The Latest Breaking News from CommSec

Economic activity, retail spending and business investment has catapulted Victoria to best performing economy in the nation but it faces stiff competition.

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ACT leads nation on retail spending

Canberra, however, led the nation on the value of home loans.

After one quarter in the sun, Queensland has been knocked off the top of CommSec's State of the States economic rankings, and overtaken by the island state, which now leads on three key indicators.

Motorists have been warned to shop around early to avoid paying above $2 a litre at the pump in the lead up to Easter long weekend.

Strong interstate migration and jobs growth lifts Queensland to its first top ranking on the State of the States economic report, with South Australia ranking strong in construction and Victoria leading the nation on retail spending.

The Sunshine State is the country's best-performing state economy for the first time in more than a decade of CommSec rankings.

Australians will get a pulse check on the rising costs of living when inflation figures for the December quarter drop.

ABS and CommSec data shows there are already signs of a slowdown as average household spending goes up 15 per cent in the past five years.

Two stockbrokers, one owned by CBA, have been hit with penalties of over $27 million after "systematic" failures saw customers overcharged for almost a decade.