5302.0 - Balance of Payments and International Investment Position, Australia, Sep 2017 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 05/12/2017   
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ANALYSIS AND COMMENTS


BALANCE OF PAYMENTS

In original current price terms, the September quarter 2017 current account deficit was $11,604m, a rise of $2,952m on the June quarter 2017 deficit. In original current price terms, the balance on goods and services was a net surplus of $1,882m, primary income was a net deficit of $13,416m and secondary income was a net deficit of $70m.

In original current price terms, the September quarter 2017 capital and financial account surplus was $14,066m, a rise of $3,323m on the June quarter 2017 surplus. In original current price terms, the capital account was a net deficit of $117m and the financial account was a net surplus of $14,183m.

The contributors to the current account balances, in original terms at current prices, are shown in the following table.

BALANCE OF PAYMENTS, Summary(a): Original

Sep 2016
Dec 2016
Mar 2017
Jun 2017
Sep 2017
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m

CURRENT ACCOUNT
-15 607
-4 150
-4 433
-8 652
-11 604
Goods and services
-6 280
5 974
8 199
3 103
1 882
Credits
83 588
98 154
96 766
94 732
97 376
Debits
-89 868
-92 180
-88 567
-91 629
-95 494
Goods
-3 840
6 262
6 305
4 971
3 498
Credits
64 376
77 419
74 671
75 132
76 024
Debits
-68 216
-71 157
-68 366
-70 161
-72 526
Services
-2 440
-288
1 894
-1 868
-1 616
Credits
19 212
20 735
22 095
19 600
21 352
Debits
-21 652
-21 023
-20 201
-21 468
-22 968
Primary income
-9 241
-10 386
-12 138
-11 408
-13 416
Credits
14 182
15 602
14 122
14 255
14 693
Debits
-23 424
-25 988
-26 260
-25 662
-28 110
Secondary income
-86
262
-494
-347
-70
Credits
2 176
2 209
2 200
2 267
2 230
Debits
-2 262
-1 947
-2 694
-2 614
-2 300
CAPITAL AND FINANCIAL ACCOUNT
13 759
2 839
7 036
10 743
14 066
Capital account
-99
-367
-145
171
-117
Acquisitions/disposals of non-produced non-financial assets
29
-228
-
339
11
Credits
30
8
1
340
12
Debits
-1
-236
-1
-1
-1
Capital transfers
-128
-139
-145
-168
-128
Credits
-
-
-
-
-
Debits
-128
-139
-145
-168
-128
Financial account
13 858
3 206
7 181
10 572
14 183
Direct investment
12 037
20 225
17 630
28 988
6 914
Assets
2 171
1 824
4 921
164
-11 956
Liabilities
9 867
18 401
12 709
28 823
18 869
Portfolio investment
-13 154
11 681
-6 171
3 531
-905
Assets
-14 580
-4 420
-11 660
-9 069
-29 076
Liabilities
1 426
16 102
5 489
12 600
28 171
Financial derivatives
-690
5 354
-2 887
-647
-5 606
Assets
44 657
24 437
34 119
10 199
25 516
Liabilities
-45 347
-19 083
-37 006
-10 845
-31 122
Other investment
14 901
-22 709
2 254
-15 898
3 698
Assets
13 481
-20 081
12 184
-16 988
20 493
Liabilities
1 420
-2 628
-9 930
1 090
-16 795
Reserve assets
764
-11 346
-3 646
-5 402
10 082
NET ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
1 848
1 311
-2 603
-2 092
-2 462

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) For sign conventions, see paragraphs 15-17 of the Explanatory Notes.


In seasonally adjusted current price terms, the September quarter 2017 current account deficit was $9,125m, a fall of $539m on the June quarter 2017 deficit.

In trend current price terms, the September quarter 2017 current account deficit was $9,552m, a rise of $1,851m on the June quarter 2017 deficit.

The contributors to the current account balance, in seasonally adjusted and trend terms at current prices, are shown in the following table.

BALANCE ON CURRENT ACCOUNT IN CURRENT PRICES - September Quarter 2017

Change in:
Current prices
Current prices
Current prices
$m
$m
%

Seasonally Adjusted

Balance on current account
-9 125
539
5.6
Balance on goods and services
3 056
-376
-11.0
Net goods
3 039
-702
-18.8
Net services
17
327
(a). .
Net primary income
-11 968
1 044
8.0
Net secondary income
-213
-129
-153.6

Trend

Balance on current account
-9 552
-1 851
-24.0
Balance on goods and services
3 223
-1 783
-35.6
Net goods
3 284
-2 016
-38.0
Net services
-61
233
79.3
Net primary income
-12 587
-52
-0.4
Net secondary income
-188
-16
-9.3

. . not applicable
(a) See paragraph 17 of the Explanatory Notes.


TERMS OF TRADE(footnote 1)

Australia's seasonally adjusted terms of trade on net goods and services for the September quarter 2017 fell 0.4% to 114.7, with a decrease of 2.1% in the implicit price deflator (IPD) for goods and services credits and a decrease of 1.6% in the IPD for goods and services debits.

In trend terms, the terms of trade for net goods and services fell 2.1% to 115.5.


IMPLICIT PRICE DEFLATOR AND TERMS OF TRADE (a)
Graph: IMPLICIT PRICE DEFLATOR AND TERMS OF TRADE (a)


BALANCE ON GOODS AND SERVICES

In seasonally adjusted chain volume terms, the balance on goods and services was a deficit of $9,737m, a rise of $145m on the June quarter 2017 deficit of $9,592m.

The net deficit on goods fell $19m on the June quarter 2017 deficit of $8,320m. Goods credits rose $1,344m (2%) and goods debits rose $1,326m (2%). The net deficit on services rose $164m on the June quarter 2017 deficit of $1,272m.

The rise in the balance on goods and services deficit, in seasonally adjusted chain volume terms, is expected to make no contribution to growth in the September quarter 2017 volume measure of GDP, assuming no significant revision to the GDP chain volume estimate for the June quarter 2017.

GOODS AND SERVICES, CHAIN VOLUME MEASURES (a)
Graph: This graphs shows movements in the Balance on Goods and Services series, the balance on goods series, and the balance on services series.


Goods

The trend estimate of net goods at current prices for the September quarter 2017 was a surplus of $3,284m, a fall of $2,016m on the June quarter 2017 surplus of $5,300m.

In seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, net goods was a surplus of $3,039m, a fall of $702m on the June quarter 2017 surplus of $3,741m.

GOODS, Price and volume analysis: Seasonally adjusted - September Quarter 2017

Change in:
Current prices
Current prices
Chain volume measures(a)
Implicit price deflators(a)(b)
$m
%
%
%

Exports
-520
-0.7
2.1
-2.7
Rural goods
275
2.2
3.4
-1.2
Non-rural goods
-244
-0.4
2.7
-3.1
Net exports of goods under merchanting
-16
-10.1
-8.7
-1.5
Non-monetary gold
-535
-10.9
-8.0
-3.2
Imports
181
0.3
1.8
-1.5
Consumption goods
-558
-2.2
-1.1
-1.1
Capital goods
584
3.3
6.6
-3.1
Intermediate and other merchandise goods
141
0.5
1.2
-0.6
Non-monetary gold
14
1.1
4.7
-3.5

(a) Reference year 2015-16.
(b) Movements in indexes are based on data to four decimal places.


GOODS CREDITS

The trend estimate of goods credits at current prices fell $1,476m (2%) to $75,460m in the September quarter 2017.

In seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, goods credits fell $520m (1%) to $74,716m, with volumes up 2% and prices down 3%.


Rural Goods

Exports of rural goods, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, rose $275m (2%) to $12,547m, with volumes up 3% and prices down 1%.

The main components contributing to the rise were:
  • other rural, up $385m (7%), with volumes up 10% and prices down 3%
  • meat and meat preparations, up $180m (6%), with volumes up 10% and prices down 3%.

Partly offsetting these rises was cereal grains and cereal preparations, down $345m (14%) with volumes down 15% and prices up 2%.


Non-rural Goods

Exports of non-rural goods, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, fell $244m to $57,653m, with volumes up 3% and prices down 3%.

The main components contributing to the fall were:
  • other mineral fuels, down $492m (6%), with volumes down 2% and prices down 4%
  • metals (excl. non-monetary gold), down $245m (8%), with volumes down 9%.

Partly offsetting these falls was metal ores and minerals, up $352m (2%), with volumes up 4% and prices down 2%.


SELECTED MAJOR COMMODITIES, CURRENT PRICES (a)
Graph: Graph This graph shows the movements of Metal ores and minerals Coal, coke and briguettes and Other mineral fuels



Net Exports of Goods Under Merchanting

Net exports of goods under merchanting, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, fell $16m (10%), with volumes down 9% and prices down 2%.


Non-monetary Gold

Non-monetary gold, in original and seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, fell $535m (11%), with volumes down 8% and prices down 3%.


GOODS DEBITS

The trend estimate of goods debits at current prices rose $541m (1%) to $72,177m in the September quarter 2017.

In seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, goods debits rose $181m to $71,676m, with volumes up 2% and prices down 2%.


Consumption Goods

Imports of consumption goods, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, fell $558m (2%) to $24,334m, with volumes down 1% and prices down 1%.

The main components contributing to the fall were:
  • textiles, clothing and footwear, down $202m (5%), with volumes down 2% and prices down 3%
  • consumption good n.e.s., down $151m (2%), with volumes down 1% and prices down 1%
  • household electrical items, down $102m (6%), with volumes down 3% and prices down 3%.


Capital Goods

Imports of capital goods, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, rose $584m (3%) to $18,498m, with volumes up 7% and prices down 3%.

The main components contributing to the rise were:
  • capital goods n.e.s., up $316m (8%), with volumes up 10% and prices down 2%
  • industrial transport equipment n.e.s., up $272m (10%), with volumes up 10%.


Intermediate and Other Merchandise Goods

Imports of intermediate and other merchandise goods, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, rose $141m (1%) to $27,551m, with volumes up 1% and prices down 1%.

The main components contributing to the rise were:
  • other parts for capital goods, up $181m (5%), with volumes up 7% and prices down 2%
  • fuels and lubricants, up $172m (3%), with volumes up 3%.


Non-monetary Gold

Imports of non-monetary gold, in original and seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, rose $14m (1%), with volumes up 5% and prices down 3%.


SERVICES

The trend estimate of net services at current prices was a deficit of $61m, a fall of $233m on the June quarter 2017 deficit of $294m.

In seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, net services was a surplus of $17m, a turnaround of $327m on the June quarter 2017 deficit of $310m.


SERVICES, Price and volume analysis: Seasonally adjusted - September Quarter 2017

Change in:
Current prices
Current prices
Chain volume measures(a)
Implicit price deflators(a)(b)
$m
%
%
%

Exports
366
1.7
1.5
0.2
Manufacturing services on physical inputs owned by others
-2
-40.0
-40.0
-
Maintenance and repair services n.i.e.
2
15.4
15.4
-
Transport
44
2.2
1.6
0.6
Travel
301
2.2
2.0
0.1
Other services
21
0.4
0.3
0.1
Imports
40
0.2
2.2
-1.9
Manufacturing services on physical inputs owned by others
-
-
-
-
Maintenance and repair services n.i.e.
18
10.0
13.4
-3.0
Transport
-3
-0.1
-1.3
1.3
Travel
-120
-1.1
1.2
-2.3
Other services
145
2.1
5.4
-3.1

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Reference year 2015-16.
(b) Movements in indexes are based on data to four decimal places.


Services Credits

Services credits, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, rose $366m (2%) to $21,950m, with volumes up 2%.

The main components contributing to the rise were:
  • travel, up $301m (2%), with volumes up 2%
  • transport, up $44m (2%), with volumes up 2% and prices up 1%
  • other services, up $21m.

In seasonally adjusted terms, tourism related services credits rose $310m (2%) to $15,011m.


Services Debits

Services debits, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, rose $40m to $21,933m, with volumes up 2% and prices down 2%.

The main components contributing to the rise were:
  • other services, up $145m (2%), with volumes up 5% and prices down 3%
  • maintenance and repair services n.i.e., up $18m (10%), with volumes up 13% and prices down 3%.

Partly offsetting these rises was travel, down $120m (1%) with volumes up 1% and prices down 2%.

In seasonally adjusted terms, tourism related services debits fell $99m (1%) to $12,456m.


PRIMARY INCOME

The trend estimate of the net primary income deficit at current prices rose $52m to $12,587m in the September quarter 2017.

In seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, the net primary income deficit fell $1,044m to $11,968m in the September quarter 2017.

NET PRIMARY INCOME
Graph: Graph This graphs shows the trend and Seasonally adjusted movements for Net Primary Income


Primary Income Credits

Primary income credits, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, rose $821m (6%) to $14,873m. The main component contributing to the rise was direct investment assets, income on equity and investment fund shares, up $612m (12%).


Primary Income Debits

Primary income debits, in seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, fell $223m (1%) to $26,841m. The main component contributing to the fall was direct investment liabilities, income on equity and investment fund shares, down $262m (2%).


SECONDARY INCOME

The trend estimate of the net secondary income deficit at current prices rose $16m to $188m in the September quarter 2017.

In seasonally adjusted terms at current prices, the net secondary income deficit rose $129m to $213m in the September quarter 2017.


CAPITAL ACCOUNT

In original terms, the capital account deficit was $117m, a turnaround of $288m on the June quarter 2017 surplus of $171m. Capital account credits decreased $328m (96%) and capital account debits decreased $40m (24%) in the September quarter 2017.


FINANCIAL ACCOUNT

The balance on the financial account, in original terms, recorded a net inflow of $14.2b, which was driven by a net outflow of equity of $6.7b and a net inflow of debt of $20.9b.

The financial account surplus increased $3.6b (34%) from $10.6b to $14.2b in the September quarter 2017.


Direct Investment

Direct investment recorded a net inflow of $6.9b in the September quarter 2017, a decrease of $22.1b on the net inflow of $29.0b in the June quarter 2017, where:
  • direct investment liabilities recorded an inflow of $18.9b, a decrease of $10.0b on the inflow of $28.8b in the June quarter 2017
  • direct investment assets recorded an outflow of $12.0b, a turnaround of $12.1b on the inflow of $0.2b in the June quarter 2017.


Portfolio Investment

Portfolio investment recorded a net outflow of $0.9b in the September quarter 2017, a turnaround of $4.4b on the net inflow of $3.5b in the June quarter 2017, where:
  • equity and investment fund shares recorded a net outflow of $21.3b, a turnaround of $29.6b on the net inflow of $8.3b in the June quarter 2017
  • debt securities recorded a net inflow of $20.4b, a turnaround of $25.2b on the net outflow of $4.8b in the June quarter 2017.


Financial Derivatives

Financial derivatives recorded a net outflow of $5.6b in the September quarter 2017, an increase of $5.0b on the net outflow of $0.6b in the June quarter 2017.


Other Investment

Other investment recorded a net inflow of $3.7b in the September quarter 2017, a turnaround of $19.6b on the net outflow of $15.9b in the June quarter 2017. This was driven by net inflows of $9.6b in loans, offset by net outflows of $4.7b in currency and deposits.


Reserve Assets

Reserve assets recorded an inflow of $10.1b in the September quarter 2017, a turnaround of $15.5b on the outflow of $5.4b in the June quarter 2017.


INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT POSITION (IIP)

Australia's net IIP liability position was $958.8b at 30 September 2017, an increase of $13.2b (1%) on the revised 30 June 2017 position of $945.7b. Australia's net foreign debt liability increased $26.0b (3%) to $989.7b. Australia's net foreign equity asset increased $12.8b (71%) to $30.8b at 30 September 2017.

The changes contributing to this result are shown in the following table.

INTERNATIONAL INVESTMENT POSITION, By Net Foreign Equity and Net Foreign Debt

Changes in position reflecting
Position at beginning of period
Transactions
Price changes
Exchange rate changes
Other adjustments
Position at end of period
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m

Net International Investment Position
Mar 2017
978 677
7 181
-25 741
12 609
-2 911
969 814
Jun 2017
969 814
10 572
-22 796
-10 879
-1 038
945 673
Sep 2017
945 673
14 183
-17 406
18 500
-2 102
958 849
Net Foreign Equity
Mar 2017
-28 545
15 221
-32 147
34 396
-4 600
-15 676
Jun 2017
-15 676
32 790
-23 082
-11 004
-1 096
-18 068
Sep 2017
-18 068
-6 671
-17 568
17 157
-5 699
-30 849
Net Foreign Debt
Mar 2017
1 007 222
-8 040
6 406
-21 787
1 688
985 490
Jun 2017
985 490
-22 218
285
125
58
963 740
Sep 2017
963 740
20 854
163
1 344
3 597
989 699



SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

CONDITIONS

The conditions in the global economy showed modest growth in Australia’s major trading partner countries in the September quarter 2017. According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)(footnote 2) preliminary growth rates compared to last quarter in seasonally adjusted terms showed quarterly growth for China (1.7%), South Korea (1.4%), Indonesia (1.2%), the USA (0.8%), the Euro 28 (0.6%), France (0.5%), the UK (0.4%) and Japan (0.3%).
  • foreign asset transactions were $15.1b in the September quarter 2017 compared to -$21.1b in the June quarter 2017
  • foreign liability transactions were -$0.9b in the September quarter 2017 compared to $31.7b in the June quarter 2017.

The Australian share market, as measured by the MSCI global index(footnote 3) decreased 0.5% in the September quarter 2017, following a decrease of 3.3% in the June quarter 2017. Increases were recorded in Hong Kong and France (4.4%), the USA and Germany (3.9%), Canada and Japan (3.4%), Switzerland (2.9%), the UK (0.8%) and Singapore (0.2%). Decreases were recorded in New Zealand (1.0%). A market price change of -$15.5b was recorded for foreign equity assets and -$2.0b in foreign equity liabilities in the September quarter 2017.

According to Bloomberg(footnote 4), the composite corporate benchmark yields increased in the UK from 2.24% to 2.31% and Australia from 3.27% to 3.31%. The yields decreased in Germany from 1.03% to 0.89%, the USA from 3.25% to 3.21% and Japan from 0.31% to 0.29%. The long-term 10 year government bond yields increased in Australia from 2.41% to 2.70%, the UK from 1.26% to 1.37% and the USA from 2.31% to 2.33%.The yields decreased in Japan from 0.09% to 0.06% and Germany from 0.47% to 0.46% over the September Quarter 2017. A market price change of $2.7b was recorded for portfolio debt securities assets and -$3.4b in portfolio debt securities liabilities in the September quarter 2017.

The Australian dollar saw mixed movements against major currencies in the September quarter 2017. The dollar appreciated 3.53% against the New Zealand dollar, 3.44% against the Swiss franc, 3.03% against the Indonesian rupiah and the Indian rupee, 2.51% against the Japanese yen, 2.03% against the South Korean won, 2.00% against the Hong Kong dollar, 1.91% against the US dollar, 1.75% against the New Taiwan dollar, 0.56% against the Chinese renminbi, 0.51% against the Singapore dollar, 0.33% against the Malaysian ringgit and 0.08% against the Thai baht. It depreciated 2.35% against the Canadian dollar, 1.15% against the UK pound sterling and 1.07% against the European euro. The Trade Weighted Index (TWI) ((footnote 4),(footnote 5)) rose by 1.07% to 66.20 in the September quarter 2017. These movements were reflected in exchange rate changes for foreign assets of $25.9b and foreign liabilities of -$7.4b in the September quarter 2017.


RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IPD, EPI AND IPI(footnote 6)

In original terms, the IPD for total goods credits fell 2.6% and the chain Laspeyres price index for goods exports fell 3.5%. The Export Price Index (EPI)(footnote 7)fell 3.0% during the September quarter 2017.

In original terms, the IPD for total goods debits fell 1.5% and the chain Laspeyres price index for goods imports fell 1.4%. The Import Price Index (IPI)(footnote 7) fell 1.6% during the September quarter 2017.

Differences between the IPD and International Trade Price Indexes can arise due to a number of methodological factors including differences in pricing points, timing, coverage and weights.


GOODS AND SERVICES, Price comparison - September Quarter 2017

Change in:
Seasonally adjusted
Original
Implicit price deflators(a)
Implicit price deflators(a)
International trade price indexes(b)
Chain Laspeyres price indexes(a)
%
%
%
%

Exports
Goods
-2.7
-2.6
-3.0
-3.5
Services
0.2
0.2
na
0.1
Imports
Goods
-1.5
-1.5
-1.6
-1.4
Services
-1.9
-1.9
na
-1.9

na not available
(a) Reference year 2015-16 = 100.
(b) Source: International Trade Price Indexes, Australia (cat. no. 6457.0).

IMPLICIT PRICE DEFLATORS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE PRICE INDEXES
Graph: IMPLICIT PRICE DEFLATORS AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE PRICE INDEXES


Commodity Price Indexes

The RBA Commodity Price Index (average monthly index) for rural commodities decreased 6.0% between the June quarter 2017 and the September quarter 2017 while the EPI for rural goods decreased 1.3%.

The RBA Commodity Price Index for non-rural commodities decreased 3.0% between the June quarter 2017 and the September June quarter 2017 while the EPI for non-rural goods total (excluding non-monetary gold) decreased 3.2%.

Differences between the RBA Commodity Price Index and ABS price measures are largely a consequence of methodological differences used in the construction of the respective indexes, including coverage of included commodities and timing of source data.

1 In this commentary movements in indexes are based on data to four decimal places. <back
2 OECD Statistics Quarterly National Account, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development – Economic Department, viewed 17 November 2017. <back
3 MSCI Global Market Indexes 2016, Morgan Stanley Capital International, viewed 3 October 2017. <back
4 Bloomberg, Bloomberg Professional Service, viewed 5 October 2017. <back
5 Exchange Rates – Daily 2014 to Current, Reserve Bank of Australia - Statistical Tables, viewed 4 October 2017. <back
6 In this commentary movements in indexes are based on data to four decimal places. <back
7 Source: International Trade Price Indexes, Australia (cat. no. 6457.0) <back