William Farrington

London

Financial Journalist at Proactive Investors

Follow me on Mastodon Social for crypto journalism and other ramblings: https://t.co/tUjjwhaTm7

Articles

NAB, ANZ, Westpac paint rosier picture for Aussie consumers and businesses

3 days ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

Confidence data up across the board By 13 May 2025 Things are looking rosier for Australian consumers and businesses, if today’s data releases from the banking majors are anything to go by. While still in negative territory, the NAB Business Confidence Index rose to -1 in April, up from -3 in March, suggesting sentiment among firms is stabilising after months of economic uncertainty.
Refinancing activity surging, optimism growing, Mortgage Choice report shows

3 days ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

'Borrowers are breathing easier' By 13 May 2025 Australians are becoming more optimistic and keen to refinance as home loan interest rates begin to ease following the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)’s February interest rate cut, according to the Mortgage Choice Home Loan Report for the March 2025 quarter.
All eyes on prime in commercial property market

3 days ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

Australia's biggest banks are seeing a flight to quality in the commercial office space and a mixed bag of sentiment in the retail sector By 13 May 2025 Few would accuse Australia’s commercial property market of going gangbusters right now. Commercial office vacancy rates remain in the mid-to-high double digits, and while the trend line is moving in the right direction, returning to pre-COVID vacancy rates of 9% and less feels like wishful thinking.
SMSF showdown between Greens and Labor brewing

3 days ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

Stakes are huge for Australia's investors and non-bank lenders By 13 May 2025 With The Greens holding the balance of power in the Senate, a bumpy road lies ahead for Labor’s proposed overhaul of the Australian self-managed super fund (SMSF) regime. Despite copping a comprehensive drubbing in the federal election, the Greens maintain 11 seats in the Senate.
Non-major banks: Geared to brokers

4 days ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

Up against the banking behemoths, Australia's second-tier lenders reckon they take first place in innovation, flexibility and broker dedication By 12 May 2025 When MPA gathered five of Australia’s leading non-major banks and two prominent mortgage brokers around the table to discuss the topics of the day, a lot of emphasis was put on the competitive advantages they bring to the hotly competitive Australian banking sector.
What did ANZ, Westpac, Macquarie, NAB results tell us last week?

5 days ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

Are mortgage wars heating up? By 11 May 2025 A distinct theme emerged from the financial results of four of Australia’s five largest banks last week. While Westpac, NAB, ANZ and Macquarie’s Australian retail segment reported continued growth in lending volumes and deposit inflows, especially in the owner-occupier segment, they also reported tighter net interest margins (NIMs), signalling an increasingly competitive mortgage landscape.
Houses and businesses are getting smashed - why isn't there a recession?

6 days ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

BOQ chief economist says generous government spending and migration are why By 10 May 2025 While conditions are improving for households and businesses, there’s no denying that Australia continues to feel the pain. By Bank of Queensland chief economist Peter Munckton’s estimates, household real disposable income fell to a 60-year low in 2024. Probably more actually, since this is when records began. By Munckton’s estimates, 80-year lows are probably more accurate.
Macquarie mortgage powerhouse soldiers on despite tighter margins

1 week ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

Banking heavyweight remains focused on broker and direct channels By 09 May 2025 Macquarie’s Australian retail business (aka Macquarie Banking and Financial Services, aka BFS) grew its home loans and business banking book by 17%, supported by a 21% surge in deposits, in the full year to 31 March. The digital-only banking major highlighted strong demand in the owner-occupier and lower loan-to-value spaces as primary factors behind the solid result.
Specialised knowledge is an invaluable asset for brokers

1 week ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

For the diversified broker, it pays to know the ins and outs of asset and equipment finance By 08 May 2025 Asset and equipment (A&E) finance is becoming a crucial piece of the diversified broker pie as customers demand a progressively broader offering from their trusted advisers. In fact, over 70% of asset finance sales in Australia are currently estimated to originate through brokers; not quite at the 76% levels seen in the mortgage finance space, but certainly close.
Morgan Owen: From fitness to development finance

1 week ago | mpamag.com | William Farrington

Penny Finance founder jogs a path less travelled By 08 May 2025 The fitness-to-development finance pipeline is not exactly a well-worn path, but that hasn’t stopped Morgan Owen (pictured), owner of Victoria-based brokerage Penny Finance, from doing it anyway. A quick peek at Penny’s website gives you the first clue that Owen is out to do things differently. Five sharply dressed women bask in moody lighting while a distinctly millennial company slogan marquees across the screen.