The New Zealand Economy In A Nutshell

Today I want to dissect some the latest data from New Zealand. In summary, inflation and costs of living continue to bite, more households are in financial distress, inward migration is at a record high, but the property market remains in the doldrums. Worth thinking about ahead of the general election at the weekend.

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
The New Zealand Economy In A Nutshell
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The Banks Are Winners, And Households The Losers!

A deep dive into the thorny question of the economics of extending the loan term, something which the Bank of England highlighted in its latest report. Who wins (let you guess….)

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Today’s post is brought to you by Ribbon Property Consultants.

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Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
The Banks Are Winners, And Households The Losers!
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Higher-for-Longer Interest Rate Environment is Squeezing More Borrowers

Elevated inflation means central banks may have to keep policy rates higher in a way that stretches the capacity of borrowers to repay debt said the IMF in its latest Global Financial Stability Report.

And the Bank of England warned in their latest Financial Policy Summary that simply extending the term of mortgage loans is more about protecting banks than borrowers as risks build.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has updated its global growth forecasts, with the world expected to grow by 3% this year and 2.9% in 2024.
The IMF tips that Australia’s real GDP growth will slow even faster, from just 1.8% this year to 1.2% in 2024.

Headwinds also confront real estate. Home mortgages, typically the largest category of household borrowing, now carry much higher interest rates than just a year ago, eroding savings and weighing on housing markets. Countries with predominantly floating rate mortgages have generally experienced larger home price declines as higher interest rates translate more quickly into mortgage payment difficulties. Australia is highly exposed as rates have moved more on a weighted basis than many other countries.

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Higher-for-Longer Interest Rate Environment is Squeezing More Borrowers
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DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Household Finances And Mortgage Stress Update

This is an edit of a live discussion using data from our core market model. We look at the latest mortgage stress data, and answer viewers questions.

Which post codes are most impacted, and what are the implications?

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Please consider supporting our work via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/DigitalFinanceAnalytics

Or make a one-off contribution to help cover our costs via PayPal at: https://www.paypal.me/MartinDFA

We also can receive bitcoins at: 13zBL1oRib9VJu8Uc9zUGNhxKDBBgUpDN1Please share this post to help to spread the word about the state of things….

Caveat Emptor! Note: this is NOT financial or property advice!!

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Household Finances And Mortgage Stress Update
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Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!

More from our property insider, Edwin Almeida, as we look at the latest numbers, consider what may happen as we move through the spring selling season, and discuss the use of an umbrella when inspecting a house or apartment, and the rise of “kiddy-flats”.

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Today’s post is brought to you by Ribbon Property Consultants.

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Its Edwin's Monday Evening Property Rant!
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Bond Market To RBA: Put Rates Higher!

A surge in long-term bond yields has driven both the Australian dollar and the local sharemarket to an 11-month low earlier in the week, and may force Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock to deliver further cash rate rises, economists say.

Adding to expectations that the RBA may deliver one further interest rate rise is an increase in long-dated yields, both locally and abroad.

Long-term US bond yields have galloped higher since July alongside strong economic data and an unexpected increase in planned bond issuance to finance the US government’s yawning budget deficit, which Fitch expects to be 6.3 per cent of GDP this year.

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Bond Market To RBA: Put Rates Higher!
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The Mortgage Stress Default Disconnect

According to the AFR, Australia’s red-hot jobs market is preventing the country’s most indebted borrowers from falling behind on their home loan, as internal Reserve Bank research reveals nearly one in five borrowers may be in mortgage stress.

While unemployment nationally was 3.7 per cent in August, unemployment among homeowners was likely “almost non-existent”.

But markets ascribe a three-in-five chance the RBA board will deliver one more rate rise by the end of the year, amid concerns about persistently high inflation in the services sector and a stubbornly strong jobs market.

Strong employment growth and nominal wage increases have insulated borrowers from some of the financial pain caused by high interest rates.
About 18 per cent of loans across the country have a high repayment burden, defined as spending more than 30 per cent of household income on paying down a mortgage, according to internal RBA research released under Freedom of Information laws.

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
The Mortgage Stress Default Disconnect
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Risks Build As Bonds Shoot For The Moon…

This has been another crazy week on the markets, as the truth of higher rates for longer has started to permeate not only bond markets, but equity markets too.

And after a stunningly strong U.S. jobs report bolstered the case for more tightening from the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury yield surge that has shaken markets in recent weeks may have further to run.

As I discussed in my last show, US Jobs growth for September nearly doubled expectations as nonfarm payrolls increased by 336,000 for the month, strengthening views that policymakers will need to keep interest rates elevated to cool inflation.

That’s bad news for investors who were looking for a respite from a rise in Treasury yields that has wreaked havoc throughout markets over the past month, bruising stocks, supercharging the dollar and pushing mortgage rates to their highest levels in more than two decades. Treasury yields of course move inversely to bond prices.

The interplay between bearish fractals and potential bullish triggers continues to shape the unpredictable landscape. But we need to watch the unrealized losses among holders of bonds, because at some point the truth will out. And meantime, equities are still priced for a goldilocks soft landing, which is probably unlikely.

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Risks Build As Bonds Shoot For The Moon...
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The Good News Is Bad News Problem…

Wall Street’s main indexes were poised for a sharply lower open on Friday after a strong jobs report deepened fears that interest rates may stay elevated for an extended period.

The Labor Department’s report showed non-farm payrolls increased by 336,000 jobs in September on a monthly basis, against expectations of 170,000 additions, according to a Reuters poll of economists.

Unemployment rate stood at 3.8% against expectations of 3.7%, while average hourly earnings increased 0.2%, compared with estimates of 0.3%.

The S&P 500 eyed its fifth straight weekly fall, while the Dow is on track to decline for the third straight week.

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
The Good News Is Bad News Problem...
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Laughing Or Weeping, We’re Back: With Tarric Brooker!

My latest Friday afternoon chat with journalist Tarric Brooker, as we look at the RBA’s latest Statement On Monetary Policy, and the recent Bond Market dynamics.

And we look at the economic fall out on households if rates go higher for longer. Tarric’s charts can be found at: https://avidcom.substack.com/p/dfa-chart-pack-6th-october-2023

http://www.martinnorth.com/

Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/

Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog
Laughing Or Weeping, We’re Back: With Tarric Brooker!
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