HOUSE PRICES IN TURMOIL
The latest statistics show the housing market continues to both boom and decline. While many houses in the first home buyer end increase in price, the middle to upper categories are suffering with last year’s drop of 3 percent now predicted to get worse to around an 8 percent decline for 2009.
WHERE DOES ALL THE MONEY GO?
A curious piece of research has emerged from Access Economics which states only a relatively small percentage of last year’s Federal Economic Stimulus package has been spent with most of the hand-outs going to pay-off existing debt. The research specialist is now asking how the government can give sufficient incentive to its latest round of hand-outs to ensure the move does boost the economy.
EXPORTS GIVE SURPRISE TRADE BOOST
Just when all the economic numbers were mainly looking bad comes the news that overall exports have increased. The upturn has had an immediate effect on the balance of payments which is helping hold up our dollar.
MAKING BIG SALES
While the new car sales are down in the traditionally dominant markets of the US, EU and Japan, some emerging nations are going great guns. The latest figures from China and India show new car sales up 33 and 22 percent respectively.
AND NOW, PREDICTIONS OF THE UPTURN
The Chairman of the US Federal Reserve has said all the indicators show the year 2010 will see a ‘return to growth’. His long-awaited statement came at a time when the major stock markets picked up from their months of gloom and began to record consistent slight gains.
