In brief

Roy Morgan Research found consumer satisfaction with the big four banks reached almost 79% in February, the highest level in more than 16 years.

According to the article, smaller banks have higher satisfaction levels than the big four, at just over 85%, compared with almost 79% for the big banks.

The article shows that big bank satisfaction has improved to its highest point in over 16 years, which suggests customers are reporting better experiences—but smaller banks still lead on satisfaction, highlighting ongoing competition in service quality.

Bibby Financial Services’ biannual survey found almost two-thirds of small business owners are optimistic about sales in the next year, a 10 percentage point increase over the past six months.

Yes. The Bibby Financial Services survey also found that almost half of small business owners are more concerned about the global economy, despite rising optimism about sales.

The article reports Australian bond markets are at their most volatile in six months. The average daily difference between the high and low implied yields for three‑year bond futures was 10.3 basis points this month, the largest since September.

Citigroup’s Steven Mansell described the situation as “a bit of a tug-of-war,” saying that dynamic is spurring higher levels of volatility in the bond market.

The article highlights several indicators investors can watch: consumer satisfaction surveys (like Roy Morgan’s reports), small business sentiment surveys (such as Bibby Financial Services’ findings), and bond market measures like implied yields and daily yield swings for three‑year bond futures.