Domestic Demand Growth in Emerging Asia

Domestic demand has grown rapidly in emerging Asia for much of the past 30 years. As a consequence, its contribution to annual global growth has gradually increased, rising from ¼ percentage point in the early 1980s to almost 1 percentage point in recent years. Most of this increased contribution reflects strong growth in China and India, with around half arising from the expansion of household consumption and half from the increase in investment in these countries. Looking ahead, the contribution of domestic demand in emerging Asia to global growth is likely to continue to rise, underpinning Australia’s resource export prospects.China; India; consumption; investment; growth

The Mining Industry: From Bust to Boom

The Australian mining industry experienced a remarkable turnaround during the 2000s. The rapid growth of emerging economies in Asia drove a surge in demand for commodities, particularly those used in steel and energy generation. With global supply unable to respond quickly, prices surged to historically high levels. In response, mining investment in Australia rose to record levels as a share of the economy by the end of the decade. The rise in commodity prices has boosted activity and incomes and encouraged the factors of production to shift towards the mining industry. The boom has also been associated with a large increase in the real exchange rate, affecting trade-exposed industries. Overall, Australia's macroeconomic performance during the decade was much more stable than during the earlier mining booms, reflecting a stronger institutional framework.Australian mining industry; commodity prices; structural change

Household Consumption Trends in China

Despite strong growth in Chinese consumption, the household consumption ratio has fallen significantly. This reflects a fall in the share of national income that accrues to the household sector and a rise in the household saving ratio. Policies to encourage the growth of small and medium-sized entities, increase social spending, and reduce the focus on investment-led growth would be expected to support the level of household consumption over the medium term.China; households; consumption; savings

Impact of Government on Growth and Trade

In this paper we attempt to test the development economist's perceptions of the negative contributions of governmental activities, as well as the positive contributions of other activities, to growth. This paper provides evidence on the importance of government behavior for economic growth and, in so doing, attempts to start building a bridge between the development economics literature and the new growth theory. The focal point is the recognition that governments do more than spend and tax in manners that maximize social welfare functions: they influence incentives and regulate in ways that affect private behavior, and their spending, even on infrastructure, is not always optimal.

The Iron Ore, Coal and Gas Sectors

The industrialisation of Asia – particularly China and India – has led to a strong increase in global demand for key resource commodities. The associated sharp rise in the prices of these commodities has underpinned a significant increase in the levels of Australia’s resource investment, production and exports over the past five years, especially for iron ore, coal and liquefied natural gas (LNG). This article outlines some key features and recent developments in these three commodity sectors within Australia.Resource exports; resource capacity; iron ore; coal; LNG