The Bottom Line
Updated Sunday 8 November 2026
The Treasurer co-chaired the sixth Australia-China Strategic Economic Dialogue in Beijing, describing China as Australia's biggest trading partner and noting it is the first time the dialogue has been held for three consecutive years. The Treasurer said the Australia-China Investment Working Group met in July for the first time in a decade.
Assistant Minister Andrew Leigh issued a new Statement of Expectations directing the Australian Financial Security Authority to take a more intelligence-led approach to regulation and make it easier for people to return to economic participation. The Assistant Minister said good regulation gives businesses confidence to invest. The OECD harmonised business confidence index for Australia has fallen from 100.27 in January 2026 to 99.92 in August 2026, ranking 18th of 34 economies. ABS figures show market sector GVA per hour worked fell 0.2 per cent in the year to the June quarter 2026. productivity
The RBA lifted the cash rate by 0.25 points to 4.85 per cent on 4 November, the fifth rise this year, taking the total increase from 3.60 per cent at the start of 2026 to 1.25 points. The current run is five consecutive rises since the last cut on 13 August 2025. The ABS unemployment rate reached 4.72 per cent in September 2026, up from 4.08 per cent in January 2026.
MacroBusiness reports that Snowy Hydro 2.0 has blown far past its original budget, with completion now pushed to 2029. MacroBusiness also argues that Australian real GDP per capita contracted over the first four years of the Albanese government, calling the 2020s the weakest decade for living standards growth since the 1910s. six quarters of shrinking slices
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