ABS – Page 67 – Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog

Housing Construction Boom Wavers

The ABS published their preliminary construction work done data to September 2014. Overall the seasonally adjusted value of construction work done dropped 2.2 % to $51,146.4m in the September quarter and makes a 5.1% fall this year. Within the data, NT construction rose, helping to trim the damage, but the result was below market expectations. Within the data. new private residential construction fell by 2.0 per cent in the September quarter but is still 9.7 per cent higher for the year. But the big question is, has construction begun to falter, or will growth continue – building approvals data could suggests it has some way to run, but it looks a little more shaky now. The RBA is banking on construction powering on of course to reach escape velocity as the mining investment boom fades.

The seasonally adjusted estimate of total building work done fell 1.0% to $22,435.8m in the September quarter. The trend estimate for engineering work done fell 3.0% in the September quarter.The seasonally adjusted estimate for engineering work done fell 3.2% to $28,710.6m in the September quarter.

The trend estimate for total construction work done fell 1.2% in the September quarter 2014 but the trend estimate for total building work done rose 1.5% in the September quarter. The trend estimate for non-residential building work done rose 0.9%, while residential building work rose 1.8%. The trend estimates are derived by applying a 7-term Henderson moving average to the seasonally adjusted series. The 7-term Henderson average (like all Henderson averages) is symmetric but, as the end of a time series is approached, asymmetric forms of the average are applied. Unlike weights of the standard 7-term Henderson moving average, the weights employed have been tailored to suit the particular characteristics of individual series. So looking at trend data we see new houses more static than other residential development, (units).

This is shown more starkly if we look at percentage distribution. Whilst conversions are relatively static, units and other non-house residential building is showing more momentum.

The original state data shows that more new houses were built in VIC than NSW, with WA and QLD close together.

Turning to other types of residential building, we see that around 70% are locate across NSW and VIC. We see a spike in ACT units in 2011, but this seems to be slowing now. In WA more houses than units are being built.

Securitisation Update

The ABS published their data on Assets and Liabilities of Securitisers in Australia. At 30 September 2014, total assets of Australian securitisers were $131.7b, up $0.1b (0.1%) on 30 June 2014. This continues the flat trend, despite growth in house prices and lending for property purchase.

During the September quarter 2014, the rise in total assets was due to an increase in other loans (up $0.8b, 5.1%) and cash and deposits (up $0.2b, 4.1%). This was partially offset by decreases in residential mortgage assets (down $0.9b, 0.8%). Residential and non-residential mortgage assets, which accounted for 82.1% of total assets, were $108.1b at 30 September 2014, a decrease of $0.9b (0.8%) during the quarter.

At 30 September 2014, total liabilities of Australian securitisers were $131.7b, up $0.1b (0.1%) on 30 June 2014. The rise in total liabilities was due to the increase in long term asset backed securities issued in Australia (up $1.7b, 1.8%) and loans and placements (up $0.5b, 3.1%). This was partially offset by a decrease in asset backed securities issued overseas (down $1.5b, 12.0%).

At 30 September 2014, asset backed securities issued overseas as a proportion of total liabilities decreased to 8.3%, down 1.1% on the June quarter 2014 percentage of 9.4%. Asset backed securities issued in Australia as a proportion of total liabilities increased to 78.2%, up 1.4% on the June quarter 2014 percentage of 76.8%.

Finally, looking at loans to households and private non-financial corporations, we see the proportion which are residential mortgages falling to 85%.

Over 50% Investment Loans In September

The latest ABS housing finance data to September 2014 has just been released. We broke more records, as more than half the loans written, excluding refinance, were for investment purposes.

First time buyers continue to languish, especially in the hot Sydney market. Further evidence of the market being out of kilter, per the RBA’s recent comments. In seasonally adjusted terms, the total value of dwelling finance commitments excluding alterations and additions rose 2.3%.

In original terms, the number of first home buyer commitments as a percentage of total owner occupied housing finance commitments rose to 12.0% in September 2014 from 11.8% in August 2014. Still near the lowest on record.

NSW first time buyers continues at the lowest levels, though with a slight uplift this month. WA data flatters the Australia-wide averages for first time buyer finance. It is not just a Sydney thing.

In trend terms, the number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance fell 0.2% in September 2014. In trend terms, the number of commitments for the purchase of established dwellings fell 0.3%, while the number of commitments for the purchase of new dwellings rose 1.2% and the number of commitments for the construction of dwellings rose 0.2%.

ABS Adjust Labour Force Stats Again

The ABS have now reworked the seasonally adjusted numbers, which effectively lifts the unemployment rate slightly.

In the time since the September 2014 labour force estimates were released, the ABS has systematically assessed the effects of each supplementary survey on the labour force estimates. Significant effects have been found for some supplementary surveys, with little or no measurable impact caused by others. As a result of this analysis, an approach has been developed to re-estimate the seasonality of the labour force data with specific adjustments made for the changed pattern of supplementary surveys. This approach will be adopted for the October 2014 labour force release and will result in revisions to the previously-estimated seasonally adjusted (and consequently the trend) results.

In practice, the new seasonal methods should be used to revise the seasonally adjusted estimates for every month in the labour force estimates (i.e. from February 1978 to October 2014). However, checking the consistency of every series from 1978 is not possible in the short time available (the seasonal adjustment process is based on adjusting at a detailed level and aggregating the component series to the totals for persons employed and unemployed) even though the impacts will be small for most months.

The most urgent need has been to resolve the problems in the last few months in the time series. Therefore, as an interim measure, the new approach has been used only from December 2013 to October 2014. In practice, the impact of this interim measure on the percentage changes in seasonally adjusted persons employed and unemployed between November and December 2013 is minimal.

The revised methodology will be applied in future months. In addition, work will continue on refining the methodology and verifying the changed seasonal factors for the full length of the monthly series. The ABS expects to revise all the seasonally adjusted data in conjunction with the annual seasonal reanalysis in early 2015.

The Labour Force Survey uses the concurrent seasonal adjustment method to derive seasonal factors. Concurrent seasonal adjustment uses data up to the current month to estimate seasonal factors for the current and all previous months. This process can result in revisions each month to estimates for earlier periods. However, in most instances, the only noticeable revisions will be to the seasonally adjusted estimates for the previous month and one year prior to the current month. Concurrent seasonal adjustment will continue to be used during the next few months. However, as an interim measure, any revisions to seasonally adjusted estimates will be restricted to the period from December 2013 onwards until the annual seasonal reanalysis is completed in early 2015.

Setting the seasonal factors to one for the seasonally adjusted unemployment estimates for July, August and September 2014 published on 9 October resulted in a slight downward bias in the number of persons unemployed and the unemployment rate for those three months. This was not observed in other series and has been rectified by the new seasonal analysis.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (TOTAL PERSONS) – SEASONALLY ADJUSTED

Month
Revised to be used in October 2014 publication

Presented in the September 2014 publication

%

%

June 2013
5.7

5.7

July 2013
5.6

5.7

August 2013
5.7

5.8

September 2013
5.7

5.7

October 2013
5.7

5.8

November 2013
5.8

5.8

December 2013
5.9

5.9

January 2014
6.0

6.0

February 2014
5.9

6.0

March 2014
5.8

5.8

April 2014
5.9

5.8

May 2014
5.9

5.9

June 2014
6.1

6.0

July 2014
6.1

6.0

August 2014
6.1

6.0

September 2014
6.2

6.1

Seasonally Adjusted Employment Data Not Reliable – ABS

Today the ABS confirmed what we already knew, there was something weird about the employment data. When the last set came out, showing major and surprising movements, we highlighted the figures were probably not reliable. See the chart below.

Now the ABS has said

The ABS has concluded that the seasonal pattern previously evident for the July, August and September labour force estimates is not apparent in 2014. This assessment was made while preparing labour force estimates for September 2014 and relates to all seasonally adjusted labour force estimates other than the aggregate monthly hours worked series.

As there is little evidence of seasonality in the July, August and September months for 2014, the ABS has decided that for these months the seasonal factors will be set to one (reflecting no seasonality). This means the seasonally adjusted estimates (other than for the aggregate monthly hours worked series) for these months will be the same as the original series and this will result in revisions to the previously published July and August seasonally adjusted estimates.

“It is critical that the ABS produces the best set of estimates that it can,” said acting Australian Statistician Jonathan Palmer “so that discussion is on what the estimates mean, and not the estimates themselves.

“To assist in this, the ABS will commission a review with independent external input to develop an appropriate method for seasonally adjusting October 2014 and following months’ estimates.

“The report on the results of this review will be presented in due course.”

The ABS has not made this decision lightly and believes this approach will result in a more meaningful set of seasonally adjusted estimates.

The ABS will continue to produce trend estimates and, as always, encourages users to use the trend estimates to help understand underlying movements in the labour force series.

This admission will increase the level of uncertainty about the accuracy of the data, at a time when unemployment and underemployment are set to remain high (as the IMF stated today). This is exacerbated by the recent cuts to the ABS budgets, making the sample smaller, and less reliable. We are flying somewhat blind at a time when good reliable data is essential if we are to chart a path through current uncertainties. Or maybe the inconvenient truth about rising unemployment will be muted as a result, and this was not entirely without intent.

Household Income Trends Show Strongest Growth At The Top

The ABS today released their Distribution of Household Income, Consumption and Wealth data for the years from 2003 to 2012. According to the ABS, the average gross disposable income of Australian households grew 58 per cent in the period 2003-04 to 2011-12. However, the highest income quintile grew at a rate above average, at 62 per cent. All other income quintiles grew above 50 per cent , but below the average rate of 58 per cent. We see that older Australian’s income has been growing faster than younger ones.

The relative share of gross income is gravitating towards older households. This is a function of the growing number of older households, thanks to the demographic shifts, and the fact they hold the lions share of investments yielding income.

We can also look across the income quintiles (20% bands). We see stronger income growth in the higher income groups. This is stated in perecentage terms, but in doller terms the relative amounts are significant.

We can see that growth in incomes for the richest quintile is stronger than the lower ones.

The ABS says growth in wages and salaries was by far the largest contributor to this increase, except for the lowest income quintile, where social assistance benefits were the largest contributor to their income growth.

This is an important data-set and is the first time data for household groups has been released under the framework of the national accounts. We can look at which household groups are driving the growth in income, consumption, savings and wealth in the national accounts.

For example, households with two adults and dependent children were responsible for about one-third of the growth in household gross disposable income.

Households where the reference person was aged 35 to 44 years had an increase in income tax of $9,000 – with their payments going from $17, 000 in 2003-04 to $26,000 in 2011-12 – which was above the average increase of $4,500.

Of course this data stops in 2012, so we cannot yet see the impact of falling incomes in real terms, which we have discussed previously.

Australian Population Now 23.4m And Ageing

The ABS just released their preliminary demographic statistics to end March 2014. Australia’s total population increased by 388,400 people to reach 23.4 million by the end of March 2014, with a growth rate of 1.7 per cent, a continuation of the average annual growth rate for the past three years. Natural increase contributed 156,900 people to Australia’s population in the year to 31 March 2014, consisting of 306,500 births and 149,600 deaths. Net overseas migration contributed 231,500 to the population over the same period, accounting for 60 per cent of Australia’s total growth.

All states and territories recorded positive population growth in the year ended 31 March 2014. Western Australia continued to record the fastest growth rate of all states and territories at 2.5%. Tasmania recorded the slowest growth rate at 0.3%. New South Wales and Victoria continued to experience high population growth going against the trend of slowing annual growth around Australia – the population of New South Wales and Victoria grew by 114,500 and 108,800 respectively. Net overseas migration (NOM) was the main contributor to both New South Wales and Victoria’s population growth, accounting for 67 and 57 per cent of the states’ growth respectively. The NOM contribution to Victoria’s growth is below the Australian rate of 60 per cent, which highlights the recent increase in net interstate migration to the state. We’re also seeing fewer people moving to Queensland and Western Australia. Queensland recorded one of its lowest annual gains on record, slowing by 65 per cent in five years. Meanwhile, New South Wales recorded its lowest annual interstate loss in nearly 30 years and Victoria recorded its highest annual gain on record.
There is a significant skew towards older Australians, as can be seen by the relative movement from 1971, by age bands. In fact in absolute numbers, those under 20 years grew the slowest whilst those aged 40-69 grew the fastest. This has a profound impact on the community, with those planning to retire well ahead of new workers ready to join the workforce – yet youth unemployment is very high, as we discussed recently.

We can also look at the splits in percentage terms, which shows again these trends. In 1971, the fiftieth point was 27 years, today it is 38 years, and rising.


Month	Revised to be used in October 2014 publication	Presented in the September 2014 publication
Month	%	%

June 2013	5.7	5.7
July 2013	5.6	5.7
August 2013	5.7	5.8
September 2013	5.7	5.7
October 2013	5.7	5.8
November 2013	5.8	5.8
December 2013	5.9	5.9
January 2014	6.0	6.0
February 2014	5.9	6.0
March 2014	5.8	5.8
April 2014	5.9	5.8
May 2014	5.9	5.9
June 2014	6.1	6.0
July 2014	6.1	6.0
August 2014	6.1	6.0
September 2014	6.2	6.1