The consumer mood has improved slightly but optimism remains in extremely short supply. At 82, the latest Index read is still in deeply pessimistic territory, consistent with a continuation of the contraction in per capita spending seen since late last year. While there are some faint glimmers of hope around family finances and the outlook for jobs, these are being overshadowed by stillhigh inflation and renewed rate rise concerns. The RBA’s extended pause on rate hikes continues to see only a muted lift in sentiment. The headline Index is up only 3.7% since the last rate rise in June, and sentiment amongst ... (full story)