Travel is still on the table, despite cost of living pressures
Australians would rather cut back on the essentials than shelve holiday plans, new report finds
< 1 min
Australians are prioritising spending on travel and accommodation despite cost of living pressures, a new report from CommBank iQ has just found.
The Cost of Living Insights Report reveals that Australians are prepared to cut back on everyday expenditure to direct their available funds to experiences that they missed out on during COVID.
Author of the report and head of innovation and analytics at CommBank iQ, Wade Tubman, said the results were a little surprising.
“Putting our expenditure under the microscope shows we’re responding to the increased cost of living in diverse and sometimes unexpected ways” Mr Tubman said.
“What we’re seeing is a continued COVID rebound effect, with consumers catching up on the experiences that they missed out on during the pandemic.
“It seems counter-intuitive that at a time of increased cost of living pressures, consumers are choosing to boost their discretionary spending.”
CommBank iQ is a joint venture between Commonwealth Bank of Australia and data science and artificial intelligence company Quantium, which uses aggregated and de-identified payments data from seven million CBA customers – Australia’s largest consumer payments data set – to track spending trends.
The report found cost of living playing out differently across age groups, with spending among Australians over the age of 35 almost double that of those under that age. Cost of living pressures were also most acutely felt by renters, rather than homeowners and mortgage holders.
“Our Cost of Living Pressure Indicator shows renters are experiencing more pressure than homeowners in general,” Mr Tubman said. “Despite the increased financial burden on some mortgage holders, a little under half of all homeowners are mortgage-free and a third of those with a mortgage have savings buffers of two years or more.”
Victorian auction buyers will soon receive a piece of information that has traditionally been withheld until bidding reaches it: the vendor’s reserve price. Under new property-sale and underquoting laws, agents must publish the agreed reserve at least seven days before an auction or fixed-date sale. Most changes begin on 1 October 2026 and apply to …
Continue reading “Victoria’s New Auction Rules Will Force Reserve Prices Into the Open”
Four decks, 34.5 metres and a made-to-measure interior: step aboard the new Custom Line Navetta 35, unveiled at Cannes.
The ASX 200 rose about 0.27% as energy and materials advanced. Woodside and gold miners gained while financials and technology weakened.
2 min
The Australian sharemarket rebounded from its lowest close in three months on Wednesday, with energy and materials companies leading a cautious recovery.
The S&P/ASX 200 finished approximately 23 points, or 0.27 per cent, higher at 8,695.6 on 16 September. A second data source placed the closing index at 8,696.5, up 24 points or 0.28 per cent. The official close should be confirmed through a licensed feed before publication.
The broader All Ordinaries added 25.2 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 8,874.5.
Energy was the strongest sector, rising 2.19 per cent as Australian producers reflected the previous overnight increase in global oil prices. Woodside gained 2.84 per cent. Brent had settled near US$108.75 a barrel before the local session, although it later traded around US$107.68.
Materials advanced 1.28 per cent and provided the largest positive contribution to the index. Gold producers featured prominently among the strongest stocks, with Pantoro rising 9.3 per cent and St Barbara gaining 8.18 per cent. BCI Minerals added 7.48 per cent.
Financials fell 0.37 per cent, detracting from the benchmark despite earlier strength. Rate expectations remained a significant influence after Westpac joined the other major banks in forecasting a possible Reserve Bank increase in November. Higher rates can expand bank margins in some circumstances but also raise funding costs and increase the risk of loan stress and slower credit growth.
Technology remained weak. Life360 declined 5.46 per cent, while healthcare names that had rallied during Tuesday’s sell-off gave back ground. 4DMedical lost 5.35 per cent and Telix Pharmaceuticals fell 4.96 per cent.
James Hardie dropped 5.23 per cent. Codan moved against the weaker technology tone, gaining 7.51 per cent.
The session produced positive breadth, with more advancers than decliners among the largest 250 stocks, but the broader backdrop remains unsettled. Oil prices have revived inflation concerns, bond yields are elevated and investors are assessing the prospect of further monetary tightening in Australia and the United States.
The rebound therefore recovered only part of Tuesday’s 0.9 per cent decline. For Thursday, investors will be watching overnight central-bank developments, energy markets and whether gains can broaden beyond resources.
Market dashboard — 16 September 2026
S&P/ASX 200* Approximately 8,695.6, up 23.1 points or 0.27 per cent; verify the official closing print
All Ordinaries: 8,874.5, up 25.2 points or 0.28 per cent
Best-performing sector: Energy, up 2.19 per cent
Materials: Up 1.28 per cent
Weak sector: Financials, down 0.37 per cent
Leading mover: Pantoro, up 9.30 per cent
Notable large-cap mover: Woodside, up 2.84 per cent
Notable loser: Sunrise Energy Metals, down 6.22 per cent
Life360: Down 5.46 per cent
Australian dollar: About US71.3 cents in the preceding market snapshot
Gold: Approximately US$4,375 an ounce in the afternoon snapshot
Brent crude: Approximately US$107.68 a barrel in the afternoon snapshot
Hand-built in Melbourne and limited to just 10 cars a year, the Zeigler/Bailey Z/B 4.4 is reshaping what a modern collector car can be.
A record-breaking $11 million sale at The Centennial Collection has set a new benchmark for luxury apartment living in Bondi Junction.
