Asset prices I now turn to the topical question of asset prices and monetary policy. It is obviously something on a lot of minds, given the events in the US over the past five years and the preceding ‘bubble economy’ in Japan - and of course the run up in housing prices and debt in Australia.
In a business context, individual counterparties, i.e. suppliers, customers, creditors and others, are all working to develop business continuity plans. Full and comprehensive information is essential to that process. The readiness of counterparties is being evaluated based on available information. Inadequate details in a business environment can well lead to negative perceptions in the marketplace, which may have pronounced market and/or economic consequences.