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APRIL KEY FIGURES

		Mar 2004	Apr 2004	Mar 2004 to Apr 2004
		$m	$m	% change
TREND ESTIMATES
	Housing finance for owner occupation	9,837	9,758	-0.8
	Personal finance	6,601	6,604	-
	Commercial finance	23,867	23,752	-0.5
	Lease finance	509	500	-1.8
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES
	Housing finance for owner occupation	9,951	10,015	0.6
	Personal finance	6,590	6,748	2.4
	Commercial finance	23,455	26,201	11.7
	Lease finance	539	506	-6.1
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)

Personal finance

Commercial finance

APRIL KEY POINTS


HOUSING FINANCE FOR OWNER OCCUPATION

• The total value of owner-occupied housing commitments increased by 0.6% (seasonally adjusted) in April 2004. The trend series decreased by 0.8%.

• The seasonally adjusted series for total personal finance commitments rose by 2.4% in April 2004. The fixed lending series decreased by 0.8% and revolving credit commitments increased by 4.7%.
• The total personal finance trend series remained virtually unchanged in April 2004 after four consecutive monthly falls.

• The total commercial finance series (seasonally adjusted) rose by 11.7% in April 2004, due mainly to an increase in revolving credit commitments of 30.9%. Fixed lending commitments increased by 2.5%.
• The purchase of dwellings by individuals for rent and resale (seasonally adjusted) increased by 4.3% in April 2004, the second consecutive monthly increase after four successive monthly decreases.
• The trend series for total commercial finance decreased by 0.5% in April 2004. A decrease was recorded in fixed lending (down 0.7%). Revolving credit was steady in April.

• Lease finance (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 6.1% in April 2004, following an increase of 2.1% in the previous month.
• The lease finance trend fell by 1.8% in April 2004.

LENDING FINANCE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


HOUSING FINANCE FOR OWNER OCCUPATION

The total value of commitments excluding alterations and additions (seasonally adjusted) increased by 0.6% in April 2004. The trend series decreased by 0.8%.

For further information, please refer to Housing Finance, Australia (cat. no. 5609.0).

PERSONAL FINANCE

The seasonally adjusted series for total personal finance rose by 2.4% to $6 748 million in April 2004, the second consecutive monthly increase. Fixed lending decreased by 0.8% and revolving credit commitments increased by 4.7%.

The total personal finance commitments trend series was steady in April 2004. The trend for revolving credit commitments increased by 0.3%, while the fixed lending trend fell for a sixth successive month (down 0.3%).

In original terms, fixed lending commitments decreased by 15.5% to $2 635 million in April 2004. This fall returned total fixed lending to levels experienced before March.

COMMERCIAL FINANCE

The seasonally adjusted total commercial finance series increased by 11.7% in April 2004. Revolving credit commitments and fixed lending commitments rose by 30.9% and 2.5%, respectively.

The total commercial finance trend estimate decreased by 0.5% in April 2004. The fixed lending trend fell by 0.7%, while revolving credit remained virtually unchanged.

The seasonally adjusted purchase of dwellings for rent or resale by individuals series increased to $4 875 million (up 4.3%) in April 2004, the second consecutive monthly increase following previous four successive monthly decreases. The trend series fell by 2.2% in April, a relatively weaker trend decline compared to the previous five months.

Purchase of Dwellings by Individuals for Rent or Resale