RBA Holds Interest Rates at 3.6% Amid Housing Market Challenges

The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept interest rates steady at 3.6%, amid rising home prices and challenges for first-time buyers, as the Albanese Government navigates economic uncertainties. Separately, unpaid household labor in Australia, predominantly performed by women, has been valued at AUD 688 billion, highlighting its significant yet uncounted contribution to the economy and prompting calls for better recognition in economic policies. In the business sector, there is a growing focus on improving productivity by eliminating outdated practices and unnecessary complexity, advocating for strategic subtraction to enhance organizational performance. Meanwhile, venture capital funding is increasingly concentrated in AI and software companies, with a significant portion of global investment capital flowing into a limited number of AI startups, marking a shift from diverse investments to concentrated capital allocation in the AI-first era.