A review of the week’s Australian economic data, January 30 to February 3:
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NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK MONTHLY BUSINESS SURVEY
Australian business confidence increased in December, despite a worsening global economic outlook, a survey has found.
National Australia Bank’s (NAB) monthly business survey showed business confidence increased, even as the fallout from Europe’s debt crisis continued to spook investors across the globe.
According to the survey, business confidence rose by one point in the month to reach plus three points.
Meanwhile, business conditions remained unchanged, indicating an economy growing at around trend, the survey found.
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AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS (ABS) HOUSE PRICE INDEX OF EIGHT CAPITAL CITIES
Australian capital city house prices fell 1.0 per cent in the December quarter, official data showed.
This compares with an upwardly revised 1.9 per cent fall in the September quarter.
In the year to December, the house price index fell by 4.8 per cent, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday.
Economists had expected a fall of 0.7 per cent for the December quarter.
Percentage changes in the weighted average prices of the eight capital cities:
Dec qtr Year to Dec qtr
Sydney -1.0 pct -2.7 pct
Melbourne -1.6 pct -6.1 pct
Brisbane -1.3 pct -6.7 pct
Adelaide -1.6 pct -6.4 pct
Perth 0.5 pct -4.9 pct
Hobart 0.8 pct -4.0 pct
Darwin -1.4 pct -5.4 pct
Canberra 0.7 pct -2.6 pct
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THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP (AIG)/ PRICEWATERHOUSE PERFORMANCE OF MANUFACTURING (PMI)INDEX
Australian manufacturing activity expanded in January for a second consecutive month, a private survey shows.
The largest gains were in the food and beverages sub-sector.
The Australian Industry Group/PriceWaterhouseCoopers Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) rose by 1.4 points in January to 51.6.
A reading above 50 indicates an expansion in activity.
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RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA (RBA) INDEX OF COMMODITY PRICES.
Export commodity prices rose marginally in January after a run of four monthly falls.
The Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA) index of commodity prices rose by 0.2 per cent (on a monthly average basis) in terms of special drawing rights (SDRs)*.
That followed a run of falls that brought the index down by 6.7 per cent between August and December, according to the preliminary estimates from the central bank.
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AUSTRALIAN OFFICE OF FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (AOFM) ISSUES TREASURY BONDS
The AOFM has sold $700 million of July 15, 2022, Treasury bonds
Weighted average issue yield: 3.8059 per cent
Range of bids accepted: 3.800 per cent to 3.805 per cent
Coverage ratio: 2.70
Coupon rate: 5.75
Number of bids: 49
Total value of bids: $1.892 billion
Number of successful bids: 20
Number of bids allocated in full: 11
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) took up none of the offer, the AOFM said on Wednesday.
Settlement for the bonds is on Monday, February 6, 2012.
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ABS INTERNATIONAL TRADE IN GOODS AND SERVICES
Australia’s trade surplus widened in December, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said.
The balance of goods and services posted a surplus of $1.709 billion in December, seasonally adjusted, compared with a downwardly revised surplus of $1.343 billion in November.
Economists’ forecasts had centred on a surplus of $1.2 billion in December.
During December, exports were up two per cent in adjusted terms and imports also were up one per cent, the ABS said on Thursday.
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ABS BUILDING APPROVALS
Australian residential building approvals fell 1.0 per cent to 11,443 units in December.
This compares to an upwardly revised 11,558 units in November, seasonally adjusted.
In the year to December, building approvals were down 24.5 per cent, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Thursday.
Economists’ forecasts had centred on a 2.0 per cent rise in approvals in December.
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AOFM ISSUES TREASURY NOTES
The Australian Office of Financial Management (AOFM) has sold $2 billion of Treasury notes in two tranches.
FIRST TRANCHE
$1 billion of Treasury notes
Maturity: April 27, 2012
Weighted average issue yield: 3.9319 per cent
Range of bids accepted: 3.870 per cent to 3.950 per cent
Coverage ratio: 3.58
Number of bids: 49
Total value of bids: $3.584 billion
Number of successful bids: 13
Number of bids allocated in full: 11
SECOND TRANCHE
$1 billion of Treasury notes
Maturity: May 11, 2012,
Weighted average issue yield: 3.8970 per cent
Range of bids accepted: 3.810 per cent to 3.940 per cent
Coverage ratio: 3.86
Number of bids: 53
Total value of bids: $3.864 billion.
Number of successful bids: 17
Number of bids allocated in full: 15
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) took up none of either offer, the AOFM said on Thursday.
Settlement for both sets of notes is on Friday, February 3, 2012.
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AIG/COMMONWEALTH BANK AUSTRALIAN PERFORMANCE OF SERVICES INDEX (PSI)
Activity in the Australian services sector has expanded for the first time in four months, a private survey shows.
The Australian Industry Group/Commonwealth Bank Australian Performance of Services Index (PSI) rose 2.9 points to 51.9 points in January.
A reading above 50 indicates an increase in activity.
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HIA TRADES REPORT
Skilled labour in the residential building industry remained in moderate surplus for the last three months of 2011, in a soft building market, according to an industry study.
The Housing Industry Association (HIA) trades report, released on Friday, showed a trend of modest over-supply in the December quarter.
The HIA trade availability index was at +0.04 in the December quarter, following a reading of +0.06 in the September quarter, suggesting that slight over-supply was still an issue, but was moderating.
The index has now shown a surplus reading for three consecutive quarters.
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AOFM ISSUES TREASURY BONDS
The AOFM has sold $700 million of January 21, 2018, Treasury bonds.
Weighted average issue yield: 3.46 per cent
Range of bids accepted: 3.455 per cent to 3.460 per cent
Coverage ratio: 2.47
Coupon rate: 5.50%
Number of bids: 38
Total value of bids: $1.730 billion
Number of successful bids: 14
Number of bids allocated in full: 4
The RBA took up none of the offer, the AOFM said on Friday.
Settlement for the bonds is on February 8, 2012.
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