The S&P Global Australia Services PMI Business Activity Index eased to 51.0 in December from 52.8 in November, indicating slower expansion in the service sector if confirmed. The moderation reflected weaker services and new business growth amid heightened competition, with new orders decelerating while employment increased at a quicker pace as firms hired to manage workloads. Export demand for services softened, producing a more modest rise in new export business than in November. Business confidence improved to its highest since June. On the cost side, input price inflation rose at a quicker rate due to higher energy, wage and material expenses, while selling price inflation picked up and rose to a three-month high.