Singapore Raises 2026 GDP Growth Forecast as AI Demand Fuels Economy 
Gold Prices Hold Near Seven-Week High as Markets Await U.S. Inflation Data 
European Stocks Flat as Oil Prices Rise, US CPI in Focus 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await U.S. Inflation Data 
England Drought Expands to 71% as Heatwave Deepens Water Crisis 
Gold Price Hits Two-Month High as Investors Await US Inflation Data 
Wall Street Slips as Oil Prices Surge 5% on Iran-Hormuz Uncertainty 
Yen Stabilizes After Intervention Slide as Australian Dollar Hits Eight-Week High 
Oil Prices Rise as US-Iran Talks Stall, Inflation Risks Grow 
Australia’s ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence index, which was unchanged in September at 118, close to the historical average. The current conditions index fell 4 points to 120, while the future conditions index lifted 2 points to 116.
Consumer confidence remains pretty steady – and pretty average. Perceptions of current conditions remain strong, but there is some caution about the future, particularly around the broader economy rather than respondents’ own financial situations.
One of the most useful questions in the survey is whether respondents think it’s a good time to buy a major household item. This question bucked the trend this month, dipping 6 points to be the lowest in three years – admittedly three unusually stable year. This is worth keeping an eye on.
"The growth indicators out of business surveys are impacted around times of political change, and we await further evidence to assess how large the growth hiccup may prove. But monetary conditions and fiscal policy are stimulatory, and barring a global shock, we suspect the economy will muddle through," ANZ Research reported.
