Economic calendar

Monday 2 November 2026

07:00 AUD MI Inflation Gauge (m/m)MI Inflation Gauge m/m Previous 0.3%

What it is: A monthly estimate of how prices of goods and services are changing in Australia, produced by the Melbourne Institute at the University of Melbourne.
Why it matters: It comes out before the official CPI, so traders use it as an early hint of inflation trends, which relate to RBA interest rate decisions. It is usually a low-to-medium impact release.
Usual market reaction: Markets usually compare the actual figure with the forecast. A higher-than-forecast reading tends to support the Australian dollar, as traders may see the RBA keeping rates higher for longer, while a lower reading often weighs on it. The reaction is usually milder than for the official CPI.

07:30 AUD Building Approvals (m/m)Building Approvals m/m Forecast 1.8%Previous -6.1%

What it is: Data on the number of permits approved for new buildings in Australia, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) as a change from the previous month.
Why it matters: Approvals are a forward-looking sign of construction activity and the housing market, which is sensitive to interest rates. It is usually a low-to-medium impact release, and the figure often jumps around from month to month.
Usual market reaction: Markets usually compare the actual figure with the forecast. A higher-than-forecast result tends to support the Australian dollar as it suggests solid housing demand and a stronger economy, while a lower one often weighs on it. The reaction is usually modest.

12:30 AUD Australia Commodity Prices y/yCommodity Prices y/y Previous 15.5%

What it is: A commodity price index published by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA). It shows the year-on-year change in prices of Australia's main exports, such as iron ore, coal and LNG.
Why it matters: Australia relies heavily on commodity export income, so price changes matter for its economy. This release usually has a fairly small market impact.
Usual market reaction: Prices tend to react to the actual figure compared with the forecast. A higher-than-forecast rise in commodity prices usually supports the Australian dollar (AUD), as export earnings often improve, while a lower result tends to weigh on it. The reaction is often muted because traders can already see these prices moving in the market.

10:30 AUD RBA Cash RateCash Rate Forecast 4.85%Previous 4.60%

What it is: The Cash Rate is Australia's official interest rate, announced by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) after its monetary policy meeting.
Why it matters: Interest rates are the main driver of the Australian dollar (AUD), so this is one of the most important AUD events and often causes sharp moves.
Usual market reaction: Prices usually react to the actual decision compared with the forecast. A bigger-than-expected hike or a more hawkish tone tends to support AUD, while a cut or a softer-than-expected stance tends to weigh on it. The tone of the accompanying statement often matters as much as the rate itself.

10:30 AUD RBA Monetary Policy Statement

What it is: A detailed report published quarterly by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), explaining its view of the economy, inflation and the reasoning behind its policy decisions.
Why it matters: It contains the RBA's economic and inflation forecasts, which help the market judge where interest rates may go next, so it usually gets fairly high attention.
Usual market reaction: Traders look at how the inflation and growth forecasts have changed from before and whether there are hints about rates. Higher-than-expected inflation forecasts or a firmer tone tend to support AUD, while weaker or softer-than-expected signals tend to weigh on it. The reaction is often smaller than for the rate decision itself, as some information is usually already priced in.

10:30 AUD RBA Rate Statement

What it is: A short written statement released by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) together with its interest rate decision, explaining the reasons behind it.
Why it matters: It gives clues on how the RBA sees inflation, jobs and the economy, which is very important for judging where interest rates may go next.
Usual market reaction: Markets usually compare the wording with the previous statement, for example more concern about inflation or a door opened to rate cuts. A tone firmer than expected tends to support AUD, while a softer one tends to weigh on it. Prices often move sharply in the first minutes after release.

11:30 AUD RBA Press Conference

What it is: A press conference where the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) explains the policy decision and answers questions from reporters.
Why it matters: Traders watch it because the Governor may give extra hints about interest rates that were not in the written statement, so it can often add volatility.
Usual market reaction: Markets usually listen for how the Governor talks about inflation, the job market and the chances of future rate hikes or cuts. A tone firmer than expected tends to support AUD, while a softer one tends to weigh on it. Prices can sometimes reverse if the answers differ from the earlier written statement.

07:30 AUD Australia Household Spending m/mHousehold Spending m/m Forecast 0.2%Previous 0.0%

What it is: This measures the monthly change in consumer spending by Australian households. It is published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Why it matters: Household consumption is a large part of the Australian economy, so the data gives clues about economic strength and inflation pressure, which feed into RBA interest rate decisions. It is usually a medium-impact release.
Usual market reaction: Markets compare the actual figure with the forecast. Spending that is higher than forecast usually supports the Australian dollar (AUD), as it suggests a stronger economy and may make RBA rate cuts less likely. A lower-than-forecast result tends to weigh on AUD. The link to gold is usually not clear-cut.

07:30 AUD Australia Goods Trade BalanceGoods Trade Balance Forecast 0.94BPrevious 0.50B

What it is: The difference between the value of Australia's goods exports and imports, published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). A positive number is a surplus and a negative number is a deficit.
Why it matters: Australia mainly exports resources such as iron ore and coal, so this figure reflects demand for its goods and the health of its economy. Its importance is usually moderate.
Usual market reaction: Markets react to the actual figure compared with the forecast. A larger-than-expected surplus (or smaller deficit) tends to support the Australian dollar, as more demand for the currency is needed to pay for exports, while a weaker result often weighs on it. The impact is usually limited unless the figure differs a lot from expectations.

13:45 AUD RBA Deputy Governor Hauser SpeaksRBA Deputy Gov Hauser Speaks

What it is: This is a public speech or set of remarks by the Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), one of the central bank's senior officials.
Why it matters: Traders listen for clues about the central bank's view on the economy, inflation and the likely path of interest rates. Its importance usually depends on the content and tone of the remarks.
Usual market reaction: Markets judge whether the comments sound hawkish (hinting at higher or longer-held rates) or dovish (hinting at rate cuts) compared with expectations. Hawkish remarks tend to support the Australian dollar, while dovish ones often weigh on it. If nothing new is said, the reaction is often small.