Consumer sentiment down in August, on par with early pandemic/GFC

Summary: Household sentiment deteriorates for ninth consecutive month in August; on par with lows of COVID, GFC; three of five sub-indices lower; respondents less concerned by prospects of unemployment. After a lengthy divergence between measures of consumer sentiment and business confidence in Australia which began in 2014, confidence readings of the two sectors converged again in mid-July 2018. Both measures then deteriorated gradually in trend terms, with consumer confidence leading...

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