NEWS & VIEWS

CBA, ANZ change cash rate call to hike after CPI figures

The annual Consumer Price Index has clocked in at 5.4 per cent for the September quarter, fuelling the possibility of another rate hike as soon as Tuesday 7 November.

Inflation advances in September: How will this affect interest rates in November?

Inflation may be, again, gathering pace. New RBA Governor Michele Bullock warns that another cash rate hike may be necessary to tame stubborn and sticky consumer prices. The big four banks seem to agree.

CBA opens the door to investors with small deposits

CBA has, this week, extended its home loan book to include investors with as little as 5 per cent deposit, provided these borrowers commit to paying principal and interest.

The highest savings rates take a tumble despite no RBA hike

Bank of Queensland and ME Bank have both sliced their high interest savings accounts in an out-of-cycle rate cut.

Sale season starts tomorrow - why one click too many could kill your Christmas

Shoppers planning to spend big in the Click Frenzy sale tomorrow are being warned to plan ahead and stick to a tight budget to avoid getting into trouble in the lead up to Christmas.

If wholesale power prices have dropped, why are power bills still so high?

A new report shows that average wholesale prices for electricity have fallen. So, why are power bills still causing so much pain for Australian households?

ANZ cuts the rate on its Online Saver for the first time in 19 months

ANZ, the country’s fourth largest bank, has today cut the ongoing rate on its ANZ Online Saver account by 0.10 percentage points.

ATMs and branches drop across the country – how banks are backing away from cash

The number of ATMs and bank branches has dropped by more than one in 10 in the last financial year, as banks and customers move their transactions online.

Melbourne Cup rate hike a live possibility: what a 13th hike would mean for borrowers

Australia could see the cash rate rise to 4.35 per cent as soon as the next RBA Board meeting, if inflation proves to be more stubborn than expected, with the minutes from the previous meeting citing a ‘low tolerance’ for slow progress in this battle.

Some of the top-rated home loans for refinancers and investors in October 2023

With Australians reportedly putting more of their income towards their mortgage than any other developed nation on the planet, it’s little wonder that so many of us are looking to refinance. But with high levels of refinancing activity leading several lenders to withdraw some of their most competitive home loan discounts and cashback incentives, is it still possible to find a good home loan deal?

Australia leads the world in mortgage pain: Here's what you can do to ease the agony

Loan repayments as a share of income were at a staggering 15% for Australian households, higher than other advanced economies. Plus, this figure is estimated to have risen further in the last nine months.

Energy experts concerned about El Nino summer: Are your air conditioners and appliances covered?

Australian energy experts are worried that heatwaves this summer could push the nation’s power grid to the limit. With many of us relying on air conditioners to stay cool, can we be confident that our household appliances are covered by insurance if disaster strikes?

Australians continue to keep a lid on debt despite 12 RBA hikes

Australia’s total credit card debt has dropped for the third month in a row, this time by $88.1 million.