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January Key Figures

		Dec 2003	Jan 2004	Dec 2003 to Jan 2004
		$m	$m	% change
TREND ESTIMATES
	Housing finance for owner occupation	10,711	10,430	-2.6
	Personal finance	6,828	6,802	-0.4
	Commercial finance	25,430	25,145	-1.1
	Lease finance	556	531	-4.4
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ESTIMATES
	Housing finance for owner occupation	10,590	9,848	-7.0
	Personal finance	6,756	6,676	-1.2
	Commercial finance	26,356	22,546	-14.5
	Lease finance	529	464	-12.3

Personal finance

Commercial finance

January Key Points


HOUSING FINANCE FOR OWNER OCCUPATION

• The total value of owner-occupied housing commitments decreased by 7.0% (seasonally adjusted) in January 2004. The trend series decreased by 2.6%.

• The seasonally adjusted series for total personal finance commitments fell by 1.2% in January 2004. The fixed lending series fell by 8.5%, while revolving credit commitments rose by 4.5%.
• The total personal finance trend series fell by 0.4% in January 2004, the first decline in this series since September 2001.

• The total commercial finance series (seasonally adjusted) fell by 14.5% in January 2004, mainly due to a decrease in fixed lending (down 20.6%).
• The purchase of dwellings by individuals for rent and resale (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 15.5% in January 2004, the third monthly decrease following rises in the previous six months.
• The trend series for total commercial finance decreased by 1.1% in January 2004. Decreases were recorded in both fixed lending (down 1.0%) and revolving credit (down 1.4%).

• Lease finance (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 12.3% in January 2004, following a 15.5% fall in the previous month.
• The lease finance trend fell by 4.4% in January 2004.

Inquiries

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Sarah Whelan on Canberra (02) 6252 5472.

Lending finance Summary of findings


HOUSING FINANCE FOR OWNER OCCUPATION

The total value of commitments excluding alterations and additions (seasonally adjusted) decreased by 7.0% in January 2004, after a decrease of 3.1% in December 2003. The trend series decreased by 2.6% in January.

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

PERSONAL FINANCE

The seasonally adjusted series for total personal finance fell by 1.2% to $6 676 million in January 2004, the third monthly fall after increases in the previous six months. Fixed lending decreased by 8.5%, while revolving credit commitments increased by 4.5%.

The total personal finance commitments trend series decreased by 0.4% in January 2004. The trend for revolving credit commitments increased by 0.3%, while the fixed lending trend fell for a third successive month (down 1.2%).

In original terms, fixed lending commitments decreased by 15.5% to $2 456 million in January 2004. All fixed lending purposes fell in January.

COMMERCIAL FINANCE

The seasonally adjusted total commercial finance series decreased by 14.5% in January 2004, due mainly to decrease in fixed lending (down 20.6%).

The total commercial finance trend estimate decreased by 1.1% in January 2004. The fixed lending trend and the revolving credit trend fell by 1.0% and 1.4% respectively.

The seasonally adjusted purchase of dwellings for rent or resale by individuals (investment housing) series decreased to $4 660 million (down 15.5%) in January 2004, the third monthly decrease following rises in the previous six months. The investment housing trend series fell by 3.5% in January.

Purchase of Dwellings by Individuals for Rent or Resale