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 2024
Released
27/06/2024

Key statistics

  • Household wealth increased $431.5b (2.7%) to $16,208.3b.
  • Demand for credit was $101.0b.
  • Australia returned to a net borrowing position of $8.3b this quarter, following a net lending position of $8.5b in the previous quarter.
  • Capital investment as a proportion of GDP fell to 24.0%.
     

Main features

Financing resources and investment table

Financial market summary table

Flow of funds diagrams

National investment

National investment decreased by $19.1b to $148.9b in the March quarter.

  • General government investment decreased by $2.8b to $23.9b, driven by decreases in gross fixed capital formation for both state and local general government and national general government, partly offset by increased acquisitions less disposals of non-produced non-financial assets.
  • Non-financial corporations' investment decreased by $8.6b to $73.3b, driven by a decrease in gross fixed capital formation for private non-financial corporations and decreases in change in inventories and gross fixed capital formation for public non-financial corporations.
  • Households' investment decreased by $7.5b to $48.6b, driven by decreases in gross fixed capital formation and change in inventories.

Financial investment

Australia was a net borrower of $8.3b from rest of world (ROW). The main contributors were a:

  • $30.2b acquisition by ROW of equity issued by Australia
  • $29.1b acquisition by ROW of debt securities issued by Australia
  • Partly offset by $14.9b acquisition by Australia of equity issued by ROW

ROW acquired bonds issued by banks as they continued to raise additional funds in preparation for the final maturity of allowances provided under the Term Funding Facility (TFF). ROW also acquired bonds issued by the National general government (NGG) over the quarter. Acquisition of equity by ROW reflected their reinvestment of elevated profits earned by foreign-owned resource companies, as well as merger and acquisition activity.

Households

Households' $14.1b net lending position was due to a $48.7b acquisition of financial assets, and partly offset by $34.5b incurrence of liabilities. The acquisition of assets was driven by:

  • $30.4b in deposits
  • $25.2b in net equity in superannuation

While liabilities were driven by:

  • $31.4b in loan borrowings

Deposit asset growth slowed compared to the previous two quarters in line with a falling household saving ratio. Annual increases in the superannuation guarantee and growing employment was reflected in households’ contributions to superannuation. Strength in loan borrowings reflected strong demand for housing over the quarter.

General government

General government’s $0.8b net lending position was due to $21.4b acquisition of financial assets, offset by $20.6b incurrence of liabilities. The acquisition of assets was driven by:

  • $10.9b in deposits

Liabilities were driven by:

  • $10.6b in loan borrowings
  • $9.0b net issuance of bonds

The Commonwealth government's net lending position was driven by growth in deposits supported by elevated income and corporate tax receipts and reduced issuance of debt securities over the quarter. State and territory governments continued to borrow funds from their respective central borrowing authorities to finance expenditure on social benefits and ongoing investment into transport infrastructure.

Demand for credit

Demand for credit table

Demand for credit was $101.0b in the March quarter, of which:

  • other private non-financial corporations borrowed $39.8b
  • households borrowed $31.3b
  • general government borrowed $20.5b

Credit market outstanding increased by $164.0b, comprised of demand for credit and $63.0b of revaluation gains. Holding gains on the shares of other private non-financial corporations were $21.3b, in line with equity prices on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). Falling bond yields also resulted in holding gains on Commonwealth government bonds of $4.5b.

Other private non-financial corporations

Business' share capital expanded as elevated export revenue was reinvested in foreign-owned resource companies. Demand for business loans was driven by capital investment. Business financing activity comprised:

  • equity raising of $25.5b
  • loan borrowings of $12.1b

Households

Housing credit growth was in line with a rise in the value of new loan commitments which reflected increases in average loan size and the volume of loans. Households borrowed: 

  • $31.1b in long term loans
  • $315m in short term loans

General government

Public sector debt continued to expand as the Commonwealth government raised funds through bond issuance. State government demand for credit was driven by ongoing investment into transport infrastructure, and expenditure on social assistance and health. The government financed its operations through:

  • $10.7b in loan borrowings by state and local general government
  • $9.1b of bonds issued by national general government

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

Households

Balance sheet

Financial assets

Liabilities

Household wealth grew 2.7% ($431.5b) to $16,208.3b at the end of the March quarter. The increase in net worth was driven by strength in the housing market and share market.

Non-financial assets

Non-financial assets owned by households increased by 2.1% ($239.2b), driven by: 

  • a $200.5b rise in residential land and dwellings.

House prices continued to increase as supply is still unable to meet current demand.

Financial assets

Financial assets of households increased by 3.3% ($236.6b), with a:

  • $145.2b rise in superannuation reserves 
  • $56.3b rise in shares and other equity 
  • $32.0b rise in currency and deposits

Total superannuation reserves increased by 3.9% this quarter, driven by favourable domestic and international share market performance which increased the value of equities held by superannuation funds.

Total deposits increased by 2.0%. Transferable deposit account balances rose $11.2b. Other deposit accounts (which include term deposit and other non-transaction deposit) rose $21.7b. 

Liabilities

Household liabilities increased by 1.5% ($44.3b), with a:

  • $21.5b rise in housing loans
  • $317m rise in short term loans

The growth in housing loans was driven by both owner-occupied ($17.2b) and investor ($4.3b) loans.

Private non-financial corporations

Financial assets

Liabilities

Other private non-financial corporations demand for credit

Other private non-financial corporations demand for credit of $39.8b was driven by:

  • $25.5b of equity raising, and
  • $12.1b of loan borrowings.

Private non-financial corporations used debt at a higher rate than equity to source funding and as a result, the debt to equity ratio (adjusted for price changes) increased to 0.61.

Firms' equity raising reflected a build up of reinvested earnings as a result of strong profits.

Financial corporations

Financial assets and liabilities

Authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs)

Financial assets

Liabilities

Total financial assets of ADIs decreased $75.4b, reflecting:

  • a $133.5b decrease in derivatives

This was partly offset by:

  • a $35.8b increase in bonds,
  • a $29.3b increase in loans which was predominantly driven by households, and
  • a $22.7b increase in equities.

Liabilities of ADIs decreased $36.0b, with a:

  • $154.8b decrease in derivatives
  • $9.2b decrease in loans

This was partly offset by:

  • a $53.5b increase in shares and other equity
  • a $47.6b increase in deposits
  • a $29.8b increase in bonds

ADI debt security issuance remained strong this quarter in preparation for next quarter's expiry of the remaining funds drawn under the Term Funding Facility (TFF). This was reflected in:

  • $19.8b of bonds issued in Australia
  • $3.5b of bonds issued offshore

Pension (superannuation) funds

Financial assets

Liabilities

Total financial assets of pension (superannuation funds) increased by 4.7% ($146.7b), with a:

  • $139.2b increase in equities
  • $10.2b increase in bonds
  • $8.4b increase in deposits.

Pension funds used households' contributions to superannuation to acquire $13.5b in shares and other equity, $7.9b of deposits and $7.7b in bonds. Revaluation gains of $125.7b in shares and other equity this quarter reflected favourable economic conditions in domestic and overseas markets. Pension funds' investment in debt securities remained strong this quarter, particularly in bonds issued by the rest of the world, ADIs and Central borrowing authorities.

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) were net lenders of $0.8b. This was driven by a:

  • $10.9b increase in deposit assets
  • $5.0b in loan and placement assets

Partly offset by a:

  • $10.6b borrowing of loans
  • $9.0b net issuance of bond liabilities

National general government were drivers of the net lending position, with a net financial position of $8.9b this quarter. The national general government's position was driven by a:

  • $10.6b increase in deposit assets

The rise in deposits placed with the central bank this quarter reflected elevated income and corporate tax receipts saved in preparation for upcoming bond maturities.

State and local general government were net borrowers of $8.1b. The state and local general government's position was mainly driven by a:

  • $10.8b borrowing of loans

Loan liabilities of state and local general governments grew for the eighth consecutive quarter. They reached record levels of $420.6b as state governments sourced funding for transport, health and childcare spending.

(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 returned to a net borrowing position of $4.9b, following a net lending position of $2.5b in the previous quarter.

This was driven by a:

  • $7.1b increase in change in inventories
  • $2.4b decrease in net savings
  • $0.2b increase in gross fixed capital formation

and partly offset by a:

  • $0.2b decrease in acquisitions less disposals of non-produced non-financial assets

National net lending as a proportion of GDP declined to a borrowing position this quarter, driven by a rise in change in inventories and a fall in net savings.

  • Financial corporations' net lending decreased by $1.7b to $15.2b.
  • Non-financial corporations' net borrowing decreased by $0.5b to $3.6b.
  • General government net borrowing decreased by $0.3b to $9.5b.
  • Households' net lending decreased by $2.0b to a net borrowing position of $1.0b.

Notable drivers included the following:

  • Financial corporations' net lending was driven by a decrease in net savings due to an increase in property income payable for interest and reinvested earnings.
  • Non-financial corporations' net borrowing was driven by an increase in consumption of fixed capital and a decrease in acquisitions less disposals of non-produced non-financial assets.
  • General government net borrowing was driven by an increase in net savings due to increases in income tax from resident corporations and taxes on production and imports, and an increase in consumption of fixed capital. 
  • Households' net borrowing was driven by a decrease in net savings due to an increase in final consumption expenditure, and an increase in changes in inventories.

Capital Investment

National capital investment decreased to 24.0% as a proportion of GDP, while increasing 0.1% in current price seasonally adjusted terms. 

Relative to GDP: 

  • Household capital investment decreased to 7.7%
  • Non-financial corporations' capital investment decreased to 11.7%
  • Financial corporations' capital investment remained at 0.5%
  • General government capital investment remained at 4.0%

In current price seasonally adjusted terms:

  • Non-financial corporations' capital investment decreased, driven by a decrease in public and private non-financial corporations
  • General government capital investment increased, driven by an increase in state and local 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 March quarter 2022, 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.
  • Incorporation of revisions from the Australian System of National Accounts throughout the time series

AASB 17 accounting standard

The adoption of the AASB 17 accounting standard by the insurance industry has resulted in changes to reported data. Consequently, some of the estimates for life insurance corporations since the September quarter 2023 have been modelled. While these series continue to be published, users are advised to apply caution. The ABS is working with data providers to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. 

Seasonal adjustment for leap years

The extra leap year day in 2024 is unlikely to impact seasonally adjusted statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) for February 2024 and March quarter 2024. This is because the effect of an additional leap year day is analysed and accounted for as part of the seasonal adjustment process, which includes the impact of trading days. The impact of the extra leap year day will be evident in the original (non-seasonally adjusted) series. For more information please refer to this note.

ABS Managed Funds publication

Following the conclusion of consultation with users and industry, the ABS has taken the decision to pause the ABS Managed Funds publication following the release of the December quarter 2023 issue. ABS survey data on public offer unit trusts will continue to be used in the compilation of associated sectors in the National Accounts: Finance and Wealth publication (tables 9 and 23). In this publication, adjustments are made to these sectors to account for scope and coverage, based on other counterparty information, though some underlying quality issues remain. Users are advised to apply caution when using these statistics and use the methodology and data quality notes when referencing any data points. For additional information please see the December quarter 2023 Managed Funds publication.

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