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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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 how spending, jobs and the property market are shifting. To navigate these dynamic trends, it's essential to stay informed. Our latest economic update provides a deep dive into these key indicators, analysing their causes and exploring the potential ripple effects on your personal finances.

Highlights

  • Credit card spending hit $40.6 billion in July 2026, up 5.5% year on year, while debit card spending grew almost twice as fast at 10.2% to reach $60.9 billion.
  • Household spending hit a record $82.3 billion in July 2026, up 7.0% year on year, with goods and services both growing close to 7%.
  • The unemployment rate rose to 4.6% in August 2026, up from 4.5% in July.
  • The total value of Australian homes fell $34.1 billion to $12.688 trillion in the June quarter 2026, dragged down by falls in NSW (2.0%), Victoria (1.6%) and the ACT (0.7%).
  • A record 6.9% of employed Australians held more than one job in the June 2026 quarter, up from 6.5% in March, with young workers aged 20-24 leading at 11.2%.

Credit Card and Debit Card Usage Trends

In July 2026, the total value of credit card purchases in Australia reached $40.6 billion, up 5.5% over the year. Australians made 335.5 million purchases, 4.3% higher than a year ago. The average spend per card was $3,337.

Debit purchases totalled $60.9 billion, rising 3.9% in a month but 10.2% higher over the year. Australians made 1.1 billion purchases, with the average debit card spend at $1,282.

Monthly Household spending in Australia

According to the ABS, total household spending in Australia reached a record $82.3 billion in July 2026, up 7.0% compared with a year earlier. This included $43.2 billion spent on goods, up 7.2% year on year, and $39.1 billion on services, up 6.8% year on year. Average household spending was $8,239 in July 2026.

Labour Overview: Unemployment rate increases to 4.6%

The unemployment rate increased to 4.6% in August 2026, up from 4.5% the previous month.

Total Value of Dwellings in Australia

The preliminary estimate of the total value of residential dwellings in Australia fell to $12.688 trillion in the June quarter 2026, down $34.1 billion from $12.723 trillion in the March quarter.

The number of residential dwellings rose by 54,400 to 11,531,100, while the mean dwelling price fell by $8,200 to $1,100,400 over the quarter.

Households accounted for $12.2 trillion of the total value of residential dwellings.

Dwelling values fell in New South Wales (down 2.0%), Victoria (down 1.6%), and the ACT (down 0.7%), but rose in all other states and territories.

ABS multiple job-holders: June 2026

Multiple job-holding in Australia hit a record 6.9% in the June 2026 quarter (1.05 million people), up sharply from 6.5% in March, driven by women (7.7% vs 6.2% for men) and young workers (11.2% for 20-24 year-olds vs 3.1% for those 65+), concentrated in casual-heavy sectors like admin/support services and personal care. Notably, multiple job-holders are working more total hours (39.3 vs 34.8) than single job-holders, pointing to a cost-of-living squeeze rather than a side-hustle trend.

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
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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 49 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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