Category Business

Summary: The Australian property market in spring 2024 is showing mixed signals. While year-end and early-year periods are prime sales seasons, Sydney experienced its first price drop, coupled with a surge in property listings. Economists predict an interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia in February next year, causing buyer hesitation and prompting homeowners to seek higher sale prices.

Summary: Japan was once known as the "Land of Gold," but it is no longer a major gold producer. Despite numerous international exploration companies flocking to Japan in search of new gold deposits, local dissatisfaction with exploration activities poses challenges for foreign companies. Will Japan reclaim its title as the "Land of Gold"? It may still be too early to tell.

Summary: Australia's housing construction industry is rebounding due to subsidies and rising interest rates, with building permits hitting new records. However, regional disparities exist, as Sydney's high land prices pose challenges for developers, prompting buyers to look to surrounding areas. Material costs are rising, and shovel - ready land for development remains costly.

Summary: Australia and the UAE have signed the CEPA, removing 99% of tariffs to boost trade and investment cooperation, particularly in clean energy, infrastructure, and high-tech sectors. The Business Council of Australia is leading high-level dialogues to deepen bilateral trade relations.

Summary: Japan has slipped to fourth place in the 2024 Asia Power Index by the Lowy Institute, overtaken by India. The main reasons for this decline are the long-term stagnation of the economy, particularly in "economic capacity" and "economic relations," leading to foreign investment withdrawal and decreased productivity in the technology sector.

Summary: Japan's aging is increasing, the elderly population is at a record high, the government has taken a number of measures to deal with the situation, including boosting the fertility rate, relaxing the immigration policy to introduce foreign labor, in order to alleviate the shortage of labor, and to promote the sustainable development of the economy.

Summary: The depreciation of the Japanese yen and the surge in tourists have pushed up duty-free sales of Japanese department stores to a historic high. Sales of various products have increased. The global tourism industry's recovery has boosted the tax-free sales boom, which is expected to continue to prosper, and the depreciation of the yen is also beneficial for export enterprises.

Summary: Large Japanese companies express concern over yen depreciation and inflation, predicting that economic growth in 2025 may fall short of last year's expectations. Public attention is on consumption, capital, and tourism growth, with concerns over declining demand and currency devaluation. Many companies are staying domestic, while favoring the North American and Southeast Asian markets.

Summary: Progress has been made toward Japan's 2% inflation target amidst a tightening labor market. The Bank of Japan (BOJ) noted that wage and price increases may exceed expectations, with more companies raising prices in April. The key focus is on the changes in October. Inflation is expected to stabilize at around 2% in the coming years.

Summary：Australia's finances are improving, on track for a high budget surplus, but may turn to deficit in the future. The central bank meeting is approaching, the market predicts a rate hike, but economists expect interest rates to remain unchanged. Australia and the U.S. monetary policy is different, the U.S. may first cut interest rates to deal with inflation.