Beyond Interest Rates: What’s Shaping Australia’s Construction Outlook
Interest rates are only part of the story. Economist Stephen Koukoulas explores the structural forces, policy settings, and market dynamics shaping Australia’s construction and housing outlook, and what they mean for the industry right now.
Stephen Koukoulas - 60 Minutes: Why the Trump Trade Turmoil Spells Danger for Australia’s Economy
Economist and keynote speaker Stephen Koukoulas warned on 60 Minutes that Trump’s trade war could trigger a global recession, with Australia at serious risk. As trade with China slows and tensions with the US grow, Koukoulas urges strategic caution. His keynotes offer clear, fearless insights to help businesses navigate economic uncertainty with confidence and prepare for what’s next.
Prepare Your Organisation for the 2025 Australian Federal Budget with Keynote Speaker Stephen Koukoulas
With inflation concerns, interest rate pressures, and tax cuts influencing the fiscal landscape, organizations across Australia need expert insights to make informed decisions. Economist Stephen Koukoulas provides his expert insights on economic trends, policy decisions, and market impacts.
Stephen Koukoulas on Bloomberg Markets
Market Economics Managing Director and keynote Speaker Stephen Koukoulas spoke with Bloomberg Markets Asia regarding the RBA and the inflation surge. As a keynote speaker and panellist Stephen is often asked to discuss the economy with diverse audiences due to his ability to turn complex economic analysis into terms mere mortals can understand.
What are the impacts of the Housing Cycle?
Housing is a dominant issue for the Australian economy, and a dominant issue for most of us individuals - we love talking about house prices. Stephen Koukoulas, leading Australian economist and keynote speaker certainly knows about the housing cycle and provides insights on its impact on the Australian economy, your business, and your investments
Economic Security for Women
Stephen Koukoulas — leading Australian economist and keynote speaker dives into the heart of policy reforms and their application in closing pay gaps between men and women. He explores key economic issues such as superannuation, childcare, education and training.
There is a need for economic policies that increase pay rates and balance pay rates for roles filed by both men and women. Stephen Koukoulas also calls for the increase in superannuation, and the provision of childcare support.
Poor vaccination supply is upending the economic recovery
Australia’s dismal vaccination rate is undermining what was a great scorecard for the economy that emerged over the first half of 2021.
Since the start of 2021, the economic news was stunningly good. Not only relative to the forecasts and expectations of all economists, but in absolute terms with the unemployment rate falling, wages growth picking up, the stock market and house prices hitting record highs and business conditions and consumer sentiment tracking at or near record highs.
It has been obvious for many months that the Morrison government’s dithering, missteps and errors in obtaining enough COVID-19 vaccinations, was a huge risk to the health of Australians and was a major risk to the economic outlook.
Economic Sustainability
Few economists have both the global and local experience of Stephen Koukoulas — leading Australian economist & keynote speaker. He is an economic thought leader in his role with his business, Market Economics. Stephen is often driving the debate on housing, consumer spending, investment strategies, interest rates and budget policy. This month we got his thoughts on economic sustainability.
The Farm Sector and Economic Recovery
Few economists have both the global and local experience of Stephen Koukoulas. He is an economic thought leader in his role with his business, Market Economics - and in this video he notes that the farm sector has been one of the hidden stars of the economic recovery from the 2020 COVID recession. It's a good news story.
House Prices: It’s all about Supply and Demand
The housing sector has, so far, been remarkably resilient in the wake of the recession and the COVID-19 pandemic. This appears to be linked to the mortgage repayment holidays, low-interest rates and JobKeeper. Unless the economy can snap-back quickly in 2021, a resumption of the house price weakness could be just around the corner. What will this mean for you, your business and investment strategy?
"An ugly set of numbers" - Jobs market could get worse
The September labour force data show the impact of the recession on jobs, hours worked and unemployment. It is bad news. Depressing in many ways to realise that there are 937,400 Australians unemployed, a further 1,538,800 underemployed and that since the onset of Covid-19, the workforce participation rate has dropped by 1.3 percentage points as people have given up looking for work.
Relaxed Lending and Superannuation in the Covid Recession
COVID-19 has sparked massive changes in banking and finance, not least because of the deep recession impacting the economy.
Among the changes that have been witnessed in finance, the so-called responsible lending laws have been relaxed to make it easier for a borrower to get a loan. In addition, around $35 billion has been withdrawn from superannuation accounts as the government has encouraged people to pull out cash from their superannuation savings to cover the costs of being unemployed or working fewer hours during the COVID-19 recession.
Private sector must lead the growth
Economist Stephen Koukoulas says the economy needs money poured into private sector pockets so they can spend, invest and most importantly hire.
“So I would be looking at policies that make sure the economy is growing strongly enough so that in a reasonable amount of time we get that unemployment rate back to where it was pre-Covid,” Mr Koukoulas told Sky News.
August’s unemployment rate came in below expectations at 6.8 per cent, largely propped up by wage subsidy schemes which mask the actual rate. “It was only ten months ago that it was five per cent, it’s difficult and a lot depends on how the health crisis goes. “But for here and now it’s about jobs.”
Falling immigration figures to hit demand in housing market
Market Economics’ Stephen Koukoulas says immigration intake has “slowed to a trickle” and with it much of the demand for new houses and infrastructure.
skynews.com.au -There is no confidence at all in projected unemployment rate
Economist Stephen Koukoulas says “there is no confidence at all” in any projections about the unemployment rate amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Cash rate cut wont be the silver bullet that saves the economy - Sky News
Australian economist Stephen Koukoulas says the Reserve Bank of Australia’s emergency cash rate cut would help businesses and homeowners already “well off economically in this crisis”.
Stephen Koukuolas ABC News - The Business
On a bad day for the markets and the economy, fund manager Roger Montgomery and independent economist Stephen Koukoulas speak to The Business, ABC News
Stephen Koukoulas speaks to The Business ABC News
Central banks and governments around the world are scrambling to keep economies afloat as the coronavirus contagion sweeps across the globe. In Australia the RBA is poised to announce its next move on Thursday. Economist Stephen Koukoulas speaks to ABC News.
