On Monday, I reported how the Q1 national accounts, released last week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), showed that Australia’s manufacturing sector shrank to a record low 5.1% share of GDP: As you can see, Australia’s manufacturing sector has collapsed over the past 45 years, from around 14% of GDP in the mid-1970s.
We bought an electric car; not a swasticar, but a Hyundai Kona. We have had it for three months and up until today had only driven it about 1500 km. On Friday we drove to Sydney to see family, and never having driven more than about 20 km in one hit, a drive of some 350 kms was taken on with some nervousness. This was not due to what has been termed ‘range anxiety’ as we knew there were charging stations along the way, one group of which was at Pheasants Nest, where we used to stop for lunch and a coffee when travelling with the eleven-year-old Mazda we used to own.
Asian share markets are having a mixed session across the region given the poor lead from Wall Street overnight with no news about trade deals between the US and China (or Japan, or anywhere else – too much going on in LA? ) Currency markets are pushing back against recent USD strength as most undollars
The post Macro Afternoon appeared first on MacroBusiness.
Victoria’s budget finances are in disarray, with the state carrying the nation’s highest debt and lowest credit rating. According to the latest state budget, Victoria’s net debt will rise to $194 billion by 2028-29, from $155.5 billion currently. Victorian net debt per capita is the highest in the nation. In 2023-24, Victoria’s per capita net
Peter Hartcher is freaking out. SMH. Trump gave himself the scope to deploy the militia and/or the military “where protests against these [federal] functions are occurring or are likely to occur”. Likely to occur? He once claimed to be a very stable genius, but now, apparently, he is also clairvoyant. In addition, says his order,
The post Rodney King 2.0 or a US coup? appeared first on MacroBusiness.
The machines are running out of volatility to bid. The Market Ear. Biggest volatility crash in history* “The 63% decline in the VIX over the last 9 weeks is the biggest volatility crash in history.” (Bilello) The spring 2020 post-COVID crash was the largest one prior to this (at 58%).*note that we are talking about a
The post Stocks re-enter the old world order appeared first on MacroBusiness.
Chinese deflation marches on. In May 2025 , the national consumer price index fell by 0.1% year-on-year . Among them, urban prices remained unchanged, and rural prices fell by 0.4 % ; food prices fell by 0.4%, and non-food prices remained unchanged; consumer goods prices fell by 0.5% , and service prices rose by 0.5% . — On average in May , the national consumer price index fell by 0.1% compared with the
The ferrous complex is nothing flash, that’s for sure. But tariffs are yet to show much in its steel exports. These are absorbing an extra 100mt of iron ore from the COVID lows. Iron ore imports are lacklustre but not collapsing. I expect more downside ahead as construction continues to shrink, but unless Beijing acts
The post China spews steel everywhere appeared first on MacroBusiness.