Australia’s export price momentum slowed markedly in the first quarter of 2026, with the Export Price Index rising just 0.5% quarter-over-quarter, down from a 3.2% increase in the previous quarter. The latest figures, updated on 30 April 2026, highlight a pronounced deceleration in export price growth compared with the strong gains seen at the end of 2025.
The previous reading, for the fourth quarter of 2025, showed export prices jumping 3.2% versus the third quarter, underscoring how sharply conditions have shifted in early 2026. On a quarter-over-quarter basis, the current “Actual” figure of 0.5% directly reflects the change in export prices from Q4 2025 to Q1 2026, while the “Previous” figure captured the change from Q3 to Q4 2025.
The slowdown suggests that external pricing pressures on Australia’s exports have eased significantly in the new year, following a period of comparatively robust price growth at the end of 2025. Investors and policymakers will be watching subsequent quarters closely to see whether this softer trend in export prices persists or proves temporary.
