Financial News: Australia's Leading Index Signals Soft Economic Activity I

Australia's Leading Index Signals Soft Economic Activity In H2: Westpac

07/23/2025 - 02:16:00 (RTTNews)

(RTTNews) - Australia's leading index signaled soft economic activity through the second half of the year, data from Westpac showed Wednesday.

The six-month annualized growth rate in the Westpac-Melbourne Institute Leading Index, which indicates the likely pace of economic activity relative to trend three to nine months into the future, slowed to 0.03 percent in June from 0.11 percent in the previous month.

Data showed that the main drag came from commodity prices, sentiment and hours worked.

Westpac cautioned that the index growth rate could easily slip into negative again if there is a weakening in US growth, another sell-off in financial markets or diminished prospects for interest rate cuts.

Westpac forecast the economy to expand only 1.7 percent over calendar 2025, a small improvement on the 1.3 percent gain in 2024.

For comments and feedback: contact editorial@rttnews.com

Market News provided by RTTNews

RECENT INTERNATIONAL FINANCIAL NEWS

South Africa Inflation At 4-Month High (02 hr(s), 43 min(s), 28 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - South Africa's consumer price inflation accelerated to a four-month high in June, ...Full Story»

Singapore Inflation Steady At 0.8% (05 hr(s), 17 min(s), 28 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Singapore's consumer prices logged a steady growth in June, official data revealed ...Full Story»

Sri Lanka Central Bank Holds Policy Rate (05 hr(s), 34 min(s), 28 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Sri Lanka's central bank maintained its interest rate on Wednesday amid intensifyi ...Full Story»

Australia's Leading Index Signals Soft Economic Activity In H2: Westpac (07 hr(s), 16 min(s), 28 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Australia's leading index signaled soft economic activity through the second half ...Full Story»

Singapore Inflation Data Due On Wednesday (27 min(s), 32 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Singapore will on Wednesday release June figures for consumer prices, highlighting a l ...Full Story»

South Korea Consumer Confidence Index Improves In July - BoK (48 min(s), 32 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Consumer confidence in South Korea strengthened in July, the latest survey from the Ba ...Full Story»

Eurozone Loan Demand Rises In Q2: ECB Survey (44 min(s), 28 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - Eurozone banks reported an increase in demand for loans from firms and households, the ...Full Story»

UK Budget Deficit Exceeds Estimate In June (02 hr(s), 26 min(s), 28 sec(s) ago)
(RTTNews) - The UK budget deficit widened more than estimated in June on higher debt servicing cos ...Full Story»