Total new capital expenditure in Australia fell 3.6% quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter of 2026, reversing an upwardly revised 6.9% increase in the previous quarter and against expectations for no change. That was due to a sharp pullback in expenditure on equipment, plant and machinery, which declined 8.9% after an 18.4% jump in the prior quarter, particularly the 53% plunge in spending on information media and telecommunications equipment following record data-centre investment that drove a 199.6% surge last quarter. In contrast, expenditure on buildings and structures rose 2.1%, rebounding from a 3.3% drop. Regionally, capital spending declined in New South Wales (-2.8%), Victoria (-13.9%), Queensland (-0.4%), and South Australia (-1.9%), while it increased in Western Australia (4.0%), Tasmania (9.3%), the Northern Territory (6.8%), and the Australian Capital Territory (3.2%). Yearly, private capex grew 10.7%, slowing from an upwardly revised 14.9% rise in the previous period. source: Australian Bureau of Statistics

Private Investment in Australia decreased to -3.60 percent in the second quarter of 2026 from 6.90 percent in the first quarter of 2026. Private Investment in Australia averaged 1.25 percent from 1987 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 17.30 percent in the second quarter of 1996 and a record low of -8.20 percent in the third quarter of 2015. This page provides - Australia Private Investment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. Australia Private Capital Expenditure - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on August of 2026.

Private Investment in Australia decreased to -3.60 percent in the second quarter of 2026 from 6.90 percent in the first quarter of 2026. Private Investment in Australia is expected to be 0.20 percent by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Australia Private Capital Expenditure is projected to trend around 0.50 percent in 2027 and 0.30 percent in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-28 01:30 AM
Private Capital Expenditure QoQ
Q1 6.5% 0.7% 1% 1.5%
2026-08-27 01:30 AM
Private Capital Expenditure QoQ
Q2 -3.6% 6.9% 0% -1.4%
2026-11-26 12:30 AM
Private Capital Expenditure QoQ
Q3 -3.6% 0.2%


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Building Capital Expenditure 2.10 -3.30 percent Jun 2026
Business Inventories 0.50 -0.10 percent Mar 2026
Changes in Inventories 675.00 897.00 AUD Million Mar 2026
Company Gross Profits 132650.00 134455.00 AUD Million Mar 2026
Industrial Production 2.50 2.80 percent Mar 2026
Industrial Production Mom -0.60 1.70 percent Mar 2026
Manufacturing Production 3.20 1.10 percent Mar 2026
Mining Production 3.10 4.00 percent Mar 2026
Plant Machinery Capital Expenditure -8.90 18.40 percent Jun 2026
Private Capital Expenditure -3.60 6.90 percent Jun 2026


Australia Private Capital Expenditure
Private investment in Australia refers to quarter on quarter change in Private Capital Expenditure. The Capital Expenditure Survey in Australia includes the following industries: Mining, Manufacturing & Other selected industries such as Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services, Construction, Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, Transport, Postal and Warehousing, Information Media and Telecommunications Finance and Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services Professional, Scientific and Technical Services.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
-3.60 6.90 17.30 -8.20 1987 - 2026 percent Quarterly
SA

News Stream
Australia Capital Spending Drops in Q2
Total new capital expenditure in Australia fell 3.6% quarter-on-quarter in the second quarter of 2026, reversing an upwardly revised 6.9% increase in the previous quarter and against expectations for no change. That was due to a sharp pullback in expenditure on equipment, plant and machinery, which declined 8.9% after an 18.4% jump in the prior quarter, particularly the 53% plunge in spending on information media and telecommunications equipment following record data-centre investment that drove a 199.6% surge last quarter. In contrast, expenditure on buildings and structures rose 2.1%, rebounding from a 3.3% drop. Regionally, capital spending declined in New South Wales (-2.8%), Victoria (-13.9%), Queensland (-0.4%), and South Australia (-1.9%), while it increased in Western Australia (4.0%), Tasmania (9.3%), the Northern Territory (6.8%), and the Australian Capital Territory (3.2%). Yearly, private capex grew 10.7%, slowing from an upwardly revised 14.9% rise in the previous period.
2026-08-27
Australia Capital Spending Rises Faster in Q1
Total new capital expenditure in Australia jumped 6.5% quarter-on-quarter in the first quarter of 2026, accelerating from an upwardly revised 0.7% rise in the previous quarter and far exceeding market expectations for a 1.0% gain. Investment in equipment, plant, and machinery rebounded sharply (18.1% vs -1.3% in Q4), led by a sharp increase in information, media, and telecommunications. Meanwhile, spending on buildings and infrastructure declined (-3.8% vs 2.5%), mainly attributed to lower investment in mining, utilities, and rental services. Regionally, capital spending rose strongly in New South Wales (22.1%) and Victoria (12.7%), while South Australia posted a modest gain of 0.2%. In contrast, investment in the Northern Territory plunged 39.8%, with declines also recorded in Queensland (-3.0%), Western Australia (-4.3%), Tasmania (-8.0%), and the Australian Capital Territory (-9.4%). Yearly, private capex surged 14.6%, after an upwardly revised 8.1% growth in the previous period.
2026-05-28
Australia Q4 Capital Spending Unexpectedly Grows
Total new capital expenditure in Australia rose 0.4% qoq in Q4 2025, slowing sharply from a 6.4% growth in Q3 but beating market expectations for flat growth. Investment in buildings and infrastructure continued to expand (2.3% vs 2.3% in Q3), helped by large-scale projects in utilities, rental, hiring & real estate, and information and telecommunications. Within this category, non-mining capex increased 3.7%, while mining-related investment edged down 0.2%. By contrast, spending on equipment, plant, and machinery fell 1.7%, reversing an 11.2% surge previously. Non-mining equipment investment grew 0.8%, but mining equipment spending fell 0.8%. Regionally, capital spending rose in Victoria (2.0%), Queensland (0.7%), South Australia (4.8%), Western Australia (3.9%), and the Northern Territory (1.9%). Investment was flat in Tasmania, but it plunged in the Australian Capital Territory (-143%). On an annual basis, private capex rose 7.8%, faster than 6.9% in Q3.
2026-02-26