Wednesday, mid-week and it is bank result day. Commonwealth Bank of Australia releases its FY26 full year result at 9:30am AEST this morning: cash net profit after tax around 10 billion 980 million dollars (up 7 per cent), statutory NPAT 10 billion 910 million dollars (up 8 per cent), and a full year dividend of 5 dollars 5 cents fully franked, up 4 per cent on the prior year. Ex dividend date is 19 August, record date 20 August, payment 29 September. Yesterday the RBA held the cash rate at 4 point 35 per cent, but Governor Bullock struck a HAWKISH tone at her 3:30pm press conference: she personally thought it “quite possible” rates need to go up again, ruled out near term cuts, and warned “interest rates might need to stay high for longer”. Australian swap markets responded fast: pricing now shows a 50 per cent chance of a November hike and 80 per cent chance of a move by early 2027. Fuel Day 10 today, at or near the retail peak: ACCC 23rd weekly monitoring report expected today or Thursday, 5 city petrol 207 point 5 cents per litre, diesel 246 cents per litre. Unemployment for July drops Thursday 14 August at 11:30am AEST with a Trading Economics forecast of 4 point 5 per cent (previous 4 point 4 per cent). Today’s Top 5 opens with Decjuba at up to 70 per cent off dresses, knits, tops and denim from the Melbourne founded womens fashion brand, and Colette Hayman at up to 69 per cent off handbags, jewellery and accessories from the Sydney based Australian accessories label since 1994.
CommBank FY26 Result Landing at 9:30am AEST
Commonwealth Bank of Australia releases its FY26 full year result to the ASX at 9:30am AEST this morning, per the CBA financial calendar. Wire-service coverage from ABC Business live blog shows statutory net profit after tax at 10 billion 910 million dollars, up 8 per cent on FY25, with cash profit at 10 billion 980 million dollars, up 7 per cent, per Andrew Robertson at ABC News on 12 August. The board has declared a full year dividend of 5 dollars 5 cents per share fully franked, a 4 per cent increase on FY25’s 4 dollars 85 cents, ahead of IG’s 4 August preview forecast of 5 dollars 5 cents from Chris Beauchamp at IG. The interim dividend was 2 dollars 35 cents, meaning today’s final dividend is 2 dollars 70 cents fully franked (interim 2 dollars 35 cents plus final 2 dollars 70 cents equals 5 dollars 5 cents).
What Australian shopper households should watch beyond the dividend headline. First, home loan impairment provisioning: any material increase signals loan-book stress and household budget pressure that will feed into discretionary spending over the next 6 months. Second, deposit growth and household savings ratios, which have been narrowing as fuel and utilities absorb more of the weekly budget. Third, credit card and buy-now-pay-later balances, indicators of household refinancing stress. Ex dividend date is Tuesday 19 August 2026, record date 20 August, DRP election deadline 21 August, payment 29 September, per Tristan Harrison at Motley Fool Australia. Approximately 800,000 retail shareholders receive the payout, most of them Australian households who spend a meaningful share of it locally in the September quarter.
RBA Hawkish Hold: Bullock Warns Rates Could Go Higher
Yesterday at 2:30pm AEST the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Monetary Policy Board voted unanimously to hold the cash rate at 4 point 35 per cent for a second consecutive meeting, per the RBA. The market expected a straight hold with dovish language and easing forward guidance. Instead, Governor Michele Bullock delivered one of the most HAWKISH press conferences of her tenure. Wayne Cole at Reuters via Duke FM reported her exact words: “personally, I think it is quite possible we might need to go, but we will wait and see what the data tells us”. Bullock also confirmed the Board actively DISCUSSED raising rates at this meeting.
Peter Hannam at The Guardian on 11 August reported the RBA “threatened to hike again if needed” as it warned falling house prices would slow income growth. The quarterly Statement on Monetary Policy for August 2026 now projects inflation will not return to the middle of the 2 to 3 per cent target range until early 2028, a later date than the prior forecast. Eight signal quotes from Bullock’s press conference were captured by OrbitRemit’s post decision analysis: “near term cut in rates does not align with board’s thinking”, “interest rates might need to stay high for longer”, “progress on inflation has been slow for a year now”, “still risk inflation takes too long to return to target”, “high degree of uncertainty”.
The market shift was fast. Overnight swap pricing moved from a 4 per cent hike probability priced Monday to a 50 per cent chance of a hike at the November meeting and 80 per cent likelihood of a move by early 2027. ANZ’s head of Australian economics Adam Boyton, quoted by Michael Janda at ABC News, said “our expectation is the cash [rate] has peaked although there [is] a risk of a final increase in November”. For Australian shopper households: the “hold gives me breathing room” narrative is dead. The 3 point 3 million mortgaged households now face a genuine 50-50 coin flip on a fourth rate hike this year, driving a more cautious posture on discretionary spending for the rest of Q3 and into Christmas. That is why retailers are running record final winter clearance markdowns this week: margin pressure now has a name.
Fuel Day 10: At or Near Peak
Today is Day 10 of the fuel excise restoration. Petroleum tax jumped from 20 point 6 cents per litre in April to June, to 36 point 6 cents per litre from 1 July to 2 August (partial restoration), to the full 53 point 7 cents per litre from 3 August, per the Australian Taxation Office. The ACCC 22nd weekly fuel price monitoring report (data to 5 August) shows 5-city retail petrol at 207 point 5 cents per litre and diesel at 246 cents per litre, with capital city retail petrol still 37 cents per litre above pre-conflict levels and diesel 71 cents per litre above pre-conflict, per FuelPlan.gov.au. The ACCC 23rd weekly report is due today or Thursday, and will confirm whether Wednesday or Thursday marks the retail peak (RACQ’s Ian Jeffreys forecast peak within 10 days of full restoration, meaning today or Thursday).
Wednesday tactical actions for Australian drivers. First, before you leave the driveway check Fuel Check NSW, FuelWatch WA, FuelCheck TAS, MyFuel NT, MotorMouth or PetrolSpy. The cheapest to most expensive gap in metro Sydney remains at 60 cents per litre. Second, if your vehicle handbook allows a grade drop from Premium 98 to U91 or E10, NRMA data has the grade spread at a record 26 point 5 cents per litre. On a 55-litre fill that is 14 dollars 60 cents saved. Third, lock a 7-day price with 7-Eleven Fuel Lock before Thursday morning. On a peak week a 20 cent per litre difference on 55 litres is 11 dollars. If today’s ACCC report confirms peak, tomorrow’s fills are the last ones to top up before the retail cycle begins its slow descent.
Unemployment for July Drops Thursday at 11:30am
The Australian Bureau of Statistics releases the July Labour Force Survey tomorrow Thursday 14 August 2026 at 11:30am AEST, per the ABS Labour Force calendar. June printed at 4 point 4 per cent unemployment (unrounded 4 point 35 per cent), 76,000 more people employed month on month, and participation at a one year high of 67 point 0 per cent, per Wayne Cole at Reuters on 23 July. Trading Economics forecasts July at 4 point 5 per cent, up 0 point 1 percentage point.
What this means for the RBA path and household budgets. If July prints AT OR ABOVE forecast (4 point 5 or higher), it strengthens the case that the hawkish hold Bullock delivered yesterday will convert into an actual hold through November, because a weakening jobs market removes labour cost inflation pressure. If July prints BELOW forecast (4 point 4 or lower with strong employment growth), it validates the RBA’s continued tightening bias and increases the odds of a November hike materially. The July print is genuinely the most important economic data drop this week for the household mortgage repayment outlook.
Wednesday Top 5 Deals
Discount
DecjubaWomen's WearUp to 70 per cent off Decjuba: dresses, knits, tops, jeans, jackets, coats and accessories from the Melbourne founded Australian womens fashion brand launched in 2008 by Tania Austin, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australia wide shipping over 100 dollars.70%OFF2
Colette HaymanFashionUp to 69 per cent off Colette Hayman: handbags, tote bags, jewellery, belts, hats, sunglasses and accessories from the Sydney based Australian womens accessories brand since 1994, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australia wide shipping over 60 dollars.69%OFF3
Academy BrandMen's WearUp to 60 per cent off Academy Brand: mens tees, shirts, chinos, denim, jackets, knits and accessories from the Sydney founded Australian mens fashion label launched in 2006, with Afterpay, Zip and free Australia wide shipping over 100 dollars.60%OFF4
MyerDepartment StoresUp to 60 per cent off Myer: womens fashion, mens fashion, kids apparel, homewares, beauty, footwear and appliances from the iconic Australian department store founded in Bendigo in 1900, with Afterpay, Zip and free click and collect from 55 stores nationally.60%OFF5
Robert GordonHomewaresUp to 60 per cent off Robert Gordon: handmade ceramic dinnerware, mugs, bowls, jugs and homewares crafted in the Dandenong Ranges since 1980 from the Australian family owned pottery, with Afterpay and free Australia wide shipping over 150 dollars.60%OFFEvery store in Wednesday’s Top 5 is Australian owned or locally fulfilled. Every discount was verified against the store’s own live sale page this morning. None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Every product ships from an Australian warehouse and is backed by the Australian Consumer Law. Decjuba leads today at up to 70 per cent off dresses, knits, tops, jeans, jackets and coats from the Melbourne founded Australian womens fashion brand launched in 2008 by Tania Austin. Colette Hayman follows at up to 69 per cent off handbags, jewellery, belts, hats and sunglasses from the Sydney based Australian womens accessories brand since 1994. Academy Brand at up to 60 per cent off delivers mens tees, shirts, chinos, denim, jackets and knits from the Sydney founded Australian mens fashion label launched in 2006. Myer at up to 60 per cent off holds a full department store range including womens and mens fashion, kids apparel, homewares, beauty, footwear and small appliances from the iconic Australian department store founded in Bendigo in 1900. Robert Gordon at up to 60 per cent off closes the Top 5 with handmade ceramic dinnerware, mugs, bowls and jugs crafted in the Dandenong Ranges since 1980 from the Australian family owned pottery.
Other Deals Worth A Look
Beyond the Top 5, a handful of other Australian owned or locally fulfilled retailers are worth a Wednesday scroll. Australian Leather (today’s Top 6 ticker pick) holds up to 50 per cent off UGG boots, slippers, sheepskin gloves and accessories from the Sydney founded family owned Australian sheepskin brand since 1988. Veronika Maine continues at 30 per cent off tailoring, dresses and coats from the Sydney founded contemporary womens label. MyHouse continues its up to 50 per cent off homewares run. Williams Shoes is at 30 per cent off leather boots and business footwear. All Australian owned or locally fulfilled, all backed by the Australian Consumer Law.
Week Ahead
Three dates matter for Australian shopper wallets across the rest of this week. Wednesday 12 August 9:30am AEST: Commonwealth Bank FY26 full-year result, dividend size (5 dollars 5 cents fully franked declared, watch impairment provisioning for household stress signals), and Rio Tinto plus Northern Star Resources reporting. Thursday 14 August 11:30am AEST: ABS Labour Force Survey for July release. TE forecast 4 point 5 per cent, up 0 point 1 percentage point. Friday 15 August: retailer spring stock transition window OPENS at major fashion, footwear and homewares categories, closing the winter clearance window.
Our Take
Wednesday 12 August is the day the RBA yesterday’s hawkish shock lands on household spending decisions. Overnight swap pricing repriced from 4 per cent to 50 per cent hike probability at the November meeting, and 3 point 3 million mortgaged households are watching. CBA’s FY26 result this morning delivers 5 dollars 5 cents fully franked to approximately 800,000 retail shareholders, but the impairment provisioning line matters more for the broader household spending outlook. Fuel remains the sharpest weekly wallet drag, 5-city petrol at 207 point 5 cents per litre with today or Thursday the likely peak of the retail cycle, and the U91 to Premium 98 grade spread at a record 26 point 5 cents per litre. Thursday’s July jobs data will determine whether the RBA’s hawkish stance holds through November or converts into an actual hike. This is the third-last full discount week on winter apparel, boots, thermals, coats, homewares and small appliances at Australian retailers. From Friday 15 August, floor space transitions to spring, and today’s headline discounts on remaining winter stock are among the deepest of the year.
That is exactly why It’s On Sale exists. We track 35,000 Australian stores and 45,000 live sale products, every retailer Australian owned or locally fulfilled, every promotion audited daily against the store’s own price history. No trial traps, no hidden fees, no offshore marketplaces dressed up as a local brand. Today’s Sales shows every store currently running a discount in one place. The AI search reads the way real shoppers ask (try “winter coat clearance” or “ceramic dinner set”). None of it is Temu, Shein, AliExpress, Wish or any offshore marketplace dressed up as a local brand. Browse Today’s Sales this Wednesday morning to hit the final winter clearance week at Australian retailers who stand behind the ticket and the Australian Consumer Law.