Digital Finance Analytics (DFA) Blog

As expected according to the latest monthly inflation data from the ABS released today, Australian inflation remained elevated in February which underscored persistent price pressures in the economy even before the Iran war disrupted Middle East energy supplies and sent the cost of gasoline and other goods soaring. So at one level we should look … Continue reading "We Have An Inflation Problem; And More…"

There were shenanigans in the Senate relating to the future of cash, and it highlights the games people play to keep the banks sweet, despite the need to access cash, especially in the regions, and especially now. I am joined by Robbie Barwick, National Chairman; National Research Director; 2025 Senate Candidate for Victoria for the … Continue reading "The Senate Fire-Fight In The War On Cash: With Robbie Barwick"

In this live show we examined the consequences of the RBA rate hike, and the broader impact of the Gulf War on Australians, and their fixation with property. Was Mad Max just a film or a view of the future? Due to technical issues the show with Leith van Onselen has been postponed. Pesky SSD! … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Mad Max Versus The Australian Property Market: A Quickie…"

As the Gulf War morphs we examine the impact on property in Australia, with specific reference to Sydney with our property insider Edwin Almeida. Once again it seems the MSM property writes are behind the ball in terms of the latest statistics. We also consider the SA election, and the “downsizer” policies which were part … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

War does not run to a script. Not least because all parties have a say about what happens next. Mohamed El-Erian said on X: “Consensus is shifting, and rightly so: This third week of the war has fuelled a shift from a short-term energy disruption to long-term structural damage. With that, the broader fallout—also marked … Continue reading "Markets Swoon, Lost In A Fog Of War And Recession Fears."

Today we look at the lasting impact of the Gulf War with journalist Tarric Brooker, and discover that Australia is almost uniquely exposed thanks to past policy choices and poor leadership. Using his great charts, (see the link here for them: https://www.burnouteconomics.com/p/dfa-chart-pack-20th-march-2026) we look at fuel availability, as well are the broader economic fallout, and … Continue reading "Are We Up The Creek Without A Paddle? With Tarric Brooker"

Today we got the latest data from the ABS on employment and population. While Australian unemployment stayed relatively low in February as job gains continued, which perhaps reinforced the Reserve Bank’s view that the economy remains resilient enough to withstand tighter monetary policy, the big news was strong population growth up by 1.6 per cent … Continue reading "Australian Population Booms As Unemployment Rises: But…"

Against the backcloth of the Gulf War, Robbie Barwick, National Chairman;National Research Director and 2025 Senate Candidate for Victoria for the Australian Citizens Party and I discuss the ramifications and policy failures which are hitting real Australians now. We examine the failure of the “Neo-liberal” virus, international relations and the need for a new approach, … Continue reading "Australia Must Get Serious Before It Is Too Late! With Robbie Barwick"

I caught up with Head of Investments at Walk The World Funds and Nucleus Wealth to discuss the latest on the financial markets, as the Gulf war continues to reverberate across stocks, bonds and commodities. We discussed the potential impacts on Oil, LNG, Urea, Helium and other commodities and the potential fallout on markets. Importantly … Continue reading "Financial Markets: Is It Time To Panic Yet? With Damien Klassen"

In this edit of a live show we examined the big changes lurking over the property market, including the sudden lift in interest rates and decreased affordability, upcoming potential changes to investor tax breaks and recent Government intervention to encourage first time buyers to enter the market with 5% deposits even as price growth slows. … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A Replay: Playing The Property Game In A Changing World: With Chris Bates"

In today’s show property insider Edwin Almeida and I discuss the “real estate virus” and how it mutates faster than regulators attempts to control it, plus the latest on the fall-out from the Iran conflict and the hit to households incoming from a potential rate rise. Politicians will be able to blame “the war” for … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

Suddenly the media reporting on auction clearance statistics for the weekend have changed. For example, the AFR trumpets “‘Fear and anxiety’ grips auction market” with the line “Australia’s east-coast-dominated housing market is cooling, with more homes being offered for sale at the same time as prospective buyers grow cautious about the cost of living and … Continue reading "Slowly, Then Quickly As “Fear Grips” The Property Market!"

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. Sometimes, events change thinking, and this week harsh reality crept across global markets. Investors, central banks and ordinary consumers alike are being held hostage as Brent rose … Continue reading "Markets, Households & Businesses All Held Over A Barrel!"

With the current oil price spiking thanks to the current Middle East conflict, Head of Investments from Nucleus Wealth and Walk The World Funds, Damien Klassen and I discuss the relative economics of EV’s versus oil driven cars. With Oil north of $100 a barrel, the analysis reveals some significant insights into the markets in … Continue reading "The EV Versus Oil Toss-Up; In The Current Context: With Damian Klassen"

Our latest surveys highlight that BOTH property renters AND property investors are facing significant challenges, given the low levels of supply, rising costs and regulatory intervention. The truth is the system is broken, as APRA tries to clamp down on highly leveraged loans, even as the growth in investor lending outstrips owner occupied lending, while … Continue reading "Property Investors And Property Renters BOTH Being Crushed!"

Sorry to say, but households, already under the pump as I discussed in my live show yesterday are going to face more pain in the months ahead as interest rates rise and inflation breaks higher. It was already trending that way, but the conflict in the Middle East is making things worse, and despite some … Continue reading "Hold On! Rates And Inflation Are Going Up! But Why?"

In this edit of a live show we examined the latest data from our surveys, and the distribution of financial stress across the country. With the prospect of higher interest rates and and the Iran situation this is more important than ever. Find out where the key pressure points are. 0:00 Introduction3:22 Oil Crisis and … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Mapping Household Finances As Pressures Rise And Incomes Fall!"

In tonight’s rant Edwin, our property insider and I discuss the latest from the middle east and specifically how it may impact Australia, and Australian property! We are seeing a range of issues bubbling up which may well impact households and property across the country. But not all property is impacted in the same way. … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

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. As expected, the broadening conflict in the middle east spooked markets as Oil rose with WTI up more than 35% and LNG gas futures up 67%. As … Continue reading "Brace: Markets Caught In A Volatile Trap As War, Jobs And Credit Risks All Hit!"

The Australian Property appears to be at an inflection point, with prices in Melbourne and Sydney at an aggregate level stalling, and growth easing elsewhere, as the impact of higher interest rates and degraded affordability hit home. In addition, the negative news from the Gulf, and the wider potential economic fallout, as well as stalling … Continue reading "Truth And Lies About The Property Market"

Recent events surrounding Iran are the core of this weeks discussion with journalist Tarric Brooker. Using his great slides we dive into the potential consequences of the raging war, and examine the potential economic and politics consequences. Even Australia, a world away will not be immune. And we also consider the latest on housing and … Continue reading "Its The End Of The World As We Know It! With Tarric Brooker"

Today we got the latest data from the ABS relating to Household Spending . Overall, the story continues, with households spending more on things they must buy, and less on things they choose to buy. And importantly Household consumption did not deliver the expected strength in the GDP data yesterday as many households remain under … Continue reading "What They Don’t Tell You About Household Spending!"

Well, well, the government maybe celebrating strong economic growth figures, but it makes it more likely the RBA will increase rates sooner rather than later. So good news is perhaps also bad news. Money markets are now pricing in a 33 per cent chance of a second rate increase from the Reserve Bank later this … Continue reading "Stronger Growth In the Rear View Mirror, Yes, But…"

This is an edit of a live show where I was be joined by Head of Investments At Nucleus Wealth and Walk The World Funds, Damien Klassen. We examined the current market dynamics in the light of the war in Iran, and its potential fallout. What does it mean for markets, and how might it … Continue reading "DFA Live Q&A HD Replay: Investing In A Time Of Conflict: With Damien Klassen"

In our latest property rant, property insider Edwin Almeida and I discuss the rise (sic) of high-rise, noise and other pressures in apartment living, the fall out from the middle east conflict on property, CGT reform which is nothing of the sort, and the rapid fall in the number of rental properties listed for rent. … Continue reading "Its Edwin’s Monday Evening Property Rant!"

First introduced in the 1980s, capital gains tax (CGT) is back in the headlines in early 2026 because potential changes to CGT rules are being discussed ahead of the federal budget, alongside a Senate inquiry that’s examining how the tax is applied. On 4 November 2025, the Senate resolved that the Select Committee on the … Continue reading "Will Changes To CGT Spook The Property Market?"

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. Financial and tech stocks were hit hard by a handful of persistent investor worries on Friday, with U.S. stocks suffering their largest monthly percentage declines in a … Continue reading "Here Come The Cockroaches: Stagflation City Ahead!"

Earlier in the week we got the latest monthly release from the ABS on inflation, which I briefly covered in the economic update show earlier. These figures are part of a new series that will eventually replace quarterly inflation data which remains the RBA’s benchmark release for now. In a speech last Tuesday, Michael Plumb, … Continue reading "Spinning Australia Into Oblivion!"

Another report on the housing crisis, this one from Domain, who just released their first-home buyer report 2026. So, we look at their findings and compare the trends with what is happening in New Zealand. Our Kiwi cousins can teach us a thing or two! Domain says Australia remains one of the most challenging housing … Continue reading "No Housing For You, Or You, Or You!"

This is my edit our our monthly economic and housing update recorded with Nuggets News. In this edition we examine the State of the Union, AI, Market Dynamics, the Australian Economy, housing, and much much more. What are the latest polls really telling us, and where are markets headed? http://www.martinnorth.com/ Details of our one to … Continue reading "Its A Clown Show! Economic Update February 2026"