Mortgage approvals, award-winning credit cards, share trading: All in this week’s best banking news

couple happy because mortgage approved
  • First home buyers cause surge in mortgage approvals
  • Mozo Experts Choice Awards for Credit Cards announced! 
  • Aussie share trading: how many of us are investing? 
  • Car insurance: Victorians pay more finds Mozo’s latest stats 
  • Standard electricity more costly than green plans 
  • Which businesses have been approved for the SME Loan Guarantee Scheme 

All in this week’s best banking news: editor’s pick. 

Home loan commitments rise as more first home buyers enter the market

Recent numbers from the Australian Bureau of Statistics have shown that mortgage approvals spiked by 12.6% over August. 

The Lending Indicators report showed that the number of home loan commitments bumped up to $21.3 billion, the highest monthly increase in the series’ 18 year history. 

In particular, first home buyers made up a solid 34.2% of these commitments. The number of approvals for this group of borrowers rose by 17.7% while the value also jumped up by 18.4%. 

The government’s HomeBuilder scheme also had a part to play, as owner occupier loans for construction purposes went up by 22.9% over August and 34% over the year. 

Read full article:
Mortgage approvals surge as first home buyers flock to the market for comments from Mortgage Choice CEO Susan Mitchell. 

Say hello to the 2020 Mozo Experts Choice Award winners for Credit Cards! 

This week, we announced the credit card winners for the 2020 Mozo Experts Choice Awards

Our expert judges compared 215 personal credit cards and 45 business credit cards from a whopping 75 different providers. 

There were a number of winners across the multiple categories, from low rate, no annual fee, balance transfer, rewards to business credit cards. 

One notable mention is that American Express was crowned Credit Card Provider of the Year for the fourth year in a row

Read full article:
Award winning credit cards revealed for 2020: Mozo Experts Choice Awards for the rundown of this year’s winners. 

More Aussies dabble in share trading during COVID-19 pandemic

man using his phone to share trade

New numbers from the Online Investing Report by research company Investment Trends has shown that in the first half of 2020 more Aussies are taking up share trading

The stats revealed that in the six months leading up to June 2020, the amount of Australian active online investors bumped up from 750,000 to 1.06 million. 

“Looking at the Investment Trends data, this is the first time that number has crept over the one million mark,” said Andrew Rogers, director of stockbroking at CMC Markets.

“We always see new investors, normally around 70,000, but in the six months to June which covers the initial COVID period we saw 265,000 new investors place a trade - so about four times higher than average.”

Read full article:
Buying Apple now as easy as Westpac for Aussie share traders and see which stocks are performing well right now. 

Mozo finds that Victorians are forking our more in car insurance payments 

Victorian drivers pay on average $229 more on car insurance than other Aussies, finds Mozo’s 2020 Car Insurance Report. 

It was also revealed that 74% of Victorians are using their car less than this time in 2019. 

On the flip side, stats showed that Tasmanians pay the least in car insurance premiums. With an average yearly premium of $752, drivers in Tassie pay approximately $200 less than the rest of the country ($429 less than those from Victoria). 

Read full article:
Victorians pay more in car insurance, finds Mozo research for a breakdown of the cost of premiums state by state. 

Does it really cost more to go green on your energy?

girls on their phone using green power

Recent Mozo data has revealed that going green may not be more expensive than standard electricity

In fact, analysis showed that the cheapest green energy plans were better value than the average electricity plan: saving Aussies from $32 to over $200 a year (depending on where you live). 

For example, in Adelaide energy customers could potentially save $257 each year by making the switch to the cheapest green energy option on the Mozo database - the Powershop Shopper Market Offer Plan. 

In other cities, Sydney customers within the Ausgrid region could save $166 per year, while those in Canberra could save $106, Brisbane $105 and Inner Melbourne $43. 

Read full article:
Mozo research reveals green plans cheaper than standard electricity and find out where to find the best electricity plans in 2020.  

SME Loan Guarantee Scheme: who’s snagged approval so far? 

New stats from CommBank show that businesses in NSW and Victoria have secured the largest proportion of the SME Loan Guarantee Scheme’s funding so far. 

The two states have taken almost two-thirds of Commonwealth Bank’s government-supported loans: NSW (38%) and Victoria (26%). Coming in third place is Queensland at 16%. 

The first phase of this scheme meant that the government guaranteed half of all unsecured three-year business loans (up to $250,000) from 41 lenders, including CommBank and ANZ. 

Phase two is fast approaching and will mean that loan terms will be extended to five years and loan amounts will increase to $1 million. 

Read full article:
SME Loan Guarantee Scheme: Which businesses have been approved, and will you fit the bill for phase two? for more stats from CommBank’s report. 

Intrigued by the 2020 Mozo Experts Choice Award winners and want to compare them to the rest of the market? Check out some options below!

Compare Credit Cards - last updated 28 March 2024

Search promoted credit cards below or do a full Mozo database search. Advertiser disclosure
  • NAB Low Rate Card - Balance Transfer Offer

    Spend with confidence with a low 13.49% p.a. variable purchase rate and 0% p.a. interest on balance transfers for the first 28 months (T&Cs apply). 2% balance transfer fee applies. There’s also up to 55 interest free days on purchases to help you manage your budget better when you make minimum repayments. Minimum credit limit $1,000. No annual fee for the first year (usually $59).

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    Balance transfer rate
    0% p.a. for 28 months and then 21.74% p.a. (2.00% balance transfer fee)
    Annual fee
    $59 $0 in the first year
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  • American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card

    Enjoy $0 Annual Card Fee (usually $195) in the first year when you apply online and are approved. T&Cs apply. New Card Members only. Offer subject to change without notice.

    Purchase rate
    23.99% p.a.
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    $195 $0 in the first year
    Rewards program
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  • G&C Mutual Bank Platinum Visa Credit Card

    Receive 50,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply, are approved, and spend $5,000 on eligible purchases on your new G&C Mutual Bank Platinum Visa Credit Card within 90 days. T&Cs apply. Available to new G&C Mutual Bank Card Members only. Earn 10,000 bonus Qantas Points annually. T&Cs apply. Access Platinum Visa Concierge. Add an additional cardholder at no extra cost.

    Purchase rate
    19.99% p.a.
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    $299
    Rewards program
    Qantas Frequent Flyer
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  • Apply By 2 Apr 2024
    American Express Qantas Ultimate Card

    Receive 100,000 bonus Qantas Points when you apply online by 2 April 2024 , are approved, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your new Qantas American Express Ultimate Card within the first 3 months. T&Cs apply. Available to new American Express Card Members only.

    Purchase rate
    23.99% p.a.
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    Annual fee
    $450
    Rewards program
    Qantas Frequent Flyer
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  • American Express Explorer® Credit Card

    Receive 50,000 bonus membership rewards points when you apply online, are approved, and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases on your new card within the first 3 months (T&Cs apply). New Card Members only. Complimentary domestic & international Travel Insurance (T&Cs apply). Up to 55 days interest free on purchases. $395 annual fee.

    Purchase rate
    23.99% p.a.
    Balance transfer rate
    No current offer
    Annual fee
    $395
    Rewards program
    Membership Rewards
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  • Apply By 15 May 2024
    American Express Velocity Platinum Card

    Earn 100,000 bonus Velocity Points when you apply online by 15 May 2024, are approved, and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases on your new American Express Velocity Platinum Card within the first 3 months. T&Cs apply. Available to new American Express Card Members only.

    Purchase rate
    23.99% p.a.
    Balance transfer rate
    No current offer
    Annual fee
    $375
    Rewards program
    Velocity Frequent Flyer
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    Details

^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Credit Card Awards

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