Treasurer Chalmers has a $70 billion a year budget hole: we've found 13 ways to fill it

Apr 12, 2023 03:23 am UTC| Economy Central Banks

No one likes spending cuts and tax hikes, but on our estimate the government will soon need more of them if they are going to make a dent in looming A$70 billion a year budget deficits. A new Grattan Institute report,...

Sure, the RBA froze interest rates on Tuesday, but there's plenty of pain to come

Apr 05, 2023 13:16 pm UTC| Economy Central Banks

Australias Reserve Bank hit pause on interest rates after ten successive hikes on Tuesday, but for many Australians, the pain it has inflicted is about to begin. The Bank says more than one million households will come...

Central Banking Series

What central banks are doing to safeguard financial stability and why they must proceed with caution

Mar 28, 2023 13:59 pm UTC| Economy Central Banks

Before a crucial week of interest rate decisions for central banks, and on the eve of the emergency takeover of banking giant Credit Suisse, the Bank of England and five other major central banks announced a coordinated...

Central Banking Series

Nigeria's central bank made critical mistakes that doomed the country's currency redesign

Mar 15, 2023 15:52 pm UTC| Economy Central Banks

Nigeria has successfully introduced new banknotes on about 10 occasions since independence in 1960. So why has the latest attempt been so controversial and traumatic? And what measures need to be taken to avoid a future...

Central Banking Series

Why central banks are too powerful and have created our inflation crisis

Mar 15, 2023 15:48 pm UTC| Economy Central Banks

Fifty years ago, a war broke out in the Middle East which resulted in a global oil embargo and a dramatic spike in energy prices. The war, between Israel and an Arab coalition led by Egypt and Syria, began on October 6...

Inflation is proving particularly stubborn -- but jitters over banking failures, softening economy complicate Fed rate decision

Mar 15, 2023 15:45 pm UTC| Economy Central Banks

The Federal Reserve is facing a rather sticky problem. Despite its best efforts over the past year, inflation is stubbornly refusing to head south with any urgency to a target of 2%. Rather, the inflation report...

Central Banking Series

RBA's latest forecasts are grim. Here are 5 reasons why

Feb 14, 2023 13:22 pm UTC| Economy Central Banks

After lifting interest rates for a record nine times in a row, and flagging more raises still to come, the Reserve Bank of Australias latest set of forecasts make for grim reading. The forecasts are part of the central...