Fed: Swans says Aust continues to outperform rest of world

AAP General News (Australia)
12-14-2009
Fed: Swans says Aust continues to outperform rest of world

Treasurer WAYNE SWAN says Australia continues to outperform other nations .. even as
the impact of the global financial crisis continues to wash through the economy.

The Rudd government will get a better picture of the economic outlook when growth figures
are released on Wednesday.

Economists are tipping the national accounts figures for the September quarter will
show a rise in gross domestic product of 0.4 per cent .. taking growth for the year to
0.7 per cent.

CommSec chief economist CRAIG JAMES .. however .. is far from certain the economy managed
to grow in the quarter .. noting key spending components of GDP .. such as inventories
and net exports .. were pulling in opposite directions.

Homeowners will also get a taste on the Reserve Bank of Australia's thinking on interest
rates this week .. with the release of the minutes of the bank's December meeting tomorrow.

At its December 1 meeting .. the bank lifted the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.75 per cent.

AAP RTV so/psm/

KEYWORD: ECONOMY (CANBERRA)

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