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Australian National Accounts: Finance and Wealth

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National, public and private corporations, government and household financial and capital accounts, and household balance sheets.

Reference period
December 2021
Released
31/03/2022

Key statistics

  • Household wealth rose $627.6b (4.5%) to a record $14,676.7b 
  • Demand for credit was $123.2b, a decrease of $11.9b 
  • Australia's net lending position fell $9.0b to $6.3b
  • Capital investment as a proportion of GDP fell to 22.8%

Main features

Financing resources and investment table

Financial market summary table

Flow of funds diagrams

National investment

National investment rose $19.2b to $139.4b in the December quarter.

  • General government investment increased $2.6b to $22.5b, driven by state and local general government gross fixed capital formation.
  • Non-financial corporations' investment increased $10.0b to $62.9b, driven by gross fixed capital formation and build up of inventories by private non-financial corporations.
  • Household investment increased by $6.4b to $50.9b, driven by gross fixed capital formation and build up of inventories.

Financial investment

Australia was a net lender of $6.3b to rest of world (ROW). The main contributors were a:

  • $59.9b acquisition in ROW equity assets, driven by pension funds, other private non-financial corporations (OPNFC) and non-money market funds.
  • offset by $46.0b purchase of Australian debt securities by ROW, driven mainly by one name paper issued by authorised deposit taking institutions (ADI).

Pension funds, OPNFC and non-money market funds continued to invest in overseas equity markets. ADIs sourced funding from offshore debt markets through issuance of short-term debt securities.

Households

Households' $26.6b net lending position was due to a $84.3b acquisition of financial assets, partly offset by a $57.7b incurrence of liabilities.
The acquisition of assets was driven by:

  • $45.7b in deposits
  • $28.1b in net equity in pension funds

While liabilities were driven by:

  • $54.6b in loan borrowings

Deposits assets continued to grow, though at a reduced pace as spending increased following the easing of COVID-19 related restrictions and seasonal holiday spending. Acquisition of net equity in pension funds reflected continued growth in employment. Increased activity in the property market saw continued strength in demand for housing loans by owner-occupiers and investors.

Non-financial corporations

Non-financial corporations' $17.3b net borrowing position was due to a $28.1b acquisition of financial assets, offset by $45.4b incurrence of liabilities. Liabilities were driven by:

  • $41.8b in equity raising
  • $1.2b in loan borrowing

Businesses sought to raise funds through equities markets with continued investor demand from ROW. Loans from ADIs continued to strengthen as private businesses borrowed to fund operations as economic activity increased resulting from eased restrictions and resumption of interstate travel.

General government

General government's $22.8b net borrowing position was due to a $0.2b disposal of assets and a $22.6b incurrence of liabilities.
Assets were driven by:

  • $11.8b sale of equity holdings

While liabilities were driven by:

  • $10.4b net issuance of bonds
  • $6.5b net issuance of short term debt securities

Sale of equity assets were driven by privatisation activity during the quarter. Bonds issued by the Commonwealth government were modest reflecting decreased social assistance benefits paid to residents associated with the decline in COVID-19 outbreaks and reopening of state borders.

Demand for credit

Demand for credit table

Demand for credit was $123.2b in the December quarter, of which:

  • households borrowed $54.4b
  • other private non-financial corporations borrowed $37.0b
  • general government borrowed $18.3b

Credit market outstanding grew $179.9b (2.1%) of which $56.7b was revaluation gains. The stock market drove $70.7b of holding gains in shares of other private non-financial corporations while rising bond yields resulted in holding losses on Commonwealth government bonds of $21.6b.

Households

Household demand for credit was the highest on record, driven by demand for new housing loans as easing COVID-19 restrictions in NSW, Victoria and the ACT spurred increased housing market activity. This was supported by borrowing by unincorporated businesses as business confidence grew. Growth in short term loan borrowing reflects a pick up in consumer spending in the December quarter coinciding with the ending of lockdowns. This resulted in:

  • $52.9b of long term loan borrowings
  • $1.7b of short term loan borrowings

Private non-financial corporations

Significant equity raising was undertaken by corporations on the stock market this quarter to help fund elevated merger and acquisition activity. Reinvested earnings also contributed to strength in equity capital investment by non-residents. Strong export revenue on energy and mineral resources drove large operating surpluses for some foreign owned companies which were predominantly retained and reinvested by these businesses. Business credit grew in the December quarter mostly driven by loan borrowing from ADIs but this was partly offset by repayment of loans to rest of the world. Funds of other private non-financial corporations were sourced through:

  • equity raising of $37.0b
  • loan borrowings of $293m

General government

The government's funding requirements fell in the December quarter in line with decreased government support payments coinciding with lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in NSW, Victoria and the ACT. The pace of issuance by the Australian Office of Financial Management and the state and territory borrowing authorities slowed as a result. This was reflected in:

  • $10.2b bond issuance and $6.1b Treasury note issuance by national general government
  • $2.0b in loan borrowings by state and local general governments

Households

Balance sheet

Financial assets

Liabilities

Household wealth rose 4.5% ($627.6b) to a record $14,676.7b at the end of the December quarter. Household wealth was driven by continued strength in the housing market, increase in deposits accounts and revaluation growth in superannuation assets and shares and other equity.

Wealth per capita increased 3.9% ($21,386) to $566,541 per person.

Non-financial assets

Non-financial assets owned by households increased 5.0% ($510.1b), driven by a:

  • $489.5b rise in residential land and dwellings

Holding gains on residential land and dwellings reflected the sustained growth in property prices due to low interest rates and increased market activity due to lifting of state specific COVID-19 restrictions.

Financial assets

Financial assets of households rose 2.7% ($175.8b), driven by:

  • $96.0b rise in superannuation reserves
  • $45.7b rise in deposits
  • $25.4b rise in shares and other equity


Revaluations drove the increases in superannuation reserves and shares and other equity reflective of the positive performance of domestic and overseas share markets. Transactions in superannuation ($28.1b) drove further increases, reflecting continued employment growth.

The increase in deposits is in line with continued strength in household savings however growth is weaker than the September quarter as state specific COVID-19 restrictions lifted alleviating saving pressures and increasing spending opportunities.

Liabilities

Household liabilities increased 2.2% ($58.3b), driven by:

  • $41.8b rise in housing loans
  • $1.7b rise in short term loans

The growth in housing loans is the strongest since June quarter 2016 and reflects the increased activity in the property market as housing stock levels and clearance rates increased. The rise was mainly driven by owner-occupier loans, which increased $34.3b. Investor loans also contributed $7.5b to the rise, recording a fifth consecutive quarter of positive growth.

Higher levels of retail spending in the months of November and December combined with easing lockdown measures contributed to the increase in short term loans.

Private non-financial corporations

Financial assets

Liabilities

Private non-financial corporations demand for credit of $46.9b, was driven by:

  • $41.8b raising of equity,
  • $6.1b borrowing of loans, and
  • $0.5b issuance of debt securities

Private non-financial corporations favoured equity raising over debt issuance to source funds, supported by strong reinvested earnings and equity raising on the Australian Securities Exchange. This resulted in:

  • debt to equity ratio (adjusted for price changes) decreased to 0.64

The debt to equity ratio is at its lowest level since March 2005, as businesses have deleveraged to strengthen their balance sheet positions. Businesses have maintained strong liquidity buffers through continued deposit growth since the onset of the pandemic This was supported by strong gross operating surplus for businesses as economic activity and consumption increased following the easing of COVID-19 related restrictions and resumption of interstate travel during the quarter.

Financial corporations

Financial assets and liabilities

Authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs)

Financial assets

Liabilities

ADIs continued to sell bonds issued by the national general government to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in return for deposit assets as part of the RBA's bond purchase program. The RBA’s purchasing of bonds was extended at the reduced rate of $4b per week, reflected in a slower growth of ADI deposits with the central bank. This resulted in a:

  • $41.0b acquisition in deposits accepted by the central bank
  • $14.1b sell off of bonds issued by national general government
  • $15.5b acquisition of bonds issued by securitisers

ADI's share of funding from short term debt securities increased this quarter, following ADI’s return to commercial funding in offshore markets to take advantage of favourable issuance conditions. In the December quarter, 
ADIs' funding composition compared to the previous quarter comprised of:

  • 63.3% from deposits, remaining steady
  • 9.8% from bonds, a decrease from 10.0%
  • 8.0% from short term debt securities, an increase from 7.3%
  • 13.7% from equities, a decrease from 14.5%

ADI's funding from one name paper grew $43.2b with a:

  • $8.2b increase of one name paper issued in Australia 
  • $35.0b increase of one name paper issued offshore

ADIs' funding from deposits grew $70.9b with a:

  • $45.4b increase from households 
  • $22.8b increase from rest of world
  • $10.2b increase from other private non-financial companies

Pension (superannuation) funds

Financial assets

Liabilities

Total financial assets of pension (superannuation) funds increased 2.8%($79.2b), with a:

  • $92.7b increase in shares and other equity
  • partly offset by a $8.0b decrease in bonds
  • and $5.0b decrease in deposits

Favourable conditions in the domestic and overseas share markets drove valuation gains of $60.5b. Pension funds invested an additional $32.1b in shares and other equity, particularly in rest of world and other private financial corporations.
Increased bond yields drove valuation losses of $4.6b in pension fund bonds assets and they disposed of $3.4b in bonds, particularly issued by ADIs.
Deposit levels decreased as funds were allocated toward shares and other equity investments.

Government

National general government financial assets

National general government liabilities

State and local general government financial assets

State and local general government liabilities

General government

Total bond liability of general government (national, and state and local) decreased $11.3b, driven by

  • $21.7b negative revaluations, partly offset by
  • $10.4b transactions

The total value of government bonds on issue fell as rising bond yields resulted in a large valuation decrease reflecting rising inflation and inflation expectations. Net issuance of government bonds weakened, reflecting the reduction in support payments to households and businesses as COVID-19 related restrictions eased in New South Wales, Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory.

Capital investment

Figures in the capital investment section are in seasonally adjusted current prices.

Net lending (+) / borrowing (-)

Australia's net lending position decreased by $9.3b to $12.5b this quarter. This was driven by a:

  • $4.9b increase in change in inventories 
  • $4.6b decrease in national net savings
  • $1.2b increase in gross fixed capital formation
     

National net lending as a proportion of GDP fell this quarter driven largely by a fall in net saving as household final consumption expenditure rebounded due to easing of restrictions.

  • Households' net lending decreased by $21.6b to $32.8b 
  • General government net borrowing decreased by $14.8b to $28.0b
  • Financial corporations' net lending increased by $0.8b to $6.8b 
  • Non-financial corporations' net lending decreased by $10.9b, to a net borrowing position of $2.3b

Notable drivers for general government and non-financial corporations were:

  • General government net savings increased strongly due to an increase in income tax receivable and taxes on production and imports as well as a decrease in income payable in social assistance benefits in cash to residents and subsidies due to the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
  • Non-financial corporations net savings decreased driven by an increase in income payable and was supported by a built up in non-farm inventories.

Capital Investment

National capital investment fell to 22.8% as a proportion of GDP:
Relative to GDP:

  • Non-financial corporations' investment decreased to 9.8%
  • Household investment decreased slightly to 8.4%
  • Financial corporations' investment decreased slightly to 0.5%
  • General government investment decreased slightly to 4.0%

Non-financial corporations' investment fell, driven by decreased investment in private machinery and equipment.
Household investment fell driven by ownership transfer costs as the housing market begins to stabilise following strength in previous quarters.
General government investment fell, driven by a decrease in national general government with both defence and non-defence showing weakness.

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 5232.0

Revisions and changes

Revisions in this issue

There have been revisions to previously published aggregates due to:

  • Quality assurance reviews affecting the published aggregates after December quarter 2019, in addition to amendments to data collected in the ABS Survey of Financial Information, ABS Survey of International Investment and to data derived from Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) administrative data sets.
  • Revisions to the sectoral capital accounts are due to more up-to-date data being incorporated and concurrent seasonal adjustment.
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