Business Research & Insights

Narrowing gap between conditions and confidence

A soggy start to 2025

The NAB Rural Commodities Index climbed in April – increasing by 2.7% month-on-month in Australian dollar (AUD) terms.

A private sector improvement to support growth

Online retail sales growth accelerated 1.1% in April

A tariff reprieve, but a weaker starting point

We forecast the global economy to grow by 2.9% in both 2025 and 2026 (previously 2¾% in both years).

RBA cuts by 25bps and moves to more dovish stance

Tariff pause gives China’s economy some breathing space, but longer-term uncertainty persists

In a challenging year for many SMEs, cashflow and profitability have become more pressing concerns. But businesses are becoming increasingly resilient.

US-China Tariff agreement – eases tariff growth headwind, delays Fed cuts

Total spending rose 0.1% in April