The local share market has dropped another 0.3 per cent and the Australian dollar has fallen to less than 66 US cents after hawkish talk from central bankers.
The local bourse has finished up 0.5 per cent, with retailers such as JB-Hi Fi and Accent Group doing well amid signs of an uptick in consumer spending.
Inflation for the 12 months to November came in at 4.3 per cent, the smallest growth in almost two years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Controversial land clearing at Alcoa's mine sites is likely to feed WA's ailing hardwood timber industry with logs following a ban on felling native forests.
Soldiers from overseas could join Australia's defence forces under an option being considered to grow the military amid issues with recruitment and retention.
The rising cost of housing, groceries and other goods may help explain the vast gap between normal earnings and how much it would take to feel wealthy.
After its near-record start to 2024, the local share market has finished down 1.4 per cent, its worst one-day drop since July, with losses across every sector.
