A small win for US inflation (Core CPI lowest since 2021)

US inflation eases

The BLS released the latest US inflation figures which came in at 2.7 per cent over the year for headline, and 2.6 per cent for all items less food and energy.

The figures are not complete due to the October figures not having been reported, so the figures may be treated with some caution. 

Source: BLS

The headline figure is still above the 2 per cent target, and housing-related inflation still showed signs of inflationary pressures in rising 3.2 per cent over the year. 

Still, the figures for core inflation were slightly better than expected, hinting that most of the tariff-related price rises may have passed through. 

Core inflation is now at the lowest level since 2021.

US Treasury yields were fairly flat, after initially seeing yields fall. 

Silver prices have resumed their extraordinary run this week, rising by a further 3 per cent tonight to a new high of $87.49 per ounce, with gold prices also at record highs. 

The recent surge in part may represent a threat of the erosion of Federal Reserve independence. 

---

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,800 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.

Podcast summer series: Property or shares in 2026

Podcast: property or shares?

In the 3rd episode of our summer series of podcasts, Chris and I discussed whether to invest in property or shares in 2026, and our own personal plans for the year. 

Tune in here (or click on the image below):

You can also watch the YouTube version here:

---

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,800 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.

2-Sense podcast: Will property go up in 2026?

Property predictions for 2026

Just me on the poddie this week, so I ran through the big property news stories of the week, and got across a few property predictions for 2026.

I also managed to briefly get into a listener question in the Listener Q&A segment. 

Tune in here (or click on the image below):

You can also watch the YouTube version here:

---

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,800 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.

November inflation flat...lower than expected

Prices discounted

The ABS released the latest monthly inflation figures, which again showed very little headline inflation (actually 0.0 per cent) in the month of November. 

Headline inflation for the 12 months to November was thus plenty lower than market expectations, dropping from 3.8 per cent to 3.4 per cent.

Source: ABS

Retail discounting and Black Friday sales may have helped somewhat to dampen prices in the month (although to some extent the same would hold true for the November 2024 figures).

The trimmed mean inflation figure declined slightly to 3.2 per cent for the 12 months to November 2025, down from 3.3 per cent in October. 

Source: ABS

A significant driver of the inflation related to the housing component (5.2 per cent), with rents and new dwelling costs both contributing. 

The wrap

Overall, it seems that inflation risks may be a bit lower than thought, though the next interest rate policy decision will ultimately be decided by the quarterly inflation figures due for release on January 28. 

Markets are discounting about a 1 in 3 chance of rate hike at the next central bank monetary policy announcement on February 3. 

I was a bit late getting to the release, but you can read Westpac's review here: Momentum not as strong as first thought.

----

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,500 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.

Apartment approvals jump driven by the regions

Regional apartments approved

Building approvals increased 15 per cent in November to a seasonally adjusted 18,406, for the highest result since early 2022.

The monthly jump was driven by a 34 per cent rebound in attached dwelling (i.e. mostly apartment) approvals, according to the ABS. 

However, there wasn't so much of note happening in the capital cities, although the higher-density segment of the capital city markets have picked up since bottoming out in 2024.

The monthly jump was also driven by regional Queensland (in particular the Gold Coast, which has seen some some huge towers approved of late) and the regional New South Wales, Victorian cities. 

Whether some of these proposed towers at Gold Coast are actually built and when are other matters for consideration.

Detached home approvals are trending higher in Perth but not so much elsewhere. 

Overall, there were approximately 195,000 dwellings approved over the year. 

On average, approvals have been running at around 16,000 per month over the past 17 months, or about 80 per cent of the implied desired level. 

The total estimated value of residential building approved rose to an all-time high of $11.3 billion, while non-residential work approved also increased solidly as demand for data centres picks up.

However, the recent shift in interest rate futures may temper some of the optimism for development ahead. 

---

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,500 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.

Cotality: Rental growth accelerates as vacancy rates tighten

Rental markets tighten

Cotality updated the newswires with the latest rental report, and the widespread suspicions that the rental markets have tightened again were confirmed. 

This aligns with the Aussie National Accounts, which suggested that growth in the working age population has picked up again, at a time when dwelling supply has been sluggish.

Rents rose by +1.3 per cent nationally in the December quarter, to be +5.2 per cent higher over the calendar year.

This represents a reacceleration of rental price growth, both in the capital cities and the combined regions of the country (in 2024, rental price growth was +4.8 per cent). 

Source: Cotality

Rental vacancy rates were well down over the year in all of the capital cities (well, except Adelaide where the rental market has remained extremely tight anyway at just 1.1 per cent). 

While the pace of rental price growth has eased in Perth, Melbourne, and Adelaide, all other cities saw a reacceleration.

Source: Cotality

The national rental vacancy rate at just 1.7 per cent is now way below the pre-pandemic average of 3.3 per cent. 

Reported CoreLogic:

"Unit rents have recorded a stronger trend relative to houses over the past five years, up 47.2% and 41.2% respectively since December 2020, with the pattern of stronger growth evident across every capital city."

You can download the full report from Cotality here.

---

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,500 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.

ausbiz TV: 2026 property predictions

ausbiz TV

I joined Nadine to discuss 2026 property market predictions, and the outlook for interest rates.

Tune in here (or click on the image below):

---

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,500 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.

Podcast: Upgrade, renovate, or invest in 2026?

Australian Property Podcast

I joined Chris to discuss whether homeowners should choose to renovate or upgrade in 2026.

Tune in here (or click on the image below):

You can also watch the YouTube version here:

---

1. Download our property buying guide

Download our free property buying guide here. 

You can also check out a few of our recent property purchases here. 

Get in contact with us today if strategic property investment is your thing. 

    2. Subscribe to our Top 10 Podcasts for Investors

Listen in to our podcasts

The Australian Property Podcast is rapidly becoming one of Australia's biggest business podcasts, now with over 50,000 audio downloads per month, and growing fast.

And our popular Low Rates High Returns Show also remains available on Spotify.

    3. Subscribe for my free daily blog

Subscribe for my free daily blog with 4½ million hits here. 

You can also catch up with me daily on Twitter here, where I'm far too active daily and have over 15,500 followers. 

By the way, I'm an 8-times published author on finance, investing, and business, so you can check out some of my books here. 

My new book, co-authored with Cate Bakos is available to buy here or on Amazon here - check out our free Buy Right podcast series here. 

4. Work with me privately

For a limited time you can book in a free diagnosis call with me here, so book in a call today.