When President Putin quipped that he never thinks of Australia, he could have meant it. After launching an offensive against Ukraine, petrol prices rose - and other commodities followed suit. But this is just the beginning. As the war goes on, the global economy continues to take a hit, and Australia is only one of the many countries to feel the effects. What's at risk?

According to the Australian Institute of Petroleum, the national average unleaded petrol price rose by 3.3 cents to a record 183.9 cents a litre last week. That was after the UK and before the US announced it would ban all imports of Russian oil. But the worst is yet to come. See how this upward trend in petrol prices affects key AU sectors.

No one knows how things will unfold with the ongoing war in Ukraine, but the history of crisis events and share markets tells us that after an initial hit, there should be a decent rebound over 6 to 12 months. But what of the impact of COVID-19 and other global economic events on the status of markets? More insights here.

The cash rate is on hold but rising mortgage rates and house prices and changing credit policies continue to affect the country's housing affordability outlook; not to mention the war in Ukraine, rising energy costs, global supply chain disruptions are adding further complexity to the policy environment. Read this analysis.

If you have been impacted by the floods, you may be eligible for disaster payments from the government. This includes a one-off $1,000 Disaster Recovery Payment from the Federal Government and the Disaster Recovery Allowance for up to 13 weeks. Read this article to find out what is currently available and how you can apply.

Australians have identified the cost of debt repayments, bills and everyday expenses as their greatest challenges to saving money. This was from the NAB survey results which were fielded late last year. Despite these potential roadblocks, Aussies said they were trying to save during the fourth quarter. How about you?