Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia

Latest release

Quarterly statistics about actual and expected private new capex investment spend on buildings and equipment by industry

Reference period
March 2026
Released
28/05/2026
  • Next Release 27/08/2026
    Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, June 2026
  • Next Release 26/11/2026
    Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, September 2026
  • Next Release 25/02/2027
    Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, December 2026
  • View all releases
Release date and time
28/05/2026 11:30am AEST

Key statistics

  • Total new capital expenditure rose by 6.5%
  • Equipment, plant and machinery rose by 18.1%
  • Buildings and structures fell by 3.8%
  • Estimate 2 for 2026-27 is $173.4b. This is 9.9% higher than Estimate 1 for 2026-27

Data Centres in Economic Statistics

In the December quarter 2025 the ABS released a Spotlight article Data Centres in Economic Statistics. The article details how the recent increase in investment in data centres is captured in ABS statistics, and how the operations of data centres will appear within the suite of ABS economic statistics. 

Key data items
 Mar Qtr 26 
($m)
Dec Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26  
(% change)
Mar Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26 
(% change)
Seasonally adjusted(a) 
 Total new capital expenditure52,5746.514.6
 Buildings and structures25,081-3.80.8
 Equipment, plant and machinery27,49318.131.0
Trend(a) 
 Total new capital expenditure51,9574.313.3
 Buildings and structures25,552-0.13.2
 Equipment, plant and machinery26,3849.125.1
  1. In volume terms

New capital expenditure in volume terms

Total new capital expenditure

  • The trend estimate for total new capital expenditure rose 4.3%
  • The seasonally adjusted estimate for total new capital expenditure rose 6.5% 
  1. Trend break added to 'Total new capital expenditure' trend series for June 2020, Dec 2018, Sep 2015, Sep 2008, Mar 2007 and Jun 2003.

Buildings and structures

  • The trend estimate for buildings and structures fell 0.1%
  • The seasonally adjusted estimate for buildings and structures fell 3.8%
  1. Trend break added to 'Buildings and Structures new capital expenditure' trend series for Dec 2018, Sep 2015, Sep 2008, Mar 2007 and Jun 2003.

Equipment and machinery

  • The trend estimate for equipment, plant and machinery rose 9.1%
  • The seasonally adjusted estimate for equipment, plant and machinery rose 18.1% 
  1. Trend break added to 'Equipment and machinery new capital expenditure' trend series for Mar 2007.

Mining and Non-mining

  • The trend estimate for Mining fell 0.2%
  • The seasonally adjusted estimate for Mining was relatively unchanged
  • The trend estimate for Non-mining rose 5.5%
  • The seasonally adjusted estimate for Non-mining rose 8.8%
  1. Trend break added to 'Total non-mining capital expenditure' trend series for Dec 2018, Sep 2015, Sep 2008, Mar 2007 and Jun 2003.

Financial years at current prices

Timing and composition

The graphs below show the seven estimates of actual and expected expenditure for each financial year.

The timing and composition of these estimates are as follows:

Composition of estimates 
Estimate based on data reported at:Data on long-term expected expenditureData on short-term expected expenditureData on actual expenditure
1Jan-Feb, 5-6 months before period begins12 monthsNilNil
2Apr-May, 2-3 months before period begins12 monthsNilNil
3Jul-Aug, at beginning of period6 months6 monthsNil
4Oct-Nov, 3-4 months into period6 months3 months3 months
5Jan-Feb, 6-7 months into periodNil6 months6 months
6Apr-May, 9-10 months into periodNil3 months9 months
7Jul-Aug, at end of periodNilNil12 months

Total capital expenditure

  • Estimate 6 for 2025-26 is $207.6b
  • This is 4.5% higher than Estimate 5 for 2025-26
  • Estimate 2 for 2026-27 is $173.4b
  • This is 9.9% higher than Estimate 1 for 2026-27

Buildings and structures

  • Estimate 6 for 2025-26 is $111.2b
  • This is 1.6% higher than Estimate 5 for 2025-26
  • Estimate 2 for 2026-27 is $99.7b
  • This is 8.7% higher than Estimate 1 for 2026-27

Equipment and machinery

  • Estimate 6 for 2025-26 is $96.5b
  • This is 8.1% higher than Estimate 5 for 2025-26
  • Estimate 2 for 2026-27 is $73.8b
  • This is 11.6% higher than Estimate 1 for 2026-27

Mining

  • Estimate 6 for 2025-26 is $55.8b
  • This is 0.2% lower than Estimate 5 for 2025-26
  • Estimate 2 for 2026-27 is $50.6b
  • This is 7.6% higher than Estimate 1 for 2026-27

Non-mining

  • Estimate 6 for 2025-26 is $151.9b
  • This is 6.4% higher than Estimate 5 for 2025-26
  • Estimate 2 for 2026-27 is $122.9b
  • This is 10.9% higher than Estimate 1 for 2026-27

Detailed industry movements by asset type

Total capex by industry, seasonally adjusted chain volumes - percentage change
Dec Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26Mar Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26
% change% change
Mining0.0-1.3
Manufacturing-12.8-5.6
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste-8.41.5
Construction1.8-16.6
Wholesale Trade2.12.8
Retail Trade12.235.7
Accommodation and Food Services4.122.2
Transport, Postal and Warehousing-13.0-2.5
Information Media and Telecommunications96.1190.1
Financial and Insurance Services11.13.8
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate-3.7-7.4
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services4.321.6
Administrative and Support Services-17.7-5.8
Education and Training-0.814.0
Health Care and Social Assistance5.320.5
Arts and Recreation Services5.036.6
Other Services3.23.8
Buildings and structures by industry, seasonally adjusted chain volumes - percentage change
Dec Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26Mar Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26
% change% change
Mining-2.9-5.8
Manufacturing-25.1-7.9
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste-8.51.1
Construction-35.8-29.3
Wholesale Trade-8.6-16.7
Retail Trade17.852.7
Accommodation and Food Services0.817.7
Transport, Postal and Warehousing-0.9-5.7
Information Media and Telecommunications12.645.4
Financial and Insurance Services20.1-20.6
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate-11.6-16.5
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services-19.54.3
Administrative and Support Services1.27.7
Education and Training-1.517.1
Health Care and Social Assistance-6.0-3.3
Arts and Recreation Services6.925.7
Other Services0.0-18.2
Equipment and machinery by industry, seasonally adjusted chain volumes - percentage change
Dec Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26Mar Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26
% change% change
Mining7.210.8
Manufacturing-5.1-4.4
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste-7.04.9
Construction4.1-16.0
Wholesale Trade5.911.0
Retail Trade9.829.3
Accommodation and Food Services7.827.3
Transport, Postal and Warehousing-18.5-0.6
Information Media and Telecommunications196.1431.0
Financial and Insurance Services9.510.3
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate9.38.3
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services9.224.6
Administrative and Support Services-21.1-8.3
Education and Training1.63.0
Health Care and Social Assistance16.349.1
Arts and Recreation Services3.150.6
Other Services4.212.8

State movements

State total capex, seasonally adjusted chain volumes - percentage change
Dec Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26Mar Qtr 25 to Mar Qtr 26
% change% change
New South Wales22.130.2
Victoria12.732.7
Queensland-3.0-0.2
South Australia0.214.8
Western Australia-4.31.7
Tasmania-8.0-8.4
Northern Territory-39.8-44.2
Australian Capital Territory-9.4-16.4

Data downloads

Time series spreadsheets

Data files

Data Explorer datasets

Caution: Data in Data Explorer is currently released after the 11:30am release on the ABS website.

Please check the reference period when using Data Explorer.

Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure - estimates of actual and expected new capital expenditure by private businesses for selected industries in Australia

Enquiries

For more information on these and related statistics, enquire via our Contact us page.

 

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 5625.0.

Methodology

Scope

This publication contains estimates of actual and expected new capital expenditure by private businesses for selected industries in Australia.

Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification, ANZSIC, 2006.

Geography

Data available for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories

Source

The survey is conducted on a quarterly basis. 

It is based on a random sample of approximately 10,000 units which is stratified by industry, state/territory and derived employment size.

Collection method

Respondents are asked to provide data on the same basis as their own management accounts from an online survey. 

 

Concepts, sources and methods

Not applicable for this release

History of changes

Telstra's privatisation, effective from March quarter 2007.

 

View full methodology
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