Economic snapshot: 5 things to watch this month

Get up to speed with the latest economic update, offering insights into Australia's financial landscape.

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Graham Cooke's headshot

By

William Capada

&

Graham Cooke

Updated

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Australia's economic landscape is in a state of flux. Data from Finder's Consumer Sentiment Tracker (CST), the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and CoreLogic (now called Cotality) reveals rising home loans, climbing property prices, and increasing credit card spending. To navigate these dynamic trends, it's essential to stay informed. Our latest economic update provides a deep dive into these key indicators, analyzing their causes and exploring the potential ripple effects on your personal finances.

Highlights

  • The average home loan for owner-occupiers rose to $730,719, up 7.8% year on year, while first home buyer loans grew fastest, up 10.0% annually to $610,063.
  • Credit card purchases totalled $40.0 billion in June 2026, up 3.8% year on year, while debit card spending reached $58.7 billion, an 11.4% annual increase.
  • Household spending hit a record $81.3 billion in June 2026, up 6.0% year on year, with average household spending at $8,133.
  • The unemployment rate rose to 4.5% in July 2026, up from 4.4% the previous month.
  • Average full-time weekly earnings increased 3.7% annually to $2,083.70 as of May 2026.

Australian Home Loan Market

For owner-occupiers, the average home loan size now sits at $730,719, down 0.6% over the quarter but up 7.8% year-on-year. First home buyers increased their average loan size to $610,063, down 0.6% over the quarter while rising 10.0% annually.

Investor loan sizes averaged $708,350, falling 0.2% over the quarter but increasing 5.2% year-on-year.

Refinancing loans averaged $554,824, up 1.6% over the quarter and 4.5% year-on-year, with external refinancing totalling $43.1 billion and internal refinancing totalling $19.6 billion of the $62.74 billion in refinancing activity.

Credit Card and Debit Card Usage Trends

In June 2026, The total value of credit card purchases in Australia reached $40.0 billion, up 3.8% compared with a year earlier. Australians made 330.3 million credit card purchases, an increase of 1.5% over the year, while the average spend per card was $3,284.

Debit purchases totalled $58.7 billion, up 3.4% from the previous month and 11.4% higher than a year earlier. Australians made 1.1 billion debit card purchases, with the average spend per card reaching $1,242.

Monthly Household spending in Australia

According to the ABS, total household spending in Australia reached a record $81.3 billion in June 2026, up 6.0% compared with a year earlier. This included $42.9 billion spent on goods, up 5.8% year on year, and $38.4 billion on services, up 6.1% year on year. Average household spending was $8,133 in June 2026.

Labour Overview: Unemployment rate increase to 4.5%

The unemployment rate increased to 4.5% in July 2026, up from 4.4% the previous month.

Average Weekly Earnings

As of May 2026, According to ABS, the average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults, seasonally adjusted, Increased by 3.7% annually to $2,083.7.

For deeper dives into the numbers shaping Australia's economy, don't miss Finder's Insights Hub. Discover a wealth of statistics, consumer research, and expert commentary – your go-to source for understanding the financial landscape.

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Written by

Insights Analyst
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William Capada is an insights analyst at Finder. With years of experience as an analyst, he has honed his skills in analysing complex datasets and extracting actionable insights. Proficient in various analytical tools, he has a proven track record of delivering meaningful insights that drive strategic decision-making. William conducts research related to economic data and is also responsible for updating the insights statistics pages. He also assists in ensuring that the scoring makes sense for the Finder Retail Awards. See full bio

William's expertise
William has written 5 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Data Analysis
  • Data Visualization
  • Retail Awards
Graham Cooke's headshot
Co-written by

Head of Consumer Research

Graham Cooke is Finder’s Head of Consumer Research, overseeing data analysis on consumer spending and saving habits. He is a passionate advocate for financial literacy and consumer rights, regularly appearing on major TV networks like ABC News and 7 News, and contributing to top outlets like Yahoo Finance and Money Magazine. Graham holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Physics, as well as Tier 1 and Tier 2 certifications (RG 146) that comply with ASIC standards. See full bio

Graham's expertise
Graham has written 57 Finder guides across topics including:
  • Home loans and the housing market
  • Credit cards & personal finance
  • Finder Awards
  • Retail economics & FMCG
  • Travel
  • Finder's RBA Cash Rate Survey, Consumer Sentiment Tracker, Cost of Living Pressure Gauge and Property Investment Index

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