Australia’s private sector credit rose 0.5% month-on-month in January 2026, missing market expectations of 0.7% and slowing from 0.8% gain in the previous month. It marked the softest increase since last March, as credit growth eased across most components, including housing (0.6% vs 0.7% in December), business (0.5% vs 1.0%), and personal credit (0.2% vs 0.5%). The moderation likely reflected still-elevated borrowing costs and cautious lending conditions, which continued to weigh on loan demand from households and firms. On an annual basis, private credit expanded 7.7%, holding steady for a second straight month and remaining at the fastest pace in five years.