A comparison of the Australian target cash rate and the overnight interbank lending rate shows that, after around a decade of being identical, the economic impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic led to the actual overnight lending rate being lower than the Reserve Bank of Australia's target rate. This means that banks are lending to each other at lower rates than the "official" interest rate. One reason for this is the that the Reserve bank has made money available to banks in several new ways over this period (such as repo agreements where banks can pledge assets for short term funds), increasing liquidity in the banking system. As of May 2024, the overnight interbank cash rate and the target cash rate stood at 4.32 and 4.35 percent, respectively.

On November 8, 2023, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increased the interest rate by 0.25 percentage points, bringing the interest rate to 4.35 percent. This was the thirteenth interest rate increase by the RBA since November 4, 2020, which saw the interest rate drop to a record 0.1 percent.

In 2019, the real interest rate in Australia decreased by 1.7 percentage points (-51.2 percent) compared to 2018. This was a significant decrease in the real interest rate. Real interest rate is the adjusted lending interest rate to remove the effects of inflation, as measured by the GDP deflator (implicit price deflator).Find more statistics on other topics about Australia with key insights such as deposit interest rate, domestic credit to the private sector as a share of GDP, and market capitalization of listed domestic companies as a share of GDP.

As of the end of December 2024, the average mortgage interest rate for Australian owner-occupier borrowers was around 6.1 percent. In comparison, the average investor interest rate was approximately 6.5 percent. These rates refer to outstanding housing loans from banks and registered financial corporations. New loans financed in that month had even higher interest rates, at 6.2 percent for owner-occupiers and 6.5 percent for investors, respectively.

Graph and download economic data for Interest Rates, Discount Rate for Australia from Jul 1969 to Apr 2013 about Australia, interest rate, interest, and rate.

Graph and download economic data for U.S. Dollars to Australian Dollar Spot Exchange Rate from 1971-01-04 to 2025-03-07 about Australia, exchange rate, currency, rate, and USA.

The interest rate of bank accepted bills/negotiable certificates of deposit for Australian banks has fallen slightly over the last decade. From a peak of around five percent from late 2010 to late 2011, interest rates on three and six month bills/certificates had fallen to 0.01 and 0.03 percent respectively as of September 2021 . Notably, these rates were below the the official Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) target cash rate of 0.1 percent. Primarily, the reason for this is that the RBA was more concerned with ensuring banks have liquidity than intervening so that the cash rate is consistent with its target rate, and to this end RBA used new methods to inject funds into banks since the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. As of May 2024, the interest rates on three and six month bills/certificates increased to 4.36 and 4.61 percent, respectively.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Males data was reported at 4.560 % in Jan 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 3.945 % for Dec 2024. Australia Unemployment Rate: Males data is updated monthly, averaging 5.877 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Jan 2025, with 564 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 12.696 % in Feb 1993 and a record low of 3.144 % in Oct 2022. Australia Unemployment Rate: Males data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G040: Unemployment Rate. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

The historical data in this table are sourced from Becker C and M Sinclair (2004), :Profitability of Reserve Bank Foreign Exchange Operations: Twenty Years After the Float-C/, RB Research Discussion Paper No 2004-06. Updates to the data are published annually with a one-year lag.

It is not appropriate to use the :Market-C/ series as a proxy for foreign exchange market intervention. The RB engages in spot or forward transactions with dealers in the market virtually every day. Most of these transactions are not intended to influence the exchange rate. Rather, they occur to cover orders for foreign exchange from clients such as the Australian Government. When the RB sells foreign exchange to a client, it has the choice of meeting this out of its holdings of foreign exchange or buying the equivalent amount of foreign exchange in the market. Most of the time it does the latter, though even then the timing of the sale and purchase may not coincide precisely. The RB can also engage in foreign exchange transactions with counterparties other than dealers as a means of covering client orders.

Daily net foreign exchange transactions, net sales (-) and purchases (+), are reported according to the date on which the trade took place. This is in contrast to the monthly transactions data in Table A.4, which are reported according to the day on which settlement took place. Another difference to Table A.4 is that interest received on holdings of foreign assets is not included.

aMarketa transactions are foreign exchange transactions against the Australian dollar (excluding foreign exchange swaps) undertaken by the RB with authorised foreign exchange dealers in Australia or banks overseas.

aGovernment and other counterpartiesa transactions include the RBAas foreign exchange transactions with the Australian Government, outright transactions with other central banks and international financial institutions that are not intended to affect the exchange rate, and transactions with clients other than the Australian Government.

In March 2003, banks and selected Registered Financial Corporations (RFCs) began reporting their international assets, liabilities and country exposures to APRA in ARF/RRF 231 International Exposures. This return is the basis of the data provided by Australia to the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) for its International Banking Statistics (IBS) data collection. APRA ceased the RFC data collection after September 2010.

The IBS data are based on the methodology described in the BIS Guide on International Financial Statistics (see http://www.bis.org/statistics/intfinstatsguide.pdf; Part II International banking statistics). Data reported for Australia, and other countries, on the BIS website are expressed in United States dollars (USD).

Data are recorded on an end-quarter basis.

All banks operating in Australia complete ARF 231. Between March 2003 and September 2010, only those larger RFCs with sizeable overseas assets and/or liabilities completed RRF 231. Bank and RFC positions are reported in Australian dollars (AUD). Non-AUD denominated positions have been converted to AUD using an appropriate end-quarter exchange rate, so changes in reported data between quarters are due not only to changes in positions but also valuation gains or losses due to exchange rate changes.

There are two sets of IBS data: locational data, which are used to gauge the role of banks and financial centres in the intermediation of international capital flows; and consolidated data, which can be used to monitor the country risk exposure of national banking systems. Only consolidated data are reported in this statistical table.

The data in this statistical table summarise the country exposures of Australian-owned banks (and selected RFCs between March 2003 and September 2010). This is a smaller reporting pool than in the series reported in statistical table B11.2, which is based on all banks and RFCs reporting ARF/RRF 231 data. The types of assets included here are consistent with those reported in statistical tables B11.1, B11.2 and B12.1, except that the data are consolidated for Australian-owned reporting entities (i.e. includes the claims on countries of all the offices worldwide of entities with head offices in Australia, but excludes positions between different offices of the same group). Consolidated data only include positions with non-residents (in any currency).

Data are shown for a selected group of countries that account for the bulk of the total. Similar data for other countries are also available in statistical table B13.2.1.

Data presented in this statistical table are ultimate risk claims. Ultimate risk claims cover claims on an immediate counterparty location basis that have been adjusted (via guarantees and other risk transfers) to reflect the location of the ultimate counterparty/risk. Data on immediate risk claims (expressed by the BIS as claims on an immediate borrower basis) are available in complementary statistical tables B13.1 and B13.1.2.

Foreign claims refers to all cross-border claims plus foreign offices’ local claims on residents in both local and foreign currencies. It is equal to the addition of local currency claims of reporting entities’ foreign offices on local residents, and international claims. Data for all these accounts on an immediate risk basis are available in a complementary statistical table B13.1.

International organisations are included in the ‘Public sector’ category in the consolidated data (while in the locational data they can be reported as either bank or non-bank depending on the particular organisation). Official monetary authorities (central banks or similar national and international bodies, such as the BIS) are also included in the public sector in the consolidated data (but are treated as banks in the locational data, B12.1 and B12.2). Publicly-owned entities (other than banks) are classed in the ‘Non-bank private sector’ in the consolidated data (and as non-banks in the locational data).

‘Cross border’ positions are those positions with bank and non-bank counterparties located in a country other than the country of residence of the reporting entity (or its affiliate). This would include, for example, lending by a bank in Australia to a company in France; it would also include loans by that bank’s subsidiary in the UK to a company in France.

‘Local’ claims are those claims of overseas affiliates of the reporting entity on the residents of the countries in which they are located. These are largely in local currencies but include non-local currencies as well.

Derivatives are not included in foreign claims. On- and off-balance sheet derivatives are shown separately as a memo item. ‘Derivatives’ are those on- and off-balance sheet derivative exposures (to the country of ultimate risk) that are in a positive market value position. Negative market values of derivative contracts represent financial liabilities and are therefore excluded from the reporting of financial claims. The data mainly comprise forwards, swaps and options relating to foreign exchange, interest rate, equity, commodity and credit derivative contracts. Credit derivatives, such as credit default swaps and total return swaps, are included in ‘Derivatives’ if they belong to the trading book of a protection-buying reporting entity. Credit derivatives that belong to the banking book are reported as risk transfers by the protection buyer. All credit derivatives are reported as guarantees by the protection seller.

‘Guarantees’ refers to contingent liabilities arising from an irrevocable obligation to pay to a third-party beneficiary when a client fails to perform some contractual obligations. They include: secured, bid and performance bonds; warranties and indemnities; confirmed documentary credits; irrevocable and stand-by letters of credit; acceptances; and endorsements. Guarantees also include the contingent liabilities of the protection seller of credit derivative contracts.

‘Credit commitments’ covers arrangements that irrevocably obligate an institution, at a client’s request, to extend credit in the form of: loans; participation in loans, lease financing receivables, mortgages, overdrafts or other loan substitutes; or commitments to extend credit in the form of the purchase of loans, securities, or other assets (e.g. back-up facilities including those under note issuance and revolving underwriting facilities).

India Foreign Exchange Rate: RBI: Australian Dollar data was reported at 52.314 INR/AUD in Oct 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 52.014 INR/AUD for Sep 2018. India Foreign Exchange Rate: RBI: Australian Dollar data is updated monthly, averaging 19.671 INR/AUD from May 1966 (Median) to Oct 2018, with 630 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 59.237 INR/AUD in Sep 2013 and a record low of 5.330 INR/AUD in May 1966. India Foreign Exchange Rate: RBI: Australian Dollar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Reserve Bank of India. The data is categorized under Global Database’s India – Table IN.MC003: Foreign Exchange Rate: Monthly Average.

India Foreign Banks: Cash Credit Rate: At Least 60% Business: High: Commonwealth Bank of Australia data was reported at 10.750 % pa in Jun 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 12.650 % pa for Mar 2016. India Foreign Banks: Cash Credit Rate: At Least 60% Business: High: Commonwealth Bank of Australia data is updated quarterly, averaging 13.000 % pa from Sep 2010 (Median) to Jun 2016, with 24 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.000 % pa in Mar 2013 and a record low of 10.750 % pa in Jun 2016. India Foreign Banks: Cash Credit Rate: At Least 60% Business: High: Commonwealth Bank of Australia data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Reserve Bank of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Interest and Foreign Exchange Rates – Table IN.MB035: Lending Rate: Other than Export Credit: Cash Credit Rate: At Least 60% Business: High.

Graph and download economic data for Infra-Annual Labor Statistics: Monthly Unemployment Rate Total: 15 Years or over for Australia (LRHUTTTTAUQ156N) from Q3 1966 to Q4 2024 about Australia, harmonized, unemployment, persons, and rate.

Credit unions became authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) under the Banking Act 1959 on 1 July 1999 when responsibility for their prudential regulation shifted from the States and Territories to the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA). Since 1 July 1999, credit unions have submitted monthly returns to APRA; prior to that date, they submitted returns to the Reserve Bank under the Financial Corporations Act 1974. In September 2001, APRA implemented new reporting forms for credit unions. From October 2001, data are derived from ARF 323.0: Statement of Financial Position (Licensed ADI). Since December 1999, series have only included data for credit unions with total assets greater than or equal to $50 million.

Selected assets:

‘Cash and liquid assets’ is composed of ‘Cash’, ‘Balances with ADIs’ and ‘Other’. None of these items include bills of exchange, bills receivable, remittances in transit or certificates of deposit.

‘Cash’ includes Australian and foreign currency notes and coins, gold coin, gold bullion, and gold certificates held as investments. It excludes loans repayable in gold bullion.

‘Balances with ADIs’ includes deposits at call with Australian resident banks and other ADIs and settlement account balances due from banks and other ADIs, incorporating receivables for unsettled sales of securities.

‘Other’ includes deposits at call with Registered Financial Corporations (RFCs) and other financial institutions, net claims on recognised clearing houses in Australia, securities purchased under agreements to resell, funds held with the Reserve Bank and other central banks, and settlement account balances due from the Reserve Bank, other central banks, RFCs and other financial institutions, incorporating receivables for unsettled sales of securities.

‘Government securities’, ‘ADI securities’, ‘Corporate paper’ and ‘Other securities’ include both trading and investment securities. Trading securities are recorded at net fair value. Investment securities are recorded at cost and adjusted for the amortisation of any premiums and discounts on purchase over the period of maturity.

‘Government securities’ include securities issued by the Australian, State, Territory and local governments and State and Territory central borrowing authority (CBA) securities.

‘ADI securities’ includes securities issued by banks and other ADIs, but not equity investments in parent, controlled or associated entities.

‘Other securities’ includes asset-backed securities, other debt securities and equity securities, other than those issued by ADIs, but not equity investments in parent, controlled or associated entities.

‘Residential’ includes both owner-occupied and investment housing loans to Australian households, net of specific provisions for doubtful debts.

‘Personal’ includes revolving credit for a purpose other than housing, credit card liabilities, lease financing net of unearned revenue, and other personal term loans to Australian households net of specific provisions for doubtful debts.

‘Commercial’ includes loans to public non-financial corporations, private trading corporations, private unincorporated businesses, community service organisations, Australian, State, Territory and local governments, ADIs and other financial institutions, net of specific provisions for doubtful debts. Loans to ADIs and other financial institutions includes loans to the Reserve Bank and other central banks, banks, other ADIs, RFCs, central borrowing authorities, fund managers, stockbrokers, insurance brokers, securitisers, mortgage, fixed interest and equity unit trusts and other financial intermediaries.

Selected Liabilities:

‘Borrowings from ADIs’ includes settlement account balances due to ADIs and both variable and fixed interest rate short-term loans from ADIs. A loan is reported as short-term if its residual term to maturity is one year or less.

‘Deposits’ includes retail transaction call deposit accounts held by households, all other transaction call deposit accounts held by entities other than households, deposits from resident banks, resident non-bank financial institutions and intermediaries such as merchant banks, vostro balances from banks and non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs), the Australian-dollar equivalent of foreign currency deposits, deposits from controlled and associated entities, retail non-transaction call deposit accounts held by households, all other non-transaction deposit call accounts held by entities other than households, term deposits, certificates of deposit and other forms of deposits.

‘Other’ liabilities includes settlement account balances due to RFCs and other financial institutions, securities sold under agreements to repurchase, promissory notes or commercial paper with a residual term to maturity of one year or less, other debt securities with a residual term of one year or less, variable interest rate short-term loans from counterparties other than ADIs, fixed interest rate short-term loans from counterparties other than ADIs, debt securities with a residual term to maturity of more than one year, variable and fixed interest rate loans and borrowings from Australian residents with a residual term to maturity of more than one year, interest accrued but not yet paid, interest received but not yet earned, unrealised losses on trading derivatives, items in suspense and other liabilities not separately identified above. A loan is reported as short-term if its residual term to maturity is one year or less. ‘Other’ liabilities do not include amounts due to clearing houses.

The Australian Government Department of Jobs and Small Business publishes a range of labour market data on its Labour Market Information Portal website (lmip.gov.au). The link below provides data from the Labour Force Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The boundaries used in this survey are known as Statistical Area 4 regions. The data provided includes unemployment rate, employment rate, participation rate, youth unemployment rate, unemployment duration, population by age group and employment by industry and occupation.

Australia Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Not Married: Male: 65 Years & Over data was reported at 2.368 % in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.224 % for Nov 2024. Australia Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Not Married: Male: 65 Years & Over data is updated monthly, averaging 2.311 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 563 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 14.491 % in Oct 1979 and a record low of 0.000 % in Mar 2015. Australia Unemployment Rate: Looking for Part Time Work: Not Married: Male: 65 Years & Over data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G043: Unemployment Rate: by Age, Sex and Status: Looking for Part Time Work.

This web map contains layers that contain some of the more commonly used variables from the General Community Profile information from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2021 census. Data is available for Country, Greater Capital City Statistical Area (GCCSA), Local Government Area (LGA), Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1) and 2 (SA2), and Suburb and Localities (SAL) boundaries.The General Community Profile contains a series of tables showing the characteristics of persons, families and dwellings in a selected geographic area. The data is based on place of usual residence (that is, where people usually live, rather than where they were counted on Census night). Community Profiles are excellent tools for researching, planning and analysing geographic areas for a number of social, economic and demographic characteristics.Download the data here.Data and Geography notes:View the Readme files located in the DataPacks and GeoPackages zip files.To access the 2021 DataPacks, visit https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/datapacksGlossary terms and definitions of classifications can be found in the 2021 Census DictionaryMore information about Census data products is available at https://www.abs.gov.au/census/guide-census-data/about-census-tools/datapacksDetailed geography information: https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/main-structure-and-greater-capital-city-statistical-areas: 2021 Statistical Area Level 1 (SA1), 2021 Statistical Area Level 2 (SA2), 2021 Greater Capital City Statistical Areas (GCCSA), 2021 Australia (AUS)https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/australian-statistical-geography-standard-asgs-edition-3/jul2021-jun2026/non-abs-structures: 2021 Suburbs and Localities (SAL), 2021 Local Government Areas (LGA)Please note that there are data assumptions that should be considered when analysing the ABS Census data. These are detailed within the Census documents referenced above. These include:Registered Marital StatusIn December 2017, amendments to the Marriage Act 1961 came into effect enabling marriage equality for all couples. For 2021, registered marriages include all couples.Core Activity Need for AssistanceMeasures the number of people with a profound or severe core activity limitation. People with a profound or severe core activity limitation are those needing assistance in their day to day lives in one or more of the three core activity areas of self-care, mobility and communication because of a long-term health condition (lasting six months or more), a disability (lasting six months or more), or old age. Number of Motor VehiclesExcludes motorbikes, motor scooters and heavy vehicles.Please note that there are small random adjustments made to all cell values to protect the confidentiality of data. These adjustments may cause the sum of rows or columns to differ by small amounts from table totals.Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Graph and download economic data for Harmonized Unemployment Rate: All Persons for Australia (DISCONTINUED) (AUSURHARMMDSMEI) from Feb 1978 to Apr 2012 about Australia, harmonized, unemployment, and rate.

Unemployment Rate: Looking for Full Time Work: Not Married: 15-64 Years data was reported at 8.001 % in Feb 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 8.328 % for Jan 2022. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Full Time Work: Not Married: 15-64 Years data is updated monthly, averaging 11.100 % from Feb 1978 (Median) to Feb 2022, with 529 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 19.734 % in Feb 1993 and a record low of 6.474 % in Jul 2007. Unemployment Rate: Looking for Full Time Work: Not Married: 15-64 Years data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Australian Bureau of Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G035: Unemployment Rate: by Age, by Civil Status and by Sex: Looking for Full Time Work.

Romania Foreign Exchange Rate: NBR: End of Period: Australian Dollar data was reported at 2.998 RON/AUD in Nov 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.919 RON/AUD for Oct 2018. Romania Foreign Exchange Rate: NBR: End of Period: Australian Dollar data is updated monthly, averaging 2.368 RON/AUD from Jan 1998 (Median) to Nov 2018, with 251 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3.922 RON/AUD in Jul 2012 and a record low of 0.508 RON/AUD in Aug 1998. Romania Foreign Exchange Rate: NBR: End of Period: Australian Dollar data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Bank of Romania. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Romania – Table RO.M009: Foreign Exchange Rate.