Catherine Birch, senior economist at ANZ, notes that the construction activity in Australia fell 3.8% q/q in Q2 2019 to be down 11.1% y/y and was the fourth (and largest) quarterly contraction in a row.
Key Quotes
“The decline in residential construction worsened to -5.1% q/q, dragging the annual result down to -9.6%. Non-residential building saw an even larger fall of 6.6% q/q and engineering construction rounded off the trifecta, down 1.1% q/q.”
“After two quarters of disappointing results, public engineering construction eeked out a 0.9% gain in Q2. However, it remains 16.1% down from the peak a year ago despite the solid pipeline of infrastructure projects. Public non-residential building dropped a further 4.9% q/q, following the 2.9% fall in Q1.”
“New building (-5.3%) and alterations and additions (-3.3%) combined to drag down private residential activity to its lowest level since late 2015. Private engineering construction has not yet bottomed out, falling 2.5% q/q, while private non-residential building lost all of the gains from Q1 and then some, down 7.3% q/q.”
“The sharper-than-expected fall in construction activity during the quarter will undermine GDP growth in Q2 2019 and puts downside risk on our pick.”
Information on these pages contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Markets and instruments profiled on this page are for informational purposes only and should not in any way come across as a recommendation to buy or sell in these assets. You should do your own thorough research before making any investment decisions. FXStreet does not in any way guarantee that this information is free from mistakes, errors, or material misstatements. It also does not guarantee that this information is of a timely nature. Investing in Open Markets involves a great deal of risk, including the loss of all or a portion of your investment, as well as emotional distress. All risks, losses and costs associated with investing, including total loss of principal, are your responsibility. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of FXStreet nor its advertisers. The author will not be held responsible for information that is found at the end of links posted on this page.
If not otherwise explicitly mentioned in the body of the article, at the time of writing, the author has no position in any stock mentioned in this article and no business relationship with any company mentioned. The author has not received compensation for writing this article, other than from FXStreet.
FXStreet and the author do not provide personalized recommendations. The author makes no representations as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability of this information. FXStreet and the author will not be liable for any errors, omissions or any losses, injuries or damages arising from this information and its display or use. Errors and omissions excepted.
The author and FXStreet are not registered investment advisors and nothing in this article is intended to be investment advice.
Recommended content
Editors’ Picks
AUD/USD drops toward 0.6500 after dismal Aussie Retail Sales, mixed China's PMIs
AUD/USD is extending losses toward 0.6500, hit by an unexpected drop in the Australian Retail Sales for March while China's NBS April PMI data came in mixed. Upbeat China's Caixin Manufacturing PMI data failed to lift the Aussie Dollar amid a softer risk tone and the US Dollar rebound.
USD/JPY holds rebound to 157.00 after Monday's suspected intervention-led crash
USD/JPY is trading close to 157.00, staging a solid rebound in the Asian session on Tuesday. The pair reverses a part of heavy losses incurred on Monday after the Japanese Yen rallied hard on probable FX market intervention by Japan's authorities. Poor Japan's jobs and Retail Sales data weigh on the Yen.
Gold prices soften as traders gear up for Fed monetary policy decision
Gold price snaps two days of gains, yet it remains within familiar levels, with traders bracing for the US Fed's monetary policy decision on May 1. The XAU/USD retreats below the daily open and trades at $2,334, down 0.11%, courtesy of an improvement in risk appetite.
BNB price risks a 10% drop as Binance founder and ex-CEO Changpeng Zhao eyes Tuesday sentencing
Binance Coin price is dumping, with the one-day chart showing a defined downtrend. While the broader market continues to bleed, things could get worse for BNB price ahead of Binance executive Changpeng Zhao sentencing on Tuesday, April 30.
FX market still on intervention watch
Asian foreign exchange traders will be particularly attentive to any signs of Japanese intervention on Tuesday, following reports of Tokyo's involvement in the market on Monday. This intervention action propelled the yen upward from its 34-year low of 160 per dollar, setting off shockwaves of volatility.