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The Rise in Household Saving

Author

Listed:
  • Richard Finlay

    (Reserve Bank of Australia)

  • Fiona Price

    (Reserve Bank of Australia)

Abstract

This article investigates household saving behaviour in Australia and the drivers behind the sharp rise in saving that occurred in the late 2000s after an extended period of decline. Saving behaviour is important as, among other things, it influences household consumption, which accounts for a little over half of GDP. The rise in household saving appears to have been underpinned by precautionary motives, a reduction in expected future income gains for some types of households and an effort to rebuild wealth after the global financial crisis. Also, the long transition to higher levels of indebtedness may have run its course over this period, including perhaps because of a change in attitudes to debt. The ageing of the population does not appear to have played a significant role in recent changes in the saving ratio, although it may place downward pressure on saving over the years ahead.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Finlay & Fiona Price, 2014. "The Rise in Household Saving," RBA Bulletin (Print copy discontinued), Reserve Bank of Australia, pages 1-10, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:rba:rbabul:jun2014-01
    as

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    File URL: https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2014/jun/pdf/bu-0614-1.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Callan Windsor & Jarkko Jääskelä & Richard Finlay, 2013. "Home Prices and Household Spending," RBA Research Discussion Papers rdp2013-04, Reserve Bank of Australia.
    2. Nikola Dvornak & Marion Kohler, 2007. "Housing Wealth, Stock Market Wealth and Consumption: A Panel Analysis for Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 83(261), pages 117-130, June.
    3. Orazio P. Attanasio & Guglielmo Weber, 2010. "Consumption and Saving: Models of Intertemporal Allocation and Their Implications for Public Policy," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 48(3), pages 693-751, September.
    4. J. B. Taylor & M. Woodford (ed.), 1999. "Handbook of Macroeconomics," Handbook of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 1, number 1.
    5. LAURA BERGER‐THOMSON & ELAINE CHUNG & REBECCA McKIBBIN, 2010. "Estimating Marginal Propensities to Consume in Australia Using Micro Data," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 86(s1), pages 49-60, September.
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    Keywords

    household saving; micro data;

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