Mortgage & investor pullback: New mortgage lending fell $5.4bn as rate hikes and Labor’s property tax changes cooled demand, with investor loans down $4.2bn (10%) and owner-occupier lending down $1.2bn (2%). First-homebuyer squeeze: First-homebuyer applications dropped 19.2% year-on-year to July, the steepest fall since late 2022, as borrowers weigh higher rates and fears of negative equity. Investor cost pressure: NAB warns rents could jump up to 30% if negative gearing for existing homes is removed from July 2027, pushing investors to seek higher gross yields. Banking watch: NAB flagged a housing outlook shift as mortgage applications fell 15% in the June quarter vs March, while the ASX 200 slid with retail and banks dragging. Data-centre infrastructure rules: NSW released a data centre policy framework to speed approvals (75 days) while pushing developers to fund extra energy and water infrastructure, with up to 28GW of potential connections in the pipeline. Property market resilience angle: Separate reporting highlights Australia’s most resilient property markets, with Latrobe–Gippsland and parts of the south-west cited for affordability, yield and renewables/AI-linked investment. Finance product update: Finsure launched Finsure Loans Ascend, adding broker access to bridging, first/second mortgages and short-term business loans. Real estate capital markets: Citi reiterated a Buy on Growthpoint Properties Australia with a $2.60 target, pointing to occupancy and portfolio performance.