to limits on the economy’s capacity. He warned that business surveys and the RBA’s liaison work showed some companies were beginning to regard inflation of 3–3.5 per cent as normal. At the same time...

Updated: 21 October 2026, 5:24 a.m. AEDT (Sydney) The Reserve Bank of Australia’s payments policy chief, Ellis Connolly, defended the card surcharge changes at a Sydney conference on Tuesday, saying consumers should be able to pay the price they see advertised. Speaking at the AFIA Conference on 20 October, Connolly said cards now account for 75 per cent of consumer payments. He said the RBA was monitoring implementation and wanted greater clarity for shoppers at checkout. For businesses, he said the bank was looking for reductions in interchange charges to flow through to the fees merchants pay their payment providers. Domestic interchange changes took effect on 1 October, while adjustments for international cards are due on 1 April. Connolly also pointed to requirements for large merchant payment providers and card networks to publish more fee information. The aim is to help businesses compare providers and identify better deals. The comments came after the surcharge ban took effect ...