Inventories - Australia

Tracks unsold goods among Australian industrial firm. Inventories are often able to accentuate economic turning points. A significant decrease in inventories implies that the economy is on the verge of rapid growth because stockrooms for businesses are empty and need to be replenished, which triggers higher production overall.

Recent technological advancements allow firms to manage inventories more quickly and efficiently, keeping inventory levels lower. Accordingly, declines in inventory stores are often indicative of productivity increases rather than changes in demand. But these logistical advances put particular emphasis on growing inventories. Increases in stocks of goods signal declining demand in Australian.

The headline number is the percentage change in inventories from the previous quarter. Because of the many factors involved with changes in inventory, it is best to consult news reports and in depth analysis of the figure to avoid data misinterpretation.

Relevance: Rarely affects markets
Release schedule: 1:30 (GMT); quarterly, three months after the reported quarter
Source of report: Australian Bureau of Statistics
Web Address: http://www.abs.gov.au/
Address of release: http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/mf/5676.0
AKA: Inventories held by Private Businesses