Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog

I am joined by Journalist Tarric Brooker for a post-election debrief, and a flurry of excellent charts to examine how Australia is travelling. As we will see there are some important signals, and questions arising, especially in the content of the US Tariffs. Check out Tarrics Substack here: https://www.burnouteconomics.com/p/dfa-chart-pack-9th-may-2025 His Facebook link is here: https://www.facebook.com/people/Burnout-Economics/61553967393228/ … Continue reading "Australia's Managed Decline: With Tarric Brooker"

On Wednesday we got the latest FOMC rate decision from Jerome Powell and the FED, following their first meeting since President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff announcements last month. He made it clear in the subsequent press conference that the US economy, based on the bulk of available data is still tracking well, and whilst the … Continue reading "Just Don't Mention Stagflation, As Uncertainty Rises!"

We have had a slew of data recently, which tells the true sorry story about Australian Households. While the election campaign was centred on costs of living, the nature of the problem was not explored, nor were the solutions thrown out on the stump addressing the real pain which is out there. For context, the … Continue reading "Can't Spend; Won't Spend Says Households As Recession Looms…"

This is an edited version of a live discussion as I explore the latest market moves with Damien Klassen, Head of Investments at Nucleus Wealth and Walk The World Funds. Are the bulls back, or is a recession incoming? http://www.martinnorth.com/ Details of our one to one service are here: https://digitalfinanceanalytics.com/blog/dfa-one-to-one/ Go to the Walk The … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Are The Bulls Back? Investing Now: With Damien Klassen"

This is our post-election Rant, where Edwin and I discuss the fall-out on property from the results. Prices will be driven higher in some areas, thanks to supply pressure and increasing demand, but not uniformly, as there are other important factors in play… http://www.martinnorth.com/ Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Find more … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

So now we know, Labor is headed into a landslide result from the election, after Liberal votes fell away and the opposition leader Peter Dutton lost his seat. If the number holds through to the end of the count, it will be the highest two-party preferred vote since World War II, exceeding the 55.7 per … Continue reading "A Bigger, More Taxed, Less Housed Australia Incoming?"

This is our weekly market update, where we start in the US, cross to Europe and Asia, and end in Australia, covering crypto and commodities along the way. It has been another momentous week on the markets, having fallen hard in reaction to Trump's Liberation Day tariffs, but which have now clawed back most of … Continue reading "Bluster or Beef? – The “There And Back Again” Market Crash!"

The current narrative that pressures on households are easing, as recycled through the election campaign, are questioned when you look at the real data. So today I walk through our latest analysis of our 52,000 household surveys. The findings reveal that, whilst at the margin there has been some slight improvement for some, the truth … Continue reading "Households Under The Pump As Housing Costs Soar!"

As the election approaches, I wanted to underline again the dramatic issues renters are facing across the country. I will be publishing my latest household surveys for April tomorrow, but Anglicare Australia just released their Rental Affordability Snapshot report for 2025, based on a survey of over 51,000 rental listings across the country using data … Continue reading "Renters Thrown Under The Bus… By Design!"

Well superficially, headline and trimmed mean inflation are both finally back inside the Reserve Bank of Australia's target band based on the latest data from the ABS today. Annual CPI inflation was 2.4 per cent in the March quarter, unchanged from the December quarter. Trimmed mean annual inflation was 2.9 per cent, down from 3.3 … Continue reading "We (The Tax Payer) Saved The Inflation Day; Or Did We?"

This is an edit of a live discussion as I explore with Chris Bates the pressure to get onto the property ladder, and how people manage to stay on, in the light of the current election campaigns, and expected market dynamics ahead. We will also explore the role of a broker and future of property … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Getting And Staying On The Property Ladder With Chris Bates"

As we count down to the election, we look at the latest property news with our insider Edwin Almeida. Markets are slowing ahead of the winter season, though are still tracking ahead of last year in terms of listings, if not auctions. We also look at some of the underlying currents in the markets, from … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

Despite the call for even more new building across Australia to meet the current demand for somewhere to live, it is worth noting that compared to many other countries we have been building more per 1,000 than almost all other countries. And we have talked before about the pressure on builders due to higher construction … Continue reading "The New Build Property Con…"

This is our weekly market update, where we start in the US, cross to Europe and Asia, and end in Australia, covering commodities and crypto on the way. I am minded this week of a 1930's novel called Things Fall Apart, because it seems to me we saw a shattering of the Trump reform wave … Continue reading "Markets Rejoice On Trump Turnarounds But… Are Things Falling Apart?"

The data does not lie, housing is more out of reach for more Australians than ever before, whether renting, or purchase via a mortgage. The gap between incomes and home prices have gone through the roof, and households are spending more than ever on trying to house themselves. Over the past 20 years, property prices … Continue reading "Forget Affordable Housing: For Generations!"

Despite the slow fall in inflation, Australian households are paying through the nose for their insurance. Indeed, rising insurance premiums have been a notable contributor to Australia's cost-of-living crisis. They have also placed upward pressure on CPI inflation. The Climate Council says that Australians are paying $30 billion more on insurance than they were a … Continue reading "Dumb Planning And The Rise In Insurance Costs: Costs Us All…"

Here we go again. Just yesterday, markets fell on Trumps comments concerning Fed Chair Jerome Powell, and by threatening to sack the head of the world's most important central bank. Then the IMF came out with an economic update which slashed its US and global economic forecasts, warning that tariffs were ushering in a new … Continue reading "Markets Jump On Trump's Latest Change Of Tune!"

This is my edit of a regular segment with Nuggets News, as we look at the latest market, finance and property news. This month we dwell on the question of the financial system, in the light of Trump’s tariffs and calls for the Fed Chair to cut rates. As a result, investors are leaving the … Continue reading "Economic Update: April 2025"

This is an edited version of a live discussion as I explore the latest market dynamics even as tariffs wreck the joint, and treasury yields rise; with Adam Stokes, a crypto evangelist. Is it time for new money, and how does all this play into the current election debates? https://www.youtube.com/@adamstokes http://www.martinnorth.com/ Details of our one … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A Replay: Is The Financial System Breaking (And What's Next): With Adam Stokes"

Property Insider Edwin and I kick around the latest property and election news, and pull apart the latest numbers. During the show we highlight recent announcements from China about graduates now being pulled into the army, the latest on what people are not moving, despite in some cases pressures to do so, and the latest … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

I had a couple of YouTube shows pop up in my feed today which cut to the heart of the economic issues which Australia is facing. Up to now, the critical questions around migration, productivity and gas reservation were really not covered in any depth, indeed, some might say they were deliberately avoided. But now … Continue reading "Finally, Some Of The MSM Are Telling The Economic Truth (Sort Of)…"

I caught up with Assoc Prof Andy Schmulow, the NSW Senate Candidate for The Australian Citizens Party, as we did a deep dive into the structural issues which are killing the Australian Economy, and its society; and what can be done about them. The conversation touched on the rigged system which has caused the cost … Continue reading "Meet A Man With A Mission To Save Australia!"

Australia's housing crisis is a key issue in this year's election and as the campaigns run on, yawn, housing remains a central issue, but both major parties are playing games rather than getting to the heart of the issue. So today, I want to go though three cameos which bring out some of the critical … Continue reading "Some Sliding Door Moments On The Fractured Australian Property!"

As we meet Easter head on, thoughts of course turn to the Chocolate Easter Egg. If you walk round the stores, you will note a few trends. First. Prices are significantly higher than the past couple of years. Second, the size of the eggs are smaller, thanks to shrinkflation, with some items 10% smaller than … Continue reading "What Egg-actly Is Going On With The Incredible Shrinking Easter Egg Scam?"

Today, Gold hit another all-time high as warnings from Federal Reserve Chief Jerome Powell about the impact of the trade war fueled volatility on Wall Street, leading to sharp declines in stocks and the dollar. Jerome Powell spoke at the Economic Club of Chicago on Wednesday and said that policymakers would balance their dual responsibilities … Continue reading "Uncertainty Into Stagflation Spooks Markets, Lifts Gold (Again)…"

In my live show with Leith van Onselen yesterday, we pulled apart the major party campaigns relating to housing, which focussed on those trying to buy, and a promise of higher home prices for all. This will put a rocket under home prices. But the real story, and the accompanying policy vacuum relates to the … Continue reading "Plenty Of Waffle But No Beef: The Rental Scandal That Pollies Prefer To Ignore!"

This is an edit version of a live discussion as I explore the latest political interventions into the housing market and other economic issues with Leith Van Onselen, Chief Economist at Nucleus Wealth and Co-founder of Macrobusiness. Will house prices skyrocket following the election of a second-term Labor government? http://www.martinnorth.com/ Details of our one to … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Are Australian House Prices Set To Rocket? With Leith Van Onselen"

An important week for a Rant as Edwin and I pick apart the latest housing policy announcements, and the broader economic questions surrounding the Trump Tariff games. What will property do as a result? http://www.martinnorth.com/ Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Find more at https://digitalfinanceanalytics.com/blog/ where you can subscribe to our research … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

You can tell an election is close as both major parties have launched their campaigns formally, with Dutton in Western Sydney and Albo in Perth. Recognising that costs of living and housing specifically are haunting younger voters, who now comprise the bulk of voters for the first time, housing was at the heart of both … Continue reading "Con Job: Housing Dog Whistles And Sugar Hits As Election Day Looms!"

This is our weekly market update, where we start in the US, cross to Europe and Asia and end in Australia. This past week was an object lesson in the power of the Bond market. And not for the first time. A favourite quote on markets comes from the former CEO of Citicorp, Walter Wriston, … Continue reading "In A Hyper Financialised World, Bond Markets Rule…"

Amazed though I am, it appears the LNP has one policy which is so critical it should win the election. I am talking about Gas reverse tariffs. Recall that while East Coast Australia has doubled its gas production over the past decade, the domestic market has been supplied with 25% less gas. This has driven … Continue reading "Gas: One Policy To Rule Them All!…"

I caught up with Robbie Barwick Senate Candidate for VIC and Research Director for The Australian Citizens Party, to discuss Trump, Tariffs, China and importantly what Australia needs to thrive and survive in this uncertain international environment. https://citizensparty.org.au http://www.martinnorth.com/ Details of our one to one service are here: https://digitalfinanceanalytics.com/blog/dfa-one-to-one/ Go to the Walk The World … Continue reading "Australia's Lifeboat To Avoid RMS Trump: With Robbie Barwick"

Yesterday I went through the market falls, as China retaliated to the Trump tariffs, even as President Donald Trump ploughed ahead with plans to impose steep new tariffs on imports despite warnings that the policy could trigger economic chaos. Yet only 13 hours after the duties had gone into effect, in a social media post, … Continue reading "RMS Trump Sails On, Having Avoided An Iceberg, For Now…"

President Donald Trump's so-called reciprocal tariffs are now in place, creating self-inflicted choppy waters, as RMS Trump sails on through a flog of confusion, dealing a thunderous blow to the world economy as he pushes forward efforts to drastically reorder global trade. Trump argues that the taxes will boost US prosperity and revive domestic manufacturing, … Continue reading "Will Trump’s Titanic Tariff Plan Hit An Iceberg, And Who Goes Down With The Ship?"

This is an edited version of a live discussion as I explore the latest from our modelling deep dive the latest households mortgage and rental stress analysis. See my earlier show where I discussed the disconnect between reality and the current political election discourse. With just under half of households caught in a cash flow … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Post Code Analysis: Where Households Are Hurting"

This week we consider the impact of the Trump Tariffs on Property in Australia, look at the latest numbers and where property demand is coming from, and also consider some of the risks embedded in your homes. http://www.martinnorth.com/ Go to the Walk The World Universe at https://walktheworld.com.au/ Find more at https://digitalfinanceanalytics.com/blog/ where you can subscribe … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

In this show we explore the latest on rental and mortgage stress, from data drawn from various sources, including our own surveys to highlight the mismatch between the massive problem many people are facing into, versus the glib political narrative on show through the election so far. This also sets us up for our Tuesday … Continue reading "Many Households Are Feeling The Pressure (And The Election Is Missing The Point..)"

This is our weekly market update, where we start in the US, cross to Europe and Asia and end in Australia, covering commodities and crypto along the way. The 2nd of April “T” day will go down in infamy, as global markets have since lost around $6 trillion of value as the global world trade … Continue reading "Trumps Tariff Tidal Wave Swamps Markets With Stagflation Incoming…"

Markets have continued to react negatively with the ASX 200 down another 2.38% on Friday, taking year to date falls to 6.02%. The local volatility index was also elevated. It was a similar story across Asia, apart from in China and Hong Kong which were closed for a holiday, with the Japanese Nikkei down 2.8% … Continue reading "Plenty Of Fudge Around Tariffs, Markets And The Election Campaign!"

Yesterday, President Donald Trump announced broad “reciprocal” tariffs on imports from US trading partners across the world. The US will impose a minimum 10% tariff on all trading partners and slap even higher rates on about 60 countries that hold large trade surpluses with the US. For example, the reciprocal rate on imports from China … Continue reading "The End Of Globalisation?"

This is an edited version of a live discussion with Head of Investments at Walk The World Funds and Nucleus Wealth, Damien Klassen. In a time of tariffs and with markets in turmoil, how do we protect and survive? http://www.martinnorth.com/ Details of our one to one service are here: https://digitalfinanceanalytics.com/blog/dfa-one-to-one/ Go to the Walk The … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A Replay: Investing In A Time Of Tariffs: With Damien Klassen…"

As the election campaign starts in earnest, Property Insider Edwin Almeida and I consider the policy options as they relate to housing and migration, kick around the latest numbers and consider the real agenda which is running across the Country. Horror story number one. We also show a example of what damp can do to … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

I have highlighted the indisputable fact that the share of Government funding taken from households, via higher taxes, and freezing the bands so fiscal drag means we pay more, and despite the promise of tax cuts, has lead to the highest proportion ever. In fact, it is a bigger impost on households that the higher … Continue reading "The Next Incoming Tax Grab: Taxing Unrealised Gains?"

It seems that markets are beginning to read the room, as the unwinding of the so-called rules based order – which really was based on a Pax Americana Hegemony, is falling apart. After the 25% auto imports tariffs were announced this week, the so called “Liberation Day”, on April 2, when Trump said he plans … Continue reading "Market Disorder Incoming As “Pax Americana” Unwinds…"

In this “Election Special” Journalist Tarric Brooker and I discuss the announced election, and look at the data surrounding the upcoming campaigns. This is perhaps one of the most consequential elections of the recent era, and we touch on the main policy areas, around housing, employment, productivity, infrastructure, and the gas reservation. Make your vote … Continue reading "The Great Budget Bust Up: With Tarric Brooker…"

In this show, I want to go beyond the superficial analysis of the recent budget given my in box has been flooded by “analysis: thousands of sources, much missing the point. And in passing a recognition that the proposal to remove the non compete clause in employee contracts, is one welcome surprise. But the Spin … Continue reading "Beyond The Budget BS…"

We got the next tranche of monthly inflation data from the ABS today, which showed that the Consumer Price Index indicator edged down to 2.4%, which is below economists' estimate of 2.5%. The headline figure has now been inside the RBA's 2-3% band for seven straight months. One important point of distinction with the monthly … Continue reading "Inflation Sticks To The Script: Probably…."

This is an edited version of a live discussion about finance and property, as we look at the latest data and ask where has Australian gone wrong? Prices relative to income are off the charts, property listings are rising, and despite the hopium of prices rises off the back of a single rate cut, the … Continue reading "DFA Live HD Replay: Property Questions And Answers…"

It’s been another spicy week in the political and property sector, so in this weeks rant Edwin and I look at the latest Government announcements – could there be an election incoming?). We also discuss the rising number of deceased estates, and how tenants need to protect themselves when taking on a new leased property. … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

I caught up with Morgan Cox, who asked a simple and direct question on ABC Q&A the other day about the rental crisis hitting Australian families, and migration. The answers from the panelist were appalling, and showed they were playing lip-service to the issue rather than wanted to deal with the real issue, which should … Continue reading "In The Front Line Of The Rental Crisis: With Morgan Cox…"

This the latest in our occasional “Rabbit Hole” series, with my friend George, where we test the bounds of reality, from politics to the financial system. This time roles are reversed, as I am a guest on my own show! Thus, we explore some of the philosophical foundations which under pin current events, and in … Continue reading "A “Down The Rabbit Hole” Special; In Reverse!"