Here are the key things you need to know before you leave work today (or if you already work from home, before you shutdown your laptop).
MORTGAGE/LOAN RATE CHANGES
No changes to report again today.
TERM DEPOSIT/SAVINGS RATE CHANGES
Kiwibank has ended its 6.10% one year 'special' dropping back to 5.90% today. And you should note that we are now covering the new AMP term deposit offers in our rate tables. (These are based on Heartland Bank offers, but currently with a premium. So a one year rate is 6.35%.)
FOR-SALE LISTINGS ELEVATED, PRICES DROP
REINZ data shows house prices dropped for the second month in a row in May, as vendors bite the bullet and meet the lower market heading into winter.
IT'S BOTTOM-OF-THE-BARREL UGLY
The long-running BNZ-BusinessNZ services sector survey has recorded its worst ever non-Covid-affected level of activity. 'This tells of a services sector in reverse at pace' they say. They also note that with service sector activity plummeting, it is a threat to Q2-2024 GDP. This PSI is now lower than the lowest point in the 2008/GFC. The big dive in the employment index will worry policymakers.
ARGOSY UPDATED
For readers who use our NZX50 profiles and trackers, please note that the profile for Argosy Property (ARG, #30) has been updated with their latest annual results. The full set is always up-to-date. Sector analysis is here.
WHERE THE MONEY GOES
Our final major drilldown analysis of Budget 2024, this for the Transport spending by central government, has been uploaded.
ERRIE SILENCE ENDS
Laybuy is in receivership.
JAPANESE MACHINERY ORDERS DIP
Previously fast-rising Japanese machinery orders fell in April in March, but were up slightly year-on-year.
CHINA RETAIL SALES RISE MODESTLY
Chinese retail sales eased higher in May, up 3.7% when a +3.0% rise was expected. April rose +2.3% year-on-year, so this May result is an improvement. But you have to say, in the context of recent Chinese history, this is a modest gain. And remember, Chinese official CPI is rising less than +1% year-on-year.
CHINA COMMERCIAL DATA STRUGGLES
Meanwhile, Chinese industrial production fell in May from April to be +5.6% higher than a year ago. Markets were expecting that change to be +6%. April had expanded +6.7% on that basis. Tellingly however, electricity production rose just +2.3% in May from a year ago, up only +0.7% from April, staying at the lowish levels it has for the past year. And there was no meaningful recovery in their real estate sector either. The Chinese central bank kept its one-year Medium-Term Lending Facility rate unchanged in June at 2.5%.
LAND TAX HIKE?
In Australia, stories are swirling that NSW is about to raise its land tax rate. (Land tax is separate from property taxes, and does not apply to the family home, or farm. But it does apply to most other land.) NSW isn't the first to do this.
SWAP RATES ON HOLD
Wholesale swap rates are likely to be little-changed today. Our chart below will record the final positions. The 90 day bank bill rate is unchanged at 5.61%, a level it has hovered around for 110 days now. The Australian 10 year bond yield is up +2 bps from this morning at 4.16%. The China 10 year bond rate is down -3 bpsa on their lackluster data, now at 2.27%. The NZ Government 10 year bond rate is down -2 bps at 4.64% from yesterday and the earlier RBNZ fix was at 4.59% and down -3 bps from Friday. The UST 10yr yield is unchanged from yesterday at 4.26%. Their 2yr is now at 4.72%, so the curve is little-changed at -46 bps inverted.
EQUITIES VERY MIXED
The NZX50 is first out of the blocks for equity trading on Monday but it is off to a terrible start, down -1.2%. The ASX200 is only down -0.2% in afternoon trade. Tokyo has opened down -1.8%. Hong Kong is up +0.4% at ist open, Shanghai is down -0.6% however. Singapore is closed for Eid al-Hada. The S&P500 futures suggest Wall Street will open tomorrow a strong +1.2%.
OIL LITTLE-CHANGED
The oil price is little-changed from this time yesterday, now just under US$78/bbl in the US, and still just over US$82/bbl for the international Brent price.
GOLD A TAD LOWER
In early Asian trade, gold is slightly softer, down -US$13 from this morning at just on US$2321/oz.
NZD ON HOLD
The Kiwi dollar is marginally softer from this morning, now at 61.3 USc. Against the Aussie we are unchanged at 92.8 AUc. Against the euro we are still at 57.3 euro cents. This all means the TWI-5 is unchanged at just over 71.
BITCOIN ON HOLD
The bitcoin price is down -0.3% today from this morning, now at US$66,301. Volatility of the past 24 hours has been low at just under +/- 0.7%.
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