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"Stressed" Australians Struggle With Record Debts As Housing Market Overheats

"Stressed" Australians Struggle With Record Debts As Housing Market Overheats

Australians are dialing back their spending on everything from clothes to cars as sky-high housing costs, the result of a housing bubble fueled by Chinese buyers, threaten to finally derail the country’s twin asset bubbles - housing and stocks.

But rising mortgage debt isn’t the only thing squeezing Australian customers, as Reuters reports. Inflation on essential items like food, electricity and insurance is accelerating, meaning Australians are also paying higher prices for basic consumer goods.