Australia – 1Q 2026 GDP

BTB
Beliefs of Teng Boo

Economies

Equity Markets

INTELLIGENT INVESTOR

PORTFOLIOS

TRADING SMART

FUNDS

EDUCATION

Charts

Australia – 1Q 2026 GDP

21/07/2026 05:35 pm MYT

In 1Q 2026, Australia's GDP in seasonally adjusted chain volume terms rose by 0.3% quarter-on-quarter, lower than the 0.9% growth recorded in the previous quarter. Growth was driven by business investment in data centre machinery and equipment but it was partly offset by a large detraction from net trade. Year-on-year, the economy expanded by 2.5% (figure 1).

On the expenditure side, private consumption increased by 0.5% quarter-on-quarter, and 2.5% year-on-year (table 1). Private investment rose by 3.6% quarter-on-quarter and 5.0% year-on-year, mainly driven by investment in machinery and equipment. In terms of foreign trade, exports fell by 1.1%, while imports grew by 2.1%. On the production side, gross value added increased by 0.3% quarter-on-quarter and 2.8% year-on-year.

Economic growth in 2Q 2026 is expected to moderate as the effects of the global energy crisis increasingly weigh on economic activity. Although inflation has eased, the RBA's earlier interest rate hikes are expected to dampen household spending and slow down broader economic activity. However, growth is likely to be supported by a resilient labour market and continued private investment. Net exports are also expected to weigh on growth as exports decline while imports increase.

i Capital forecasts the Australian economy to grow between 0.5% and 2.0% in 2Q 2026.

For the whole of 2026, real GDP growth is expected to be in the range of 1.0% and 3.5%.

Note from Publisher

According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, Malaysian households discard between 31.9 kg and 97.3 kg of food per person annually, with the majority of waste coming not from scarcity but from daily behaviour and management practices. Processed and cooked food is more frequently discarded than raw ingredients, with rice, vegetables, and takeaway meals forming a large share of what ends up in the bin. This points to inefficiencies in meal planning, over-preparation, and the common habit of storing food beyond their usable life.

In addition, nearly 80% of Malaysian households did not practise separate disposal, throwing away food waste together with other household trash, limiting recycling or composting potential and adding pressure to already strained landfills.

Although the estimated range of Malaysia’s household food waste per capita is broadly in line with the global average of 79 kg, it should not be taken lightly. Food waste has implications on food security, resource efficiency, societal well-being, and environmental sustainability. We need to have serious public awareness campaigns about meal planning, purchasing planning, and proper disposals. Malaysians should not take having abundant food for granted.

PORTFOLIOS