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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
March 2023
Released
29/06/2023

Key statistics

  • Household wealth increased $299.1b (2.1%) to $14,807.8b
  • Demand for credit was $89.4b, an increase of $27.7b from the previous quarter
  • Australia's net lending position fell $4.7b to $5.6b this quarter.
  • Capital investment as a proportion of GDP remained at 22.6%

Main features

Financing resources and investment table

Financial market summary table

Flow of funds diagrams

National investment

National investment decreased $21.0b to $134.9b in the March quarter.

  • General government investment decreased by $2.2b to $22.6b driven by decreases in gross fixed capital formation for both national general government and state and local general government.
  • Non-financial corporations' investment decreased by $9.2b to $63.5b, driven largely by a decrease in total gross fixed capital formation by private non-financial corporations.
  • Household investment decreased $9.3b to $45.9b, driven by decreases in total gross fixed capital formation and change in inventories.

Financial investment

Australia was a net lender of $5.6b to rest of world (ROW). The main contributors were a:

  • $34.1b withdrawal of deposits by ROW
  • $27.4b acquisition of ROW equity by Australia
  • Partly offset by $27.1b acquisition of equity issued by Australia by ROW; and
  • $12.7b acquisition of debt securities by ROW, driven mainly by long-term debt securities issued by banks and central borrowing authorities

Reductions in deposits reflected funding and liquidity management by Authorised deposit taking institutions and offshore related parties. ROW reinvested profits of Australian subsidiaries. ROW acquired bonds issued by banks as banks returned to wholesale funding sources in preparation for Term Funding Facility (TFF) maturities. ROW also pivoted to acquiring bonds issued by central borrowing authorities who continued to issue bonds to meet funding requirements.

Households

Households $23.9b net lending position was due to a $44.5b acquisition of financial assets, offset by a $20.6b incurrence of liabilities. The acquisition of assets was driven by:

  • $26.3b in deposits
  • $24.6b in net equity in superannuation

While liabilities were driven by:

  • $19.0b in loan borrowings

Growth in households’ deposit assets weakened reflecting a fall in the household saving ratio. Growth in deposit assets favoured other non-transaction deposit account types, such as high interest savings accounts whose interest rates have increased similar to rises in the cash rate. Contributions into pension funds reflect strong labour market conditions.

Non-financial corporations

Non-financial corporations’ $42.8b net borrowing position was due to a $12.2b acquisition of financial assets offset by a $55.1b incurrence of liabilities. The acquisition of assets was driven by:

  • $7.6b of equities
  • $7.3b of loans

Liabilities were driven by:

  • $29.7b of equities
  • $16.6b of loan borrowings

Private non-financial corporations benefitted from strong gross operating surplus, with reinvested earnings increasing firms' equity capital. Firms borrowed to invest in machinery and equipment and engineering construction.

General government

General government’s $5.6b net lending position was due to a $25.8b acquisition of financial assets offset by a $20.2b incurrence of liabilities. The acquisition of assets was driven by:

  • $18.6b in deposits
  • $5.4b in equities

Liabilities were driven by:

  • $11.1b issuance of long-term debt securities
  • $5.9b in loans

The general government’s net lending position is the first since March quarter 2017. Stronger than expected income tax receipts contributed to the national general government's build up of deposits. The rate of issuance of long-term debt securities by the national general government has significantly reduced compared to COVID peaks, as government outlays have declined. State and territory governments continued to borrow funds from their respective central borrowing authorities to fund investment in transport infrastructure. 

Demand for credit

Demand for credit table

Demand for credit was $89.4b in the March quarter, of which:

  • other private non-financial corporations borrowed $42.4b
  • households borrowed $18.9b
  • general government borrowed $18.6b

Credit market outstanding increased $193.7b (2.1%) of which $104.3b was revaluation gains. Holding gains on the shares of other private non-financial corporations were $63.4b in line with an increase in equity prices on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). This was aided by holding gains on Commonwealth government bonds of $38.1b which reflected falling bond yields.

Other private non-financial corporations

Businesses continued to favour equity funding over incurrence of debt in the March quarter. Elevated export revenue boosted operating surpluses which were reinvested in foreign-owned resource companies to grow share capital. Business loans were used to finance investment in machinery and equipment and non-dwelling construction. Faced with higher interest rates on loans some firms sought alternative funding through issuance of corporate bonds particularly in offshore markets.
Businesses funded their operations through:

  • equity raising of $28.3b
  • loan borrowings of $11.5b
  • bond issuance of $2.3b

Households

Household demand for credit was the weakest since September quarter 2020 as housing credit growth moderated in line with a decrease in the value of new loan commitments in the March quarter. Household borrowing activity consisted of:

  • $20.0b in long term loans
  • repayment of $1.0b in short term loans

General government

The Commonwealth government's funding requirements have fallen following favourable economic conditions which have delivered a boost to taxation revenue. Accordingly, the Australian Office of Financial Management adjusted down its intentions to issue new bonds across the financial year following unprecedented fundraising during the pandemic to provide support to households and businesses. State and local general government's demand for credit was $5.3b as funds raised through semi-government bonds were passed on by their respective central borrowing authorities through loans. State government demand for credit continues to be driven by investment in health and transport infrastructure. This was reflected in:

  • $11.5b of bonds issued by national general government 
  • $5.9b in loan borrowings by state and local general governments

"Other" includes private non-financial investment funds and public non-financial corporations.

Households

Balance sheet

Financial assets

Liabilities

Household wealth grew 2.1% ($299.1b) to $14,807.8b at the end of the March quarter. Household wealth was driven by strength in the housing market and revaluation gains in superannuation assets.

Wealth per capita grew 1.6% ($8,597) to $561,750 per person.

Non-financial assets

Non-financial assets owned by households increased by 1.7% ($177.1b), driven by a: 

  • $134.6b rise in residential land and dwellings

This increase reflects the rise in property prices, as the number of properties for sale on the market remains below current demand despite a rapid increase in interest rates.

Financial assets

Financial assets of households increased by 2.3% ($150.3b), driven by a:

  • $101.8b rise in superannuation reserves
  • $26.0b rise in currency and deposits
  • $20.6b rise in shares and other equity 

Total superannuation reserves increased by 3.0% this quarter, driven by strength in equity markets, both domestically and overseas. Total deposits increased by 1.8%, driven by other deposits ($30.2b) due to rising interest rates. Transferable deposits decreased by 0.3% (-$3.2b).

Liabilities

Household liabilities increased by 1.0% ($28.3b), with a: 

  • $20.9b rise in housing loans
  • $1.0b fall in short term loans

The growth in housing loans was driven by both owner-occupier ($15.9b) and investor ($5.0b) loans, and is the weakest growth in housing loans since September 2020.
The decrease in short term loans follows the seasonal increased spending in the December quarter. Year-on-year short term loans fell 3.0%, reflecting household's lack of appetite for short term debt. 

Private non-financial corporations

Financial assets

Liabilities

Private non-financial corporations demand for credit of $51.4b was driven by a:

  • $29.7b issuance of equity, and
  • $14.6b of loan borrowings

Private non-financial corporations sourced funds through both debt and equity this quarter. The debt to equity ratio (adjusted for price changes) remained at 0.61.

Growth in firm’s debt was driven by increased loan borrowings, with firms undertaking non-dwelling construction and purchasing machinery and equipment. Firms were also net issuers of Australian issued bonds for the first time since December quarter 2020. Firms' equity grew reflecting strength in private non-financial corporations' gross operating surplus resulting in a build up of reinvested earnings.

Financial corporations

Financial assets and liabilities

Authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs)

Financial assets

Liabilities

Financial assets of ADIs fell $73.8b, reflecting a $107.8b fall in derivatives and a $9.7b fall in exchange settlement account balances. ADIs unwound a significant amount of internal residential mortgage backed securitisation this quarter, resulting in a fall in bond assets issued by securitisers and an increase in loans to households as mortgage loans previously captured on the balance sheet of securitisers moved back onto the balance sheets of ADIs. This contributed to a $13.3b fall in ADI bond assets and a $58.1b increase in loan assets. The movement in loan assets was driven by a:

  • $61.0b increase in loans to households 
  • $12.5b increase in loans to private non-financial corporations
  • $12.5b fall in loans to the rest of the world

Liabilities of ADIs fell $94.6b. Falls in derivatives and equity were offset by a:

  • $21.0b increase in debt securities
  • $15.7b increase in deposits

 ADIs' funding from debt securities (transactions) grew $10.8b, with a: 

  • record $17.1b increase in bonds issued in Australia
  • $7.1b increase in bonds issued offshore
  • $5.1b increase in one name paper issued in Australia
  • offset by an $18.4b fall in one name paper issued offshore

The continued strong debt security issuance this quarter reflects ADIs returning to traditional pre-COVID-19 pandemic funding avenues, in preparation for the maturity of funds drawn under the initial allowance of the Term Funding Facility.

Pension (superannuation) funds

Financial assets

Liabilities

Total financial assets of pension (superannuation) funds increased by 3.7% (103.4b), with a:

  • $84.6b increase in shares and other equity.
  • $15.7b increase in bonds 
  • $7.8b increase in deposits

Pension funds acquired $14.1b in shares and other equity and $6.4b in bonds. Valuation gains of $70.5b on their equity assets were driven by favourable movements in equity markets domestically and overseas. Decreased bond yields drove valuation gains of $9.3b in bonds assets. Pension funds also invested $7.6b in deposits, continuing to take advantage of rising interest rates.

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

General government (national, and state and local) had a net financial investment position of $5.6b. This is the first positive position since March quarter 2017, and was driven by the Commonwealth government, who had a net financial position of $6.4b. 

This was mainly driven by a:

  • $15.7b increase in deposit assets 
  • offset by an $11.3b increase in bond liabilities

The total value of treasury bonds outstanding ($865.7b) increased following 5 consecutive quarters of falls, as bond yields reversed their upwards trajectory causing positive valuation impacts. 

The rise in deposits was largely attributable to deposits with the central bank. The strength this quarter reflects higher income tax receipts and the need to fund a bond line maturity in April.

State and local government had a net financial position of -$0.9b this quarter. Loan liabilities of state and local governments continued to grow, although at a softer rate than in mid-2022 (up $6.0b). 

(a) "Other" includes gold and special drawing rights, currency, bills of exchange, derivatives, shares and equity, unfunded superannuation and accounts payable/receivable.

Capital investment

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

Net lending (+) / borrowing (-)

Australia's net lending position rose $0.6b to $12.1b this quarter.

This was driven by a: 

  • $3.4b increase in national net saving

And partially offset by a:

  • $3.2b increase in gross fixed capital formation

National net lending as a proportion of GDP increased this quarter driven by a rise in net savings. 

  • Financial corporations' net lending decreased by $4.5b to $9.8b
  • Non-financial corporations' net lending increased by $14.9b from a net borrowing position of $9.0b to a net lending position of $6.0b
  • General government net borrowing increased by $1.9b to $8.4b
  • Households' net lending increased by $0.6b to $4.2b

Notable drivers were:

  • Financial corporations' net lending was driven by a decrease net savings
  • Non-financial corporations' net lending was driven by an increase in net savings
  • General government net borrowing was driven by a decrease in total net capital transfers, and an increase in gross fixed capital formation
  • Households' net lending was driven by a decrease in change in inventories

Capital Investment

National capital investment remained at 22.6% as a proportion of GDP in seasonally adjusted terms, while increasing 2.3% in current price seasonally adjusted terms. 
Relative to GDP: 

  • Household capital investment decreased to 7.6%
  • Non-financial corporations' capital investment increased to 10.6%
  • Financial corporations' capital investment remained at 0.5%
  • General government capital investment increased to 3.8%

In current price seasonally adjusted terms:

  • Non-financial corporations' capital investment increased, driven by increases in public and private non-financial corporations
  • General government capital investment increased, driven by an increase in national general government 

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 2020, 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.
  • Revision to residential land and dwellings in the Household balance sheet are the result of revisions to total value of dwelling stock published and addressed in Total Value of Dwellings.
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