Westpac

CBA's investor loan applications are down 28 per cent since the May budget, Westpac's overall applications are down about 20 per cent, ANZ tips Sydney prices to fall as much as 14.5 per cent and NAB has cut its national forecast to minus 5.

Settlement day is the most financially exposed moment in a property buyer's life, and payment redirection scammers know it. One Perth buyer got within minutes of losing $1.2 million.

Westpac says mortgage applications have fallen 20 per cent since the May budget scrapped investor tax concessions, as third-quarter cash earnings slipped to A$1.8 billion and the bank tips investor credit growth to roughly halve in 2027.

The number that matters most to anyone carrying a balance: NAB is lifting the variable purchase rate on the Rewards Platinum, Rewards Signature and NAB Qantas Rewards Premium cards from 20.99% to 22.49% p.a., effective 1 October 2026.

The Reserve Bank of Australia left the cash rate unchanged at 4.35% at its 16 June 2026 meeting, following three increases already delivered in 2026. The decision was unanimous, a deliberate pause rather than a pivot.

Peter Nash retired from the Westpac board on 1 July 2026, three weeks after his private ties to KPMG became a public problem.

From September 1, Victorian employees whose roles can be done remotely will have a legal right to work from home. Small businesses get until July 2027.

Australian dividend stocks remain attractive for income investors, with several ASX-listed companies offering yields above 5% with sustainable payout ratios.