Monthly Updates

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increased the cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.60% in September. The 2025-26 WA Annual Report on State Finances reported a surplus of A$4.2b and net debt of A$33.4b. The Perth CPI rose by 0.6% in August, lifting the annual inflation rate to 4.3%.

Western Australian employment fell by 23.9k in July, while the unemployment edged up to 4.4%. The Perth CPI rose by 1.1% in July, to be up 3.8% YoY. Western Australian real state final demand rose by 1.0% in Q2, to be up by 3.6% YoY.

The annual rate of Perth CPI inflation declined to 3.7% in June, to be the lowest since late 2025. Western Australian employment rose by 17.2k in June, while the unemployment rate fell to 4.2%.

The RBA Monetary Policy Board left the cash rate target unchanged at 4.35% at its meeting in June. Western Australian state final demand rose by 0.5% in Q1, to be up by 2.8% YoY. The annual rate of Perth CPI inflation ticked up to 4.0% in May, to be in line with the national level.

The RBA increased the cash rate target by another 25 basis points to 4.35% in May. The Western Australian Budget for 2026-27 confirmed the strong fiscal position of the State. The annual rate of Perth CPI inflation dropped by 0.7 percentage points to 3.9% in April.

The Perth CPI rose by 1.2% in March, to be up by 4.6% through the year. Western Australian employment rose by 8.5k in March, while the unemployment rate was steady at a low 4.2%.