Gareth Hutchens
Gareth Hutchens is a business and economics reporter based in Canberra. Prior to joining the ABC he was economics editor of the West Australian and worked as an economics and political reporter for Guardian Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age. You can follow Gareth on Twitter: @grhutchens
Latest by Gareth Hutchens
RBA boss doesn't rule out future increases as rates hold at 4.35pc
The Reserve Bank Board keeps interest rates at 4.35 per cent following inflation falling by more than expected towards the end of 2023.
Electric car sales almost triple in 2023, while the ASX loses value as Middle East tension rises, as it happened
Australia's share market slipped backwards on Thursday, following losses on major US indices and bomb blasts in Iran that increased tensions in the Middle East.
House prices jump by 8.1pc in 2023, ASX closes 1.1 points below record high
The ASX has closed 1.1 points below an all-time record high, while data shows Australian property prices jumped by 8.1 per cent in 2023 — as it happened.
ASX jumps nearly 8 per cent in 2023 as Australian market nears a record high — as it happened
The Australian share market slipped on its final trading day of 2023, but is still hovering near record-high levels. The ASX 200 has gained nearly 8 per cent since the year began, its best annual return since 2021 as markets increasingly bet on interest rate cuts next year.
ASX closes in on record high as markets bet on interest rate cuts in 2024
The local share market closes just shy of a record high, while the Australian dollar traded at its highest level in five months on expectations of steep US interest rate cuts next year — as it happened.
ASX climbs to 20-month high as 'Santa rally' continues — as it happened
The Australian share market jumps to its highest level since April last year, tracking a rally from Wall Street, as investors latch on to the year-end optimism driven by expectations of interest rate cuts next year.
Aussie dollar reaches July highs as US data hints at faster fall in inflation, ASX closes lower — as it happened
Australia's dollar briefly hit a five-month high on Friday after US data showed inflation falling faster than expected, but the ASX200 closed slightly lower. Look back on our business blog to see how Friday's events unfolded.
Nuclear energy is more expensive than renewables, CSIRO report finds
Renewable energy provides the cheapest source of new energy for Australia, a new draft report from the CSIRO and energy market operator has found.
ASX hits 10-month high after Wall Street catches rate cut fever, more people cutting back on Christmas spending — as it happened
The ASX has closed at a 10-month high on Wednesday after Wall Street rallied overnight on interest rate cut optimism, while NAB data shows that more Australians are cutting back on their Christmas shopping.
ASX rises after Wall Street rally, RBA considered December rate hike, Westpac banking services back online
Australian stocks have closed higher, while the Reserve Bank released its latest board meeting minutes showing they considered a December rate hike — as it happened.
Analysis
analysis:What happened to the promise of 'housing for all'?
What happened to the belief that "housing for all" would be the bedrock of social cohesion?
Unemployment rate hits 3.9 per cent in November, ASX jumps on news US interest rates 'may have peaked' — as it happened
The Australian share market jumped 1.65 per cent higher as traders brought forward rate cut bets in the US and around the world, and after new data showed 60,000 more Australians found employment in November.
Treasurer unveils mid-year budget update, Mitsubishi wins High Court battle, ASX finishes at three-month high — as it happened
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has delivered his mid-year economic and fiscal outlook statement showing the budget's bottom line has improved, while the optimism carried over to the local share market through strong gains in iron ore producers.
Analysis
analysis:There was a 'housing crisis' in the 1940s and 50s, but Labor and Liberal governments both worked much harder to fix it
Our severe housing problems will only be fixed if policymakers commit to solving them, writes Gareth Hutchens.
RBA governor asks if Australians should pay a fee to use cash, while the ASX200 closes 0.5pc higher — as it happened
Australian shares rise 0.5pc, while the Reserve Bank governor says Australia has not fallen behind other countries in keeping inflation under control. Catch up on the ABC News live markets blog — as it happened.
Jobs market gets worse, RBA strikes new deal with government, ASX gains on Santos surge — as it happened
A surge in Santos shares helped to lift the ASX higher for the week, while the federal government struck a fresh agreement with the Reserve Bank about how it conducts monetary policy. As it happened.
Australia's GDP figures miss forecasts, union says Australia Post changes will protect jobs, local shares finish higher — as it happened
Australia's economy grew by 0.2 per cent in the September quarter — lower than expectations — but rose by 2.1 per cent in the past year. The local share market finished higher on Wednesday after the data, despite a mixed session on Wall Street.
Analysis
analysis:There's a housing gold rush in Australia. Will you strike it rich?
Our suburbs have been turned into goldfields, creating millions of paper millionaires, writes Gareth Hutchens.
Analysis
analysis:Why Australia's employment services network needs to stop prioritising profits over people
Australia's experiment with 'marketisation' of employment services has failed, and we must refocus on helping unemployed people, a new parliamentary report says.
RBA boss says rate rises have 'created a lot of noise' but most Australians 'are actually in a pretty good position'
Inflation falls faster than expected in October, taking some pressure off the RBA to back up this month's interest rate rise with another before Christmas.
Analysis
analysis:How are younger workers expected to compete with 'Generation Landlord'?
The pathway to home ownership is not as simple as it used to be, and it's not the fault of younger workers, writes Gareth Hutchens.
Origin takeover vote postponed after a last minute revised offer, local sharemarket opens lower as oil prices slide — as it happened
Australian shares closed lower on Thursday, while Origin Energy's proposed takeover by Brookfield and EIG was delayed after receiving a last minute offer after shareholder backlash.
'Hairdressers, dentists and dining out': The price rises that told the RBA it needed to raise rates again
The Reserve Bank's new boss has not backed away from tough talk, saying the bank must use its "blunt" tool of interest rates to hammer out inflation for the collective welfare of Australians.
Analysis
analysis:No-one can escape this housing crisis — it's coming for home owners too
If we drop the antagonism between younger Australians and Boomers, will it help to fixing our housing crisis, asks Gareth Hutchens.
As unemployment rises, Jack is finding it hard to career-switch from the Navy to the tech sector
A rising number of people looking for work pushes unemployment up, despite the creation of 55,000 jobs last month.