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Rates & Credit

Rate hikes and inflation push household strain to a post-pandemic high

A new Misery Index shows borrowing costs and prices now do the damage, not jobs. The question is who carries it.
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Non-bank lending gets a $1.7bn boost from Macquarie and Citi

A bridging fintech now has more than $1.7bn in debt funding from two big institutions. The harder question is what that means for borrowers and risk.
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Best interest duty review: cheaper loans aren’t always best

ASIC is reviewing how brokers meet their best interest duty, and the industry says the lowest rate is not always the right loan. The trade-off matters more as rates bite.
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Trans-Tasman stress test: banks pass, but the gaps matter

Regulators say lenders would keep lending through a deep recession. The test is only as good as what it leaves out.
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Hardship arrangements trap homeowners in high-rate loans for a year

Borrowers who accept payment relief can't refinance to cheaper deals, and the RBA may be missing the scale of stress.
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Broker mortgage share climbs as bank direct channels hit capacity

One major lender's broker fundings jumped three percentage points in six months. The shift signals distribution pressure, not a strategy change.
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Mortgage serviceability checks tighten as lenders price in refinance risk

Falling prices mean less equity, and lenders are quietly front-loading scrutiny to avoid borrowers trapped in 12–18 months.
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RBA inflation forecast brings 2027 target forward, but spring buyers still face hold pattern

The Reserve Bank now expects inflation to hit target six months earlier than forecast in May, yet rate cuts remain distant. What does that mean for property decisions this spring?
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Bank profit margins expand as investor loans collapse 28%

CBA just posted a record $11bn profit while investor loan applications fell nearly three times faster than owner-occupier demand. What's driving the gap?
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Borrowing capacity down $70k as prices fall: why buyers are stuck

Rate hikes have cut what couples can borrow by more than Sydney's forecast price drop, but transaction volumes tell the real story.
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Variable home loan rates: 49 lenders now below 6% as cash rate holds

Lenders are slashing advertised rates even as the central bank refuses to rule out further hikes. The gap is widening, here's what's driving it and how long it can last.
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RBA cash rate hold masks the tighter threat borrowers need to price

The Reserve Bank left rates unchanged but didn't rule out another hike, a stance that's already shifting how lenders and vendors approach the next six months.
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Equity release lending surge: families borrowing against homes for groceries

Owner-occupiers are tapping home equity to cover school fees and mortgage repayments, not investment purchases. Is this a cashflow patch or the start of an unsustainable cycle?
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Falling house prices RBA rate hike calculus: equity loss versus repayment relief

Property values dropped faster than the Reserve Bank expected. That changes the inflation equation, and the odds of another rate rise.
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Bank mergers accelerate: scale play or borrower squeeze?

Customer-owned lenders are combining for efficiency, but fewer players raises the question no one's pricing yet.
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Investor mortgage applications crash 20% as tax policy bites

One major bank's loan volumes are down a fifth in a quarter. The driver: negative gearing changes that cut borrowing power by up to 20%. What happens when credit growth stalls this fast?
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Mortgage stress Australia: two-thirds say next rate rise breaks the budget

A new survey says 67% of households can't absorb another increase, but what does 'break the budget' actually mean, and does the data match the headline?
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Co-buying property: how siblings and parents are pooling loans to beat affordability

Three-generation households jumped 21.8% in five years. The financial logic is clear, but what happens when one party wants out?

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