Rather than waiting for the “good old times” to come back, it really is time for retailers to adapt to a new reality. In some market segments trading conditions will remain tough and may deteriorate further.
I get that “Mum and Dad homeowner” are an important segment and a huge proportion of society, but why don’t hear commentators discussing the impact on “Mum and Dad business owners”?
When it comes to interest rates, small businesses have had a rough time lately. They’ve had to cope with tough lending conditions from the big banks and now another interest rate rise.
Australian employees forced to compete for the shrinking pool of skilled workers will need to pay more to attract staff or turn to skilled migration using the Federal Government’s 457-visa program, according to KPMG’s Skilled Migration Survey 2010.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics September Quarter Producer Price Index for September shows inflation for business inputs rising, up 1.3 percent in the September quarter and up 2.2 percent for the year for ‘Stage 3’ production.
Australia’s construction industry continues to contract, with September marking the fourth consecutive month that construction activity has fallen.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) made the right decision to keep interest rates on hold at it’s September board meeting yesterday, says the Housing Industry Association (HIA).
Australia’s construction industry continues to contract, with the latest AiG/HIA Australian Performance of Construction index at 43.2 for the month of August.
The performance of the Australian services sector continues to be uninspiring, with political uncertainty surrounding Australia’s hung parliament impacting on demand in August.
New home sales in Australia dived 7 percent to an 18 month low in July according to the latest Housing Industry Association report into new home sales, triggering calls for federal government action to save the sector.
