CreditorWatch stories
Rising oil prices and higher borrowing costs are squeezing retail and housing-linked firms, while mining continues to hold up.
Mortgage and business borrowing costs have climbed to their highest in 18 years after the Reserve Bank of Australia's 25 basis point move.
Higher interest rates and falling house prices are expected to squeeze housebuilding through 2027, even as data centre projects lift non-residential approvals.
Rising fuel costs and broad-based price pressures have left the Reserve Bank of Australia with little room to hold rates steady next week.
The latest jobs report may exaggerate weakness, with CreditorWatch's chief economist blaming volatile state and part-time figures for the national drop.
Only 30% of firms with one to 19 staff plan to recruit in the next year, highlighting a widening gap with bigger employers.
Households are feeling the squeeze as higher fuel costs and the Reserve Bank of Australia's latest rate rise drove confidence down 4.7% in October.
A softer August reading may not spare borrowers, with CreditorWatch warning that broad-based price pressures still point to another RBA hike.
Fuel and other essentials kept Australian consumers under pressure in August, with flat spending and weaker non-fuel outlays pointing to caution.
Australia's labour market sent mixed signals in August, but inflation worries still leave the Reserve Bank likely to lift interest rates next week.
Australian households and debt-laden firms face further borrowing-cost pressure, with CreditorWatch seeing no chance of the RBA standing pat in September.
Many Australian firms are still using owners' personal money to prop up working capital, as cash reserves and trading confidence weaken.
Residential builders face rising defaults and insolvencies as Australia's AUD $150 billion data centre pipeline squeezes labour and materials.
Rising fuel and borrowing costs are squeezing Australian households and firms, bolstering expectations the Reserve Bank may lift rates again in September.
Data centre demand is keeping Australian builders busy and may prolong labour and materials shortages even as home approvals start to ease.
Higher household spending and stubborn inflation have strengthened the case for the Reserve Bank of Australia to lift rates again in September.
Higher borrowing costs loom for Australian households after July's trimmed mean inflation reading came in well above the Reserve Bank's target path.
The deal should help restaurants steer phone orders towards higher-margin dishes while easing pressure on staff and margins.
The slight lift to 4.5% in July was mostly rounding, with labour demand still holding up enough to avoid signalling a broad slowdown.
Higher costs and weaker consumer spending have pushed Australia's hospitality sector into its worst strain in years, with arrears at record highs.
