APM: Surging Sydney market shattering records

From Dr. Andrew Wilson of APM:"The Sydney home auction market has unsurprisingly commenced August where it left off in July with yet another strong result. The weekend auction clearance rate of 81.3 percent was remarkably the fourth consecutive weekend result above 80 percent.Sydney’s weekend auction market reached recorded highs over July with the clearance rate of 75.9 percent is the highest ever...

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RBA shows moderately increasing housing credit

From the Reserve Bank today:"Housing credit increased by 0.4 per cent over May following an increase of 0.4 per cent over April. Over the year to May, housing credit rose by 4.5 per cent."A lot of panicked articles doing the rounds today as the RP Data index shows colossal gains in June, particularly for Sydney where prices have apparently increased by 3% in the past month alone.I wouldn't get too...

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APM: Sydney property market "hot"

From Australian Property Monitors:"Another set of extraordinary results for Sydney’s hotter than hot home auction market was recorded at the weekend. The auction clearance rate of 80.8 percent was the third consecutive weekend of clearance rates above 80 percent. Auction clearance rates continue to track at levels not recorded for over ten years at this time of the year.With auction clearance rates...

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Belkin Grip Candy Sheer Case / Cover for Apple iPhone 5 (Black / Green)

FeaturesSlim, form-fitting designFull button protectionBeveled edge protects screen from scratchesAllows full access to all controls and portsCamera lens cutoutList Price: $24.99Special Offer: check this out!Related Products Tech Armor iPhone 5 Premium...

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Will Australia fall into a recession?

Our economics teacher at school once said to us: "Don't be surprised if there's a recession when you leave school." He was a cantankerous old sod, and we just thought he was being antagonistic. Unfortunately, he then died, so the poor chap didn't stick...

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Sydney auction boom continues

APM reports another stonking 81% auction clearance rate in the harbour city.Extraordinary results which are commensurate with double digit price gains being recorded.In contrast, Melbourne's auction clearance rate slipped to a reported 63%, as the winter months begin to cool the market.As noted, this property market cycle could end up being Sydney going it alo...

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AUD 95 cents

Will be interesting to see what happens to the dollar this week.Futures markets are already pricing in a 55% chance of another rate cut in July.So, if the Labour Force data is weak on Thursday...

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The great delevering begins?

The great delivering begins?Plenty of financial commentators were on hand to forecast a "housing bust" after the last great property boom in Australia. They were wrong and have incorrectly continued to make those predictions for years now. But while...

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Investment risk - warts and all

In Australia, although the tabloids sometimes venture into unsavoury and intrusive reporting, we don't have the extreme gutter press that has plagued Britain over recent decades. Sometimes, of course, our press oversteps the mark, but nothing in comparison to UK newspapers such as the now-defunct News of the World, which was found to have pulled all kinds of despicable stunts including the appalling...

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Is Australia's cost of living spiralling out of control?

I've heard it said fairly often over the last few years that the cost of living in Australia is a "dead set joke". We've certainly become a high cost country, although having visited Britain over the past month I can attest that the costs of some goods...

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Trade surplus - 5th month in a row

It looks like today will be a good news day.Another indicator that the June national accounts might not be so weak as touted, Australia recording a 5th consecutive month of trade surplus according to the ABS:"In seasonally adjusted terms, the balance...

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Felco F-2 Classic Manual Hand Pruner

FeaturesIdeal pruner for light applications and easily adjustableFeatures strong blades with a wire cutting notchLightweight metal handlesBlades are made of high-quality hardened steelLimited lifetime warrantyList Price: $62.99Special Offer: check this...

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New home sales keep on climbing...

And now for some brighter news. New home sales climbed again in May (+1.6%) after their increase in April (+3.6%).The increase in the month was driven by both increases in sales of new houses (+0.9%) and new units (+5.7%).New home sales hit record...

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"UK homeowners are making £60 a day"

Crumbs, you know Britain is gonna have a good ol' crack at reinflating its housing market when you see headlines like this starting to appear in the usually sober Daily Telegraph.Strew...

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Stock selection for today's defensive investor

Picking your own stocksRegular readers will know that for most average investors, I'd suggest not trying to be too clever wiht picking your own stocks and instead investing consistently and regularly into a diversified Listed Investment Company with heavy exposure to industrials and financials.Most people don't, though, and they prefer to pick their own stocks. Nothing wrong with that in itself, of...

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OtterBox Defender Series Hybrid Case for iPad Mini - Black (77-23834)

FeaturesSilicone plug covers keep the dust and debris out of the main openings without interfering with usabilityA polycarbonate case cover fits over the front or back of the iPad mini and doubles as a stand to view in portrait or landscape mode1-year...

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Suckers rally?

Source: ki...

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Devil Put Dinosaurs Here

FeaturesLabel EMI VIrginVinyl Records - 2-LP Picture Disc - SealedLimited EditionTrack Listing1. Hollow2. Pretty Done3. Stone4. Voices5. The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here6. Lab Monkey7. Low Ceiling8. Breath on a Window9. Scalpel10. Phantom Limb11. Hung on...

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Retail sales on the road to nowhere...

A weak result for the month of June, with retail sales failing to show growth for the month of the quarter on a seasonally adjusted basis.Although there are whispers that July and August may show a better result, weak retail sales in June missed expectations...

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Unemployment to tick up today?

Labour Force data out at 11.30am.Expecting to see unemployment tick up today from last month's surprise 5.5%, perhaps even to 5.7%.The April figures showed 50,100 jobs added (+0.4%) but if ABS past history is anything to go by we'll see a chunk of those figures wound back in May.Such is the way of ABS employment figures...

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UK heatwave continues...

The UK heatwave continues this week with temperatures hitting a sticky 33.7 degrees. Great chance for Australia to take charge of the third Test Match today with the pitch turning sharply.As a National Trust member and a certified history nerd,...

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