Australian National Accounts: Finance and Wealth

Latest release

National, public and private corporations, government and household financial and capital accounts, and household balance sheets.

Reference period
December 2025
Released
26/03/2026
  • Next Release 25/06/2026
    Australian National Accounts: Finance and Wealth, March 2026
  • Next Release 24/09/2026
    Australian National Accounts: Finance and Wealth, June 2026
  • Next Release 17/12/2026
    Australian National Accounts: Finance and Wealth, September 2026
  • View all releases
Release date and time
26/03/2026 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

  • Household wealth increased $453.7b (2.5%) to $18,848.1b.
  • Demand for credit was $142.4b.
  • Australia's net borrowing position fell by $27.8b to $8.4b this quarter.
  • Capital investment as a proportion of GDP decreased to 24.5%.

Main features

Financing resources and investment tables

Financial market summary table

Flow of funds diagrams

National investment

National investment increased by $20.6b to $192.4b in the December quarter.

  • General government investment increased by $4.9b to $30.2b, driven by an increase in gross fixed capital formation for both state and local general government and national general government.
  • Non-financial corporations' investment increased by $7.9b to $92.9b, driven by an increase in gross fixed capital formation for private non-financial corporations and an increase in change in inventories for public non-financial corporations.
  • Households' investment increased by $7.6b to $65.0b, driven by an increase in change in inventories.

Financial investment

Australia was a net borrower of $8.4b from rest of world (ROW). The main contributors were a:

  • $37.3b acquisition by ROW of bonds issued by Australia
  • $26.8b acquisition by ROW of equity issued by Australia
  • Partly offset by $63.6b acquisition by Australia of equity issued by ROW

Australia's net borrowing position reflected strong ROW investment in Australian company shares, and debt securities issued by the government and banks.

Households

Households' $31.0b net lending position was due to a $91.3b acquisition of financial assets, partly offset by a $60.3b incurrence of liabilities. The acquisition of assets was driven by:

  • $55.0b in deposits
  • $27.1b net equity in superannuation

While liabilities were driven by:

  • $63.4b in loan borrowings

The rise in deposit balances of households was supported by strong income growth which outpaced spending, reflected in a rise in the household saving rate. Strong employment income also supported further growth in superannuation balances through ongoing contributions.

General government

General government’s $45.2b net borrowing position was due to a $26.4b disposal of financial assets as well as an $18.8b incurrence of liabilities. The disposal of assets was driven by a:

  • $23.1b reduction in deposits
  • $4.4b reduction in loan assets

Liabilities were driven by:

  • $18.9b net issuance of short-term debt
  • $17.7b in loan borrowings
  • Partly offset by $13.0b net reduction of bond assets

The national general government remained in a net borrowing position for a sixth consecutive quarter which reflected a draw down in deposit assets of $20.3b and a net issuance of debt securities of $6.6b. State and territory governments continued to borrow funds from their respective central borrowing authorities to fund infrastructure projects.

Demand for credit

Demand for credit table

Demand for credit was $142.4b in the December quarter, of which:

  • Households borrowed $63.3b
  • Private non-financial businesses borrowed $48.3b
  • General government borrowed $24.3b

Credit market outstandings increased by $124.0b, comprised of demand for credit of $142.4b and revaluation losses of $18.4b. Rising bond yields resulted in holding losses on Commonwealth government bonds of $25.1b, which was partly offset by $11.9b in holding gains on the shares of other private non-financial corporations.

Other private non-financial corporations

Growth in business credit was driven by loans from Authorised Deposit-taking Institutions (ADIs) this quarter alongside strong equity investment in Australian companies by ROW. Business credit growth has remained elevated throughout 2025, which has been seen alongside an increase in capital investment, particularly on machinery and equipment. Business financing activity comprised: 

  • Loan borrowings of $24.3b
  • Equity raising of $19.8b
  • Corporate bond net issuance of $4.0b

General government

Commonwealth government demand for credit was driven by increased issuance of Australian treasury notes, partly offset by net maturities of government bonds in the quarter. State and local general government credit growth was driven by an increase in loans from central borrowing authorities.

General government financing activity comprised:

  • $5.0b in net issuance of bonds and one name paper by national general government
  • $18.0b in loan borrowings by state and local general government.

Households

Household demand for credit in December quarter was driven by strong growth in housing loans across all borrower types. Changes to policies supporting owner occupier first home-buyers this quarter include the expansion of the Australian Government 5% Deposit Scheme and the introduction of the Australian Government Help to Buy Scheme. Household short term loan borrowings also increased in line with seasonally higher consumer spending in December quarters. Households borrowed:

  • $62.7b in long-term loans
  • $0.7b in short-term loans
  1. "Other" includes private non-financial investment funds and public non-financial corporations.

Households

Balance sheet

Financial assets

Liabilities

Household wealth grew by 2.5% ($453.7b) to $18,848.1b by the end of the December quarter. The increase in net worth was driven by growth in the value of land and dwellings, and financial assets.
 

Non-financial assets

Non-financial assets owned by households increased by 2.9% ($381.0b). The value of residential land and dwellings increased by 3.2% ($368.6b), with both property prices and the number of dwellings rising during the quarter.

Financial assets

Financial assets owned by households increased by 1.5% ($133.8b), with a:

  • $55.3b rise in currency and deposits.
  • $51.6b rise in superannuation reserves.
  • $20.0b rise in shares and other equity.

Total deposits increased by 2.9% ($54.0b). Transferable deposit account balances rose $42.8b and other deposit accounts (which include term deposit and other savings accounts) rose $11.2b.

The rise in the value of superannuation reserves and shares and other equity was due to more favourable performance in overseas share markets this quarter relative to domestic markets.

Liabilities

Household liabilities increased by 1.8% ($61.2b), with a:

  • $63.5b rise in long-term loans.
  • $0.7b rise in short-term loans.

The growth in long-term loans was driven by housing loans, with both investors and owner occupiers contributing to increased demand for new housing debt.

Private non-financial corporations

Financial assets

Liabilities

The debt-to-equity ratio (adjusted for price changes) increased to 0.58 and follows the gradual increase in the ratio seen since the September quarter 2021. The unadjusted debt-to-equity ratio rose to 0.45 in the December quarter 2025 following a rise in loan borrowings.

Other private non-financial corporations demand for credit

Other private non-financial corporations demand for credit of $48.3b was driven by:

  • $24.3b of loan borrowings
  • $19.8b of equity raising

Financial corporations

Financial assets and liabilities

Authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs)

Financial assets

Liabilities

Total financial assets of ADIs increased $117.4b, with a:

  • $84.3b increase in loans

This was partly offset by:

  • $8.3b decrease in bonds

Growth in ADI lending activity continued to be driven by loans to households and businesses. Housing loans increased across owner-occupied and investment types this quarter. ADIs decreased their holdings of bonds, particularly those issued by national general government.

Liabilities of ADIs increased $96.8b, with a:

  • $89.6b increase in deposits, and
  • $4.7b increase in bonds.

This was partly offset by a:

  • $13.7b decrease in shares and equities.

Growth in ADI deposits was primarily driven by households and rest of world. Weak performance in the domestic share market over the quarter led to a fall in equity values of listed ADIs.

Pension (superannuation) funds

Financial assets

Liabilities

Total financial assets of pension (superannuation funds) increased by 1.3% ($48.8b), with a:

  • $58.0b increase in shares and equity

Growth in the value of shares and equity held by pension funds was driven by acquisitions of units in unlisted non-money market investment funds and overseas shares as well as holding gains on these financial assets. The acquisition of equity assets was funded through member contributions and the partial sell off of domestic fixed interest assets.

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 borrowers of $45.2b. This was driven by a:

  • $23.1b draw down of deposits
  • $22.1b net borrowing of loans
  • $20.0b net issuance of one name paper liabilities

Partly offset by:

  • $12.6b net maturities of bond liabilities

Loan liabilities of state and local general government reached record levels of $519.6b as state governments continued to source funding for operating expenses, social benefits to households, and health and transport infrastructure projects.

  1. "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's net borrowing position rose by $2.9b to $21.4b this quarter.

This was driven by a:

  • $3.4b increase in change in inventories
  • $2.7b increase in gross fixed capital formation

and was partly offset by a:

  • $1.4b increase in net savings

National net borrowing as a proportion of GDP increased this quarter, driven by an increase in change in inventories.

  • Financial corporations' net lending increased by $5.5b to $10.8b.
  • Non-financial corporations' net borrowing increased by $2.1b to $15.5b.
  • General government net borrowing decreased by $8.3b to $30.3b.
  • Households' net lending decreased by $8.3b to $17.6b.

Notable drivers included the following:

  • Financial corporations' net lending was driven by an increase in net savings due to an increase in dividends receivable.
  • Non-financial corporations' net borrowing was driven by an increase in change in inventories for both private non-financial corporations and public non-financial corporations.
  • General government net borrowing was driven by an increase in net capital transfers for national general government due to a decrease in capital transfers payable to households.
  • Households' net lending was driven by a decrease in net capital transfers due to a decrease in capital transfers receivable from general government.

Capital Investment

National capital investment decreased to 24.5% as a proportion of GDP, while increasing 1.5% in current price seasonally adjusted terms.

Relative to GDP:

  • Household capital investment remained at 8.1%
  • Non-financial corporations' capital investment fell to 11.8%
  • Financial corporations' capital investment remained at 0.6%
  • General government capital investment remained at 3.9%

In current price seasonally adjusted terms:

  • Non-financial corporations' capital investment rose, driven by an increase in private non-financial corporations.
  • General government capital investment rose, driven by an increase in both national general government and 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 after September quarter 2023. These revisions are due to quality assurance reviews and 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.

AASB 17 accounting standard

The adoption of the AASB 17 accounting standard by the insurance industry has resulted in changes to source data reporting. 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.

ABS Managed Funds publication

Consultation with users and industry in late 2023 found that the Managed Funds publication and underlying collections no longer aligned with the way the industry operates and did not capture the full scope of activity. As a result, the Managed Funds publication was paused following the release of the December quarter 2023 issue.
 
The ABS is currently working with key stakeholders to improve the quality of our managed funds statistics. 
 
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.

Methodology

Scope

Includes national, sectoral and subsectoral financial accounts, capital accounts and balance sheets by financial instruments and counterparties. Key statistics produced are:

  • Household wealth
  • Demand for credit
  • Net lending/borrowing
  • Capital investment

Geography

The data available includes estimates for Australia.

Source

Data is sourced from the Survey of Financial Information (SFI) and Survey of International Investment (SII). This is supplemented with administrative data from the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) and other government agencies.

Collection method

Data is collected quarterly via online surveys directly to the ABS. Additional administrative data is collected from financial institutions via the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA).

Concepts, sources and methods

The major concepts, definitions, data sources and methods used to prepare the National Accounts estimates are described in the Australian System of National Accounts: Concepts, Sources and Methods.

History of changes

Not applicable to this release.

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