The state of the economy at the street level

[InsvestoBoy]

I know a recruiter in commercial construction (hiring Project Managers, Commercial Managers, higher level project staff) is being made redundant because all the construction projects are drying up. Clients delaying/reneging on construction projects. Usually a leading economic indicator.

At the same time, I've been doing a lot of trips to the city recently for work and it is pumping. Bars and restaurants full at lunch and dinner, trains packed, streets lined with people.

 

[rcw1]

Good morning
Thinking them WA lobsters were supposed to go to China ...
New market in Aus needed.

Have a very nice day today.

Kind regards
rcw1

Good morning
Just heard a news report that Aussie Lobster trade with China is set to resume in March 2023. Good news for our Lobster Industry.

Kind regards
rcw1

 

[JohnDe]

Good morning
Just heard a news report that Aussie Lobster trade with China is set to resume in March 2023. Good news for our Lobster Industry.

Kind regards
rcw1

Starting with coal imports opening again, but everything will be slow at first.

The first loads of Australian coal to be shipped to China in more than two years have arrived in Guangdong province amid a flurry of positive signalling by Beijing about the trade outlook for the two “highly complementary” economies.

In a further good sign for Australian exporters caught up in China’s trade coercion campaign, Chinese authorities have begun to issue permits that would allow the resumption of Australia’s live lobster trade. Previous applications had been denied. The first lobsters could be flown to China within weeks.

Benjamin Herscovitch, an expert in the Australia-China relationship at the ANU, said Canberra was benefiting from Beijing’s wider re-engagement with the world and recognition that its economic coercion campaign on Australia hadn’t worked.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if by the middle of the year, we are at a point where the bulk of the Australian exports that have been restricted to the Chinese market are getting back in,” he told The Australian.

“Not necessarily in the same quantities … but still getting in.”

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/china-clears-first-australian-coal-import-in-over-two-years/news-story/027c187dfde78823255ec129f5600756

 

[moXJO]

Jobs are being filled pretty fast round my way. Across a few industries. All that extra work and shortages seems to be over. Be interesting to see the figures.

The immigration target is going to add to the strain for a few reasons.

 

[mullokintyre]

She wouldnt be the first pollie, that promises the world and delivers maccas.
A few are lining up at the moment IMO.

@macca , how do you feel about @sptrawler dissing you like that??
Mick

 

[macca]

@macca , how do you feel about @sptrawler dissing you like that??
Mick

Well Michael,

ye ken it is obviously a discriminatory statement made by a sassenach who is only jealous of our fine scottish descent

 

[Dona Ferentes]

G8 lifted pay rates almost 8 per cent in the year, amid a shortage of workers sector-wide.

The shortages are so acute that Gold Coast-based G8 has offered early childhood teachers an extra two weeks of holidays each year, to six weeks, among steps to retain staff.

 

[farmerge]

G8 lifted pay rates almost 8 per cent in the year, amid a shortage of workers sector-wide.

The shortages are so acute that Gold Coast-based G8 has offered early childhood teachers an extra two weeks of holidays each year, to six weeks, among steps to retain staff.

Hmm extra holdays = time not there. How's that going to work with critical staff shortages.

 

[The Triangle]

I was at a local bottle shop last night looking for a bottle of white wine cheap enough for cooking but good enough to have a glass from. I'm absolutely convinced that the price of local Australian wines has not gone up at all in the past few years. $14 is what I spent on a West Aussie white, and it looked like the better-known local brands were also about the same price as they've always been.

The other thing I noticed was that a bag of Doritos or Smiths from the bottleshop now seems to be the same price (maybe less?) as my local IGA. For years the bottleshop was always a little bit more expensive for a bag of something than the grocery shop, but not anymore. Not sure this is the kind of hard evidence we need to prove Coles/Woolworths/Iga are engaged in collusion regarding pricing of food but it was certainly enough to make me think about it for a while.

 

[Belli]

price of local Australian wines has not gone up at all in the past few years.

a bag of Doritos or Smiths from the bottleshop now seems to be the same price

Two of the main food groups covered.

 

[frugal.rock]

Two of the main food groups covered

Fruit and veg... haha, grapes & spuds.
Using that theory, there's 3 more food groups in there though, salt, sugars and fats. There's all 5... oh wait, forgot the best one, meat.

 

[Belli]

Fruit and veg... haha, grapes & spuds.
Using that theory, there's 3 more food groups in there though, salt, and fats. There's all 5... oh wait, forgot the best one, meat.

That is exotic stuff. Better to go for:

Pizzas - Mexicana preferably

Fish & Chips.

 

[qldfrog]

Two of the main food groups covered.

Nearly true here for wine in my categories but what used to be 15 is now 20 yet you can get it much lower on special so does that indicates higher margins or lower demand?

 

[farmerge]

I was at a local bottle shop last night looking for a bottle of white wine cheap enough for cooking but good enough to have a glass from. I'm absolutely convinced that the price of local Australian wines has not gone up at all in the past few years. $14 is what I spent on a West Aussie white, and it looked like the better-known local brands were also about the same price as they've always been.

The other thing I noticed was that a bag of Doritos or Smiths from the bottleshop now seems to be the same price (maybe less?) as my local IGA. For years the bottleshop was always a little bit more expensive for a bag of something than the grocery shop, but not anymore. Not sure this is the kind of hard evidence we need to prove Coles/Woolworths/Iga are engaged in collusion regarding pricing of food but it was certainly enough to make me think about it for a while.

 

[farmerge]

I reckon that you are spoton. The variance in prices of the big two seem to be pretty close on average. On the rare occasions that I do enter one of these establishments I have seen a person going with a mni computer thingy doing a pricing check. Can't tell me that's not the opposition checking up.

 

[Dona Ferentes]

Nearly true here for wine .... so does that indicates higher margins or lower demand?

Saw this:

The average wine-grape purchase price fell 10 per cent last year to about a four-year low of $630 a tonne, according to the 2022 National Vintage Survey by Wine Australia.

So, not too much pressure on input costs? At least for mass brands coming from the 'industrial ethanol' producers.

 

[divs4ever]

The other thing I noticed was that a bag of Doritos or Smiths from the bottleshop now seems to be the same price (maybe less?) as my local IGA. For years the bottleshop was always a little bit more expensive for a bag of something than the grocery shop, but not anymore. Not sure this is the kind of hard evidence we need to prove Coles/Woolworths/Iga are engaged in collusion regarding pricing of food but it was certainly enough to make me think about it for a while.

a lot of bottle-shops are owned ( franchised ) by EDV , COL or MTS ( actually my local is owned by IGA ) so maybe there is some cross-selling going on ( the IGA is only 30 metres away from the bottle-shop ) would not be hard to send some cartons of Doritos and Pringles to the bottle-shop as needed )

COL-WOW collusion ?? has been unofficially happening for over a decade ( were each sends a 'price monitor' to price-check the competitor )

is MTS/IGA included in that agreement , i don't know

 

[Smurf1976]

I have seen a person going with a mni computer thingy doing a pricing check. Can't tell me that's not the opposition checking up.

A former neighbour of mine worked for one of the majors.

One of his jobs was to check competitor's pricing. He did so blatantly and the competitors would've known full well what was going on when someone's walking around their shop with a clipboard and pen whilst not buying anything. Can't get more blatant than that (this was decades ago hence the clipboard and pen not an electronic device).

Lots of industries would be the same. Someone's keeping a check on what others are charging either directly or indirectly. I know airlines do it - staff actually fly with the competition as a passenger and report back with every detail.

Radio's another one. When I was a kid my mother worked in radio - go into their offices and the station being listened to wasn't their own but the main competitor.

 

[Smurf1976]

To the state of the economy, just an observation but most friends and associates seem to be spending big at the moment.

Not buying gold chains and a Rolls Royce sort of big but I mean people who've travelled interstate several times this year already and things like that. A theatre show this week, a concert three weeks later, whatever. Money doesn't seem to be something that's a concern. Either that or they're getting cheap air travel somehow.

 

[divs4ever]

To the state of the economy, just an observation but most friends and associates seem to be spending big at the moment.

Not buying gold chains and a Rolls Royce sort of big but I mean people who've travelled interstate several times this year already and things like that. A theatre show this week, a concert three weeks later, whatever. Money doesn't seem to be something that's a concern. Either that or they're getting cheap air travel somehow.

not me , am forward buying stuff i am liable to use in the next 3 years ( or more ) teabags , rice , sugar , salt , lentils to put in rice or soups , etc

buy now , use ( or swap ) later is my motto

( PS i half worry about bank freezes )