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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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Borrowing capacity falls faster than prices: the affordability trap

Rate rises have wiped $70,000 from what an average-wage couple can borrow, but Sydney's median has only dropped $67,000.
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RBA rate hold expected but half of economists still see one more hike

The Reserve Bank meets Tuesday. Most expect 4.35% unchanged, but the split forecast tells a different story about what comes next.
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Borrowing capacity ceiling hits investors harder than rates

Half of experienced property investors name finance access as their biggest constraint, yet most still feel financially secure.
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Hardship protections tightened for mutual lenders as defaults climb

New rules force credit unions and mutuals to hunt for distress signals before borrowers ask, but does the timing fix the problem or just catch up to it?
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Loan default risk jumps 18% in one Geelong suburb

Highton now ranks in Victoria's top 10 for mortgage stress volume. The question: was it regional prices or income squeeze?
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RBA pause expected in August as inflation eases, but construction risk looms

The central bank is tipped to hold at 4.35%, yet the record construction pipeline may keep pressure cooking long after headline CPI cools.
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RBA rate hold call builds as fuel and food costs squeeze borrowers

Three hikes in five months and global oil shocks are doing the work for the Reserve Bank, but is another rise still coming?
Rates & Credit

Non-bank lenders hit $25bn as majors tighten credit post-Budget

Alternative lenders grew 25% in twelve months while major banks pulled back, but is this expanding the credit pool or just moving risk at a higher price?
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RBA rate hike threat persists as inflation drivers split opinion

External shocks versus household spending: the central bank faces a choice between punishing borrowers or letting price pressures run.
Rates & Credit

Mortgage settlements jump 13% despite rate rises: refinancing or demand?

A major broker network hit $27bn in settlements while rates climbed, but who's actually borrowing, and why now?
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Broker complaints hit record 120,000: what’s driving the surge

Financial complaints climbed 23% last year as cost-of-living pressure forces more borrowers to challenge advice, serviceability calls and disclosure practices.
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Mortgage buffers hold at 22 months as households cut spending, not savings

Transaction data shows borrowers are skipping restaurants and recreation, but prepayments are accelerating and cash reserves keep climbing.
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Mortgage rate cuts hit 6.04%, but only if you switch lenders

Thirty lenders have trimmed rates since June, yet existing borrowers pay full freight unless they haggle or refinance.
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Mortgage brokers: the back-office build investors rarely see

A broker network just added eight staff in roles most borrowers never think about. Here's why that matters when you're choosing who handles your loan.

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