At 1.61, Australia has higher relative prices than Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Japan (listed in descending order). 61% higher than the US and 48% higher than the UK.
Source: BLS
Leith van Onselen considers that Australia’s non-mining economy may be in recession based on two consecutive quarters of negative growth in state final demand:
The blanket statement that Australia grew close to trend in 2012 not only obfuscates the fact that the current growth rate is well below trend and declining even further but also hides the fact that the majority of the population are living in regions which are in recession. That paints a totally different picture than the political spin coming from the Government.
Read more at Non-mining Australia “in recession” last quarter | | MacroBusiness.
Westpac reports that the December quarter saw net inflows of:
The global scramble for yield is driving up the ASX 50. We need to beware that capital inflows are fickle and may bolt at signs of a falling Aussie dollar.
The ASX 200 continues to test support at 4980/5000 on the weekly chart. Breakout above 5100 would offer a medium-term target of 5500*. Rising 13-week Twiggs Money Flow indicates strong buying pressure. Reversal below 4980 is unlikely but would warn of a correction.
* Target calculation: 5000 + ( 5000 – 4500 ) = 5500
ASX small-caps are still doing badly, with the ASX 50 [$XFL] out-performing the $XSO (ASX Small Ords) by a substantial margin. The opposite of what one would expect in a bull market: treat it as a caution. The current $XSO down-swing should test the lower channel at 2300, presenting a buy opportunity for swing traders.
Shane Oliver at AMP recently tweeted:
Why rate cuts help household spending: 1/ Aust hholds have approx $750bn in deposits but $1700bn in debt….
…so a 1% rate cuts makes depositors $7.5bn worse off, but borrowers $17bn better off. The net gain for households is $9.5b !
Reason #2 as to why rate cuts help. Depositors r less likely to change spending on rate changes than borrowers (families with mortgage)
He is right that rate cuts stimulate household spending, but that is not the only consideration. Rate cuts also stimulate borrowing and expansion of the money supply — leading to asset bubbles and inflation. They further force savers/investors to take greater risks in the scramble for yield, leaving them exposed if the bubble collapses. If only we could let market forces of credit supply and demand determine the rate — and resist the urge to tinker.
http://youtu.be/_CbkKYdWiS0
John Howard, the conservative former prime minister of Australia, says that pro-gun advocates in the United States are wrong to oppose an assault weapons ban like the one he pushed for after a 1996 mass shooting because public safety is not a “liberal/conservative issue.”
Howard told CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that he felt “horror and shock” after a gunman killed 35 people in Tasmania on April 28, 1996.
Many within his own party opposed the newly-elected PM when he proposed a ban on private ownership of assault weapons in Australia. But statistics since then have proved him right. According to CNN, in the 18 years leading up to 1996 there were 13 gun massacres in Australia; since 1996 when the law was passed there has not been a single incident.
Published on 17 Feb 2013
P.S. Gun ownership is an emotive issue in the US. We encourage open considered debate but believe that nothing is gained by people “shouting” at each other. Any emotive posts of that ilk will end up in the trash can.
Thanks to Alex Fletcher who submitted this as a comment:
From a purist point of view I believe Geolibertarianism is the moral philosophy that should guide taxation:-
“Geolibertarians are advocates of geoism, which is the position that all natural resources – most importantly land – are common assets to which all individuals have an equal right to access; therefore, individuals must pay rent to the community if they claim land as their private property. Rent need not be paid for the mere use of land, but only for the right to exclude others from that land, and for the protection of one’s title by government. They simultaneously agree with the libertarian position that each individual has an exclusive right to the fruits of his or her labor as their private property, as opposed to this product being owned collectively by society or the community, and that ‘one’s labor, wages, and the products of labor’ should not be taxed.”
In reality though it is about what is practically possible. The Henry review [in Australia] aimed for four bases – personal income, business income, consumption and economic rents of natural resources and land. At present land tax has a much smaller role than the other three.
Any change to increase the proportion of total taxation from LVT can only be achieved slowly and with much opposition. The ACT proposal to change existing property taxes and stamp duty to an annual LVT is the best start one can hope for. The plan is such that if a landowner really wants to keep stamp duty instead of an annual fee they can virtually do so. There was an article in The Drum about it.
I believe GST is more efficient than income tax and in that context may be better. However if, as geonomics asserts, the main contributor to unemployment is that land is priced out of reach, increasing the GST and broadening the base without a broad-based LVT as well, would not abolish unemployment and so would increase hardship for the very poor.
Ray Martin’s interview with former PM’s Bob Hawke and John Howard, November 2012
Liam Shorte writes:
A common rule of thumb is that if you want to retire at 60, you will need about 15 times the amount you have calculated for your annual after-tax retirement expenses. So if you estimate $60,000 per year then you will need $900,000…..According to the latest data for September 2012, in general, a couple looking to achieve a comfortable retirement needs to spend $56,236 a year, while those seeking a ‘modest’ retirement lifestyle need to spend $32,511 a year….. The figures in each case assume that the retiree(s) own their own home and relate to expenditure by the household.
Read more at How much do I need to retire at 60? | MYOB Blog.
The euro broke medium-term support at $1.32 and the rising trendline against the greenback. While this indicates trend weakness it does not necessarily mean reversal to a primary down-trend. Completion of a 63-day Twiggs Momentum trough above zero would suggest that the trend is intact — and an advance to $1.42* is on the cards.
* Target calculation: 1.36 + ( 1.36 – 1.30 ) = 1.42
Pound sterling broke long-term support at $1.53 against the greenback, offering a long-term target of $1.43*. Fall of 63-day Twiggs Momentum below -5% (its 2011 low) would strengthen the signal.
* Target calculation: 1.53 – ( 1.63 – 1.53 ) = 1.43
Against the euro, the pound is testing support at €1.15. 63-day Twiggs Momentum well below zero suggests a strong down-trend. Failure of support would offer a target of the 2011 low at €1.10.
The Aussie Dollar respected primary support at $1.015. Recovery above $1.03 and the declining trendline would suggest another rally to test $1.06. Reversal below $1.02 would warn that primary support is under threat.
Failure of primary support would offer a target of $0.96*. Oscillation of 63-day Twiggs Momentum close to zero, however, suggests a ranging market.
* Target calculation: 1.01 – ( 1.06 – 1.01 ) = 0.96
The Canadian Loonie by contrast is in a strong primary down-trend against the greenback, headed for a test of $0.96. Falling 63-day Twiggs Momentum suggests that medium-term support at $0.97/$0.98 is unlikely to hold.
The US dollar has broken its long-term declining trendline against the Japanese Yen, suggesting that the 30-year decline is over and the greenback likely to appreciate for the foreseeable future. Follow-through above ¥100 would confirm, offering a target of ¥120*.
* Target calculation: 100 – ( 100 – 80 ) = 120
