Interest Rates

A measure of economic growth in the coming months has strengthened because of growing company profits and gains on the share market. The Westpac Melbourne Institute Leading Index, which indicates the likely ...

Companies that rent out planes placed nearly half of the orders announced so far at the Paris Air Show as airlines look to them to increase and modernise their fleets with minimal risk. From air show to ...

The Australian dollar recovered from early weakness to end Wednesday little changed as traders marked time ahead of a key monetary policy decision in the US. At 1700 AEST on Wednesday, the Aussie was trading ...

The current fad for warning of an imminent recession in Australia is likely to go the way of caftans and paisley polyester body-shirts. Most of the arguments in favour of a recession being at least a possibility ...

The Australian dollar is weaker despite a firmer finish on Wall Street. At 0632 AEST on Wednesday, the local unit was trading at 94.81 US cents, down from 94.92 cents on Tuesday. US stocks closed firmer, ...

Dear Bankruptcy Adviser, I am retired and am struggling with credit card debt. If I file for bankruptcy, will my 401(k) be seized to pay creditors, or will my 401(k) remain intact? -- Karen Dear Karen, ...

Dear Tax Talk, I currently hold a student loan at 6.75 percent to the tune of $75,000. I'm making $1,500 a month payments on this debt so it will be gone in 59 payments with $13,000 interest paid. I have ...

Dear Dr. Don, I want to refinance my mortgage, but the balance is small enough that interest rate quotes I'm getting are higher than if I had a higher balance. I feel I have a lot of credit card debt, ...

The share market has ended the day moderately down as investors wait for the US Federal Reserve to meet on Wednesday over the future of America's stimulus program. The All Ordinaries fell 0.25 per cent ...

The Australian dollar is over one US cent lower as it looks likely the central bank will cut the cash rate some time in the second half of the year. Some of the currency's losses also came on Monday night ...

Australian shares have fallen as investors nervously wait for an update on economic stimulus measures in the United States. The market fell by as much as nearly one per cent during the day, in line with ...

A further cut to the Reserve Bank of Australia's cash rate could still be on the cards as the economy undergoes a transition. In minutes from its June board meeting, at which the cash rate was left unchanged ...

Australian bond futures prices are slightly higher after staging a small rally following the release of the minutes of the Reserve Bank of Australia's June 4 board meeting. The RBA kept the cash rate unchanged ...

The door to another interest rate cut has been left open for so long that the hinges might have rusted solid. But the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) might not walk through it again with prompting from ...

The federal budget held no surprises for the central bank, which says Treasury's economic forecasts were broadly in line with its own. The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Tuesday released the minutes ...

The Reserve Bank has signalled it is counting on further falls in the high Australian dollar to help rebalance the economy. In the minutes from its June board meeting, the RBA said recent cuts to the cash ...

Australian shares are weaker as traders nervously await the Reserve Bank's June board meeting minutes, with the big banks and miners suffering losses. IG market strategist Stan Shamu said investors were ...

Is the era of ultra-low interest rates nearing an end? When he takes questions this week after a Federal Reserve meeting, Chairman Ben Bernanke will confront investors' fears that rates are headed higher. ...

Australian bond futures contract prices are weaker as dealers brace for US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke giving more clues on whether stimulus spending will be unwound. JP Morgan interest rate ...

Increasing numbers of borrowers are choosing fixed home loans, as interest rates hit their lowest levels in recent history. According to official figures the proportion of people taking out fixed loans ...

After many years of falling, home prices appear to be back on the rise. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are near historic lows. Do you have any thoughts about what is driving the price increases, and whether ...

The Australian dollar is slightly higher as traders wait for an announcement on whether the US Federal Reserve will wind down its economic stimulus measures. At 1700 AEST on Monday, the local unit was ...

The Australian bond market is weaker as investors sit on the sidelines awaiting announcements from the Australian and US central banks. UBS interest rate strategist Andrew Lilley said trading volumes on ...

Australian bond futures contract prices are firmer as the local currency stabilises and investors expect the US Federal Reserve to maintain its bond buying program. ANZ head of interest rate research Tony ...

Labour productivity growth slowed in the year to March, with the mining sector suffering a fall of almost six per cent. As economic growth eased and the resources sector showed signs of peaking, overall ...

India's central bank kept its benchmark interest rates unchanged on Monday, after three successive cuts, citing inflationary concerns and a weak rupee in the face of a global economic slowdown. After meeting ...

India's central bank kept its benchmark interest rates unchanged on Monday after three successive cuts this year, due to inflationary concerns, weak global factors and a falling rupee. After meeting in ...

India's central bank was expected to keep interest rates on hold Monday with concerns over the rupee trading near record lows likely to outweigh the fall in inflation, most analysts said. The central bank ...

Dear Dr. Don, This would be my first time refinancing a mortgage, so I have some questions. I'm wondering whether I should go ahead with refinancing and whether a quoted rate was a good deal. The bank ...

Foreclosure filings were up 2 percent nationally from April to May. According to RealtyTrac, a California-based firm that tracks foreclosures, these states had the highest rates of foreclosure in May. ...

The Australian dollar has held on to strong overnight gains, despite volatility on Asian markets. At 1700 AEST on Friday, the local unit was trading at 95.94 US cents, up from 94.77 cents on Thursday. ...

India's inflation cooled to a more than three-year low in May, data showed Friday, but the rupee's plunge will likely stall any interest rate cut to kickstart the ailing economy. The Wholesale Price Index, ...

ANZ's interest rates will be left unchanged for the next month. The bank decided to leave its standard variable mortgage rate at 6.13 per cent at its June rate review meeting, after the Reserve Bank of ...