ABC Business Daily
ABC Business Daily unpacks the latest business and finance news, analyzing stories that move share markets, shape industries, and affect the Australian economy. From Monday to Thursday, Senior Business Correspondent Carrington Clarke examines the biggest business news with ABC's specialist reporters. On Fridays, financial journalist Alan Kohler hosts in-depth interviews with decision-makers, innovators, and strategists shaping the economy.
Episodes
David Jones goes down
David Jones has been placed into receivership after months of financial pressure, unpaid rent and a breakdown in negotiations with major landlord Scentre Group.The 188-year-old retailer now faces an uncertain future - raising questions about what happens next for its stores, staff and one of Australia’s oldest retail brands.And in the United States, Democrats have taken control o
Is AI Coming for Canva?
Australian tech darling and design giant Canva has announced major job cuts.Is this the story of big business becoming the victim of global AI expansion - or is there something else going on?And the country has reacted to another interest rate rise from the Reserve Bank.Yesterday borrowers learned their fate - "feeling poorer" for longer, and inflation staying up. So the morning
Another rate rise
The Reserve Bank of Australia has met, and voted, to raise interest rates by 25 basis points from 4.60% to 4.85%.It's the fifth rise this year.It’ll be unwelcome news for those already struggling with the cost of living around the country - but is the pain necessary to get inflation back under control?And the next question now - is a sixth rate increase potentially on the horizon
Home values slide as RBA looms
Australia’s housing downturn is getting faster.Home values have now fallen for seven straight months, with capital city prices declining at the fastest pace of any housing downturn in four decades.But falling prices don’t automatically mean housing is becoming more affordable - borrowing capacity is shrinking, rents are still rising, and the equity picture looks very different de
Is Snowy 2.0 worth the price tag?
Snowy Hydro was meant to be one of Australia's biggest renewable energy projects.But the ambitious scheme has been hit by massive cost blowouts and delays, raising serious questions about how much taxpayers will ultimately have to pay.So what’s gone wrong with Snowy 2.0, and is the project still worth the price tag?Energy expert Bruce Mountain joins Carrington Clarke to unpack th
A roll call for central bank rates
Around the world central bankers are grappling with how to deal with unwantedly high inflation. In recent days we’ve seen interest rate decisions in New Zealand, Canada and the US. So what can we learn from their decisions and deliberations - and in whose footsteps will the RBA follow next week?Carrington Clarke and ABC News Business Editor Michael Janda break it all down on ABC
Inflation is too high
Inflation is still stubbornly high - and moreover accelerated in September - according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. So what’s costing Australian households the most?And with inflation well above the Reserve Bank’s comfort level, is a rate hike all but certain on Melbourne Cup Day?Lin Lin and Diana Mousina, Deputy Chief Economist at AMP break it
Will investors buy into Anthropic’s AI vision?
It’s official: Anthropic has filed to go public. This means the AI giant may soon take its place as one of the most valuable companies on earth and become available for investors to trade. But after the Nasdaq’s worst fortnight since April, what risks still lap at the edges of this IPO excitement?Carrington Clarke and ABC's Chief Business Correspondent Ian Verrender break it all
Will the overseas oil shock influence interest rates?
The price of Brent Crude has spiked again, with prices climbing close to the highest levels seen since the start of the war as hostilities across the Middle East escalate.How is the Australian economy bearing these overseas shocks, as inflation continues to stubbornly sit at a rate higher than the RBA would like?And just what does it mean for the chances of a rate hike next week?
Will France lead the world into economic crisis?
Violence is erupting on France's streets as economic pressures bite. Does the unrest signal a financial crisis is on the way? Plus, the US Federal Reserve meets next week and banks around the world - including the RBA - will be watching closely. Citigroup Global Chief Economist Nathan Sheets is a former Federal Reserve economist who also served at the US Treasury. ABC Business Da
Are Australian banks ready for a property slump?
From plummeting property prices across capital cities to the very live possibility of a RBA rate hike early next month, there’s lots of economic changes for Australia’s financial institutions to digest.So are Australia’s banks ready to weather what lies ahead?And on the heels of National Australia Bank announcing a major restructure earlier this week, what does the future hold fo
Is China exporting its economic problems?
It’s a tale of a two-speed economy.China's economy surprised analysts on the upside in the September quarter - but the headline growth figure masks a widening divide.Industrial activity is powering ahead, while retail spending remains far more subdued - raising fresh questions about the strength of China’s consumer economy.So why are Chinese households still reluctant to spend?An
Europe's cost of living crisis
After a weekend of the worst civil unrest in decades in France, markets are nervously waiting to see what the political response will be - but where there's political ramifications, economic ones are also sure to follow.So is France the most precariously balanced domino on the global economic board right now?Meanwhile back home, one of the country’s biggest and most powerful comp
Is it time to raise the GST?
The price of Brent Crude has taken another leg up, flirting with 110 US dollars a barrel over the weekend and pulling even greater focus onto how high energy costs are affecting the global economy.Meanwhile, Australia’s increasingly expensive public debt is putting pressure on government budgets. So is now the time for major tax reform?And would any major party be willing to test
The 'Thelma and Louise' moment coming for global economies
Global markets are shifting, debt is getting more expensive, and the AI investment boom is showing signs of risk. So what's the big picture and where could the next crisis emerge?Macro strategist Gerard Minack joins us to unpack the forces shaping the global economy, from rising bond yields and the growing threat of a sovereign debt crisis to whether the billions pouring into AI
Will higher unemployment stop a rate hike?
Fresh jobs figures from the ABS show worsening unemployment here in Australia. Meanwhile inflation is hotter than expected in the United States.So will these new numbers stay the Reserve Bank’s hand from hiking interest rates on Melbourne Cup Day?And what do minutes from the RBA’s last board meeting reveal about what the central bank thinks are the biggest risks right now?Carring
Solving the productivity puzzle
Despite rich resources and recent advancements in technology, why does Danielle Wood think the economy is still struggling to be more productive? The Productivity Commission Chair joins ABC Business Daily to weigh in on Australia’s productivity problem - workforce participation, population growth, the care economy, and AI’s role in stimulating growth. So, are we set on a path of
What are the ripple effects of the Firmus fiasco?
The cost of the Firmus fiasco continues to be counted, with Maas Group paying a heavy price for its connection to the Australian AI startup. So, how much wider is the pain likely to be felt across the economy?And where to now, for the biggest trade in global AI markets?Carrington Clarke and ABC Chief Business Correspondent Ian Verrender break it all down on ABC Business Daily.Got
Did Firmus fly too close to the sun?
It was the 44 billion dollar float that flopped. AI startup Firmus has dramatically pulled the plug on what was supposed to be the second biggest listing in ASX history. So what went wrong? Who is left "holding the bag"?And what does the decision tell us about investor appetite for all things AI?Carrington Clarke and James Thomson, senior Chanticleer columnist at the Australian
Alan Kohler on our financial past and future
Booms, busts and everything in between — for more than half a century, finance journalist Alan Kohler has had a front-row seat to the Australian economy.For his final episode hosting That's Business, we're changing things up. Alan swaps the host's chair for the hot seat to reflect on what 50 years of reporting on money, markets and business has taught him.What were the best and w
Is cutting immigration good economics?
Migration is dominating the headlines, with the Coalition promising the biggest cut to immigration in Australia’s history — a policy opposition leader Angus Taylor has called "budget neutral". But what are the economic questions behind student visa numbers, skilled worker contributions, and pressures on the Australian property market?And just how should economics shape decisions
Why your morning coffee is more expensive
It’s no surprise that people are feeling bad about the economy and their finances. But the latest look into consumer sentiment from the Westpac-Melbourne Institute’s index, reveals Australians are experiencing what the bank describes as a ‘cost-of-living nightmare.’Meanwhile, you may have noticed the price of your morning cup of coffee has gone up as small businesses raise prices
Firmus looks to float
The Australian stock market could be set for its second biggest IPO in history, with Firmus, the data-centre builder and operator, looking to tap the market for billions. So does the business case stack up?Meanwhile, Australians across the country are adjusting to last week’s rate hike in an economy with inflation still higher than the RBA would like. The central bank says it hop
To tax or not to tax EVs
The surge in electric vehicle sales seems here to stay, as Australians look for alternatives to petrol-powered cars and the global energy crisis pushes prices at the bowser higher still. But with fewer drivers paying the fuel excise, what does this mean for government revenue? And what are the economics behind taxing vehicles on our roads?Carrington Clarke and the e61 Institute's
What CBA’s Matt Comyn thinks about interest rates
Commonwealth Bank is Australia’s biggest bank and its second-biggest company. One in three Australians are CommBank customers, giving it an enormous influence over the Australian economy.Matt Comyn has been CBA’s CEO since 2018 and has been named by the Australian Financial Review as the most powerful person in corporate Australia. Now, with Australians watching closely for what
A financial system with ‘no room for complacency’
It’s health-check day for the Australian financial system, with the release of the Financial Stability Review from the Reserve Bank. And despite inflation still well above target, a fourth interest rate hike this year and the downturn in the property market, the RBA seems most concerned about what’s happening overseas.So why is the AI investment boom's increasingly opaque funding
Inflation still too high for the RBA
Fresh inflation figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics give us a look under the hood of an economy running hot. So just what is keeping inflation higher than the RBA would like? How does this fresh data affect the odds of a further rate hike in November?And how are central banks responding to the global bond market?Carrington Clarke and Paul Bloxham HSBC’s Chief Economi
The highest rates in 15 years
The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised rates, bringing the cash rate to the highest it’s been since 2011. And even though this latest hike doesn’t come as a surprise, the sting will still be felt by borrowers throughout the country.So what does this mean for the Australian economy? And how likely is a fifth rate hike before the end of the year?Carrington Clarke and ABC News Bus
Are lenders doubting the US dollar?
Is the era of US-dollar dominance on its last legs? Against the backdrop of the war in Iran, a trade war with Canada, and bond sell-offs, trust in the Greenback appears to be weakening. Meanwhile central banks around the world have been looking elsewhere to shore up reserves. So how does this all play into rising interest rates - here in Australia - and across the world?Carringto
The economics of migration
Australia's migration debate is once again ramping up, with Labor planning to cut backpacker and student visa numbers amid calls from One Nation to slash immigration by 750, 000 places over three years.Beneath the political storm is a complicated history of changing economic and social policy governing who gets to come to — and who gets to stay in — Australia.Mark Cully is a form
Can the government control AI?
The Australian Government is calling for stronger global rules around artificial intelligence. But as AI agents become more capable and autonomous, the question is becoming increasingly urgent: can governments regulate AI before it gets ahead of them?This week, prime minister Anthony Albanese announced a swarm of OpenAI's agents appeared to work together to circumvent cybersecuri
The latest jobs stats and AI hacks
New jobs data out today shows the unemployment rate has risen in Australia. But is it enough to halt the RBA's expected interest rate hike?And an agent from Open AI has hacked into a Services Australia portal. Could this damage big tech's reputation at a time when it's asking for government support to invest in Australia? Carrington Clarke and ABC Finance Journalist Alicia Barry
Bullock weighs in before rates day
Reserve bank boss Michelle Bullock has made her final public appearance ahead of next week’s rate decision. And with the public eager to get some sense of which way rates will go, the message most people seemed to hear was clear: The fight against inflation isn’t over yet. And it may take a further lift in unemployment to get there.So is a rate hike all but certain?Meanwhile, Don
What will it cost to live longer?
What will Australia’s economy be like forty years from now?According to Treasury’s latest Intergenerational Report there will be about forty million of us. But will they be living better lives than the 28 million kicking around today?And could AI finally turn around Australia’s flagging productivity problem?Carrington Clarke and ABC Chief Business Correspondent Ian Verrender brea
Big banks bet on a rate hike
The price of Brent Crude has climbed back above one hundred dollars a barrel in response to rising concerns that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is spreading. Here in Australia, the Coalition is touting a new fuel excise proposal as the price of diesel climbs closer to spikes not seen since the beginning of the conflict.Meanwhile, analysts from Australia's big four banks
Building faster, cheaper housing
For years governments and companies have been trying to figure out how to make more houses people can afford in Australia. In other parts of the world, building homes in factories and then assembling them onsite is part of the solution — but it's never really taken off in Australia. Now, construction firm Built has joined up with Bunnings' parent company Wesfarmers to create Buil
The Fed hikes. Will shares fall?
The US Federal Reserve has hiked interest rates for the first time since 2023 - and the consequences could reach all the way into your investment portfolio.United States Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh says the move is designed to bring inflation back towards target faster - but will one hike be enough, or are more on the way?And as higher US rates ripple through global markets
When Chinese EVs dominate a market
Thailand's massive car manufacturing industry has seen the country nicknamed the "Detroit of Asia".But China's electric vehicle boom is shaking up the Thai automotive sector, with Chinese brands dominating the EV market and local manufacturers pushing for tariffs to protects themselves as vehicle production falls. Meanwhile in Australia, the economics of going electric are shifti
Will an AI backlash hamper its boom?
The people building the world’s most powerful AI systems are starting to warn that development may be moving too fast.Some want a slowdown and stronger safeguards. Others, including Donald Trump, are dismissing those warnings as a “hoax” that could hand China an advantage.But underneath the safety debate is a huge economic story too - billions in investment, rising debt and enorm
Another oil shock is here
Brent crude is back above US$100 a barrel, with a second critical global energy choke-point now looking increasingly vulnerable. At the same time, Australia has its own problem to solve. The Reserve Bank of Australia says inflation remains the country’s biggest economic concern - but some of the pressures pushing prices higher, including another jump in oil, are coming from force
How Trump's trade war is changing everything
Donald Trump is rewriting the rules of global trade, using tariffs as political weapons and up-ending decades of economic orthodoxy.At the same time, trade routes themselves have become central to the war in Iran, with the Strait of Hormuz sitting at the heart of the conflict.So what does someone who has spent his career understanding the politics and economics of trade make of a
Breaking down Bathla
Bathla Group has collapsed owing billions, with hundreds of projects caught up in the fallout.But when a developer that big goes under, the bigger question is what it tells us about the wider market. Was Bathla simply a company that grew too fast and took on too much debt - or is it a sign of deeper pressure across property and construction?In this special episode of ABC Business
Nike’s spectacular fall
Nike has lost its edge.More than US$230 billion has been wiped from its market value since its 2021 peak, and its share price is now back around levels last seen more than a decade ago.For a brand that has dominated global sport for generations, that’s a remarkable fall. So what went wrong? Was it China, competition, brand dilution - or simply a business that stopped setting the
The numbers behind One Nation’s super plan
One Nation wants Australians paying rent or a mortgage to take more of their superannuation home now - but what could that cost them later?The proposal has ignited a political fight, with One Nation Treasury spokesperson Barnaby Joyce arguing people should be trusted with their own money. But behind the rhetoric are much bigger economic questions about retirement balances, inflat
Are we headed for 'Bondmageddon'?
Satyajit Das thinks another major global financial crisis might be coming - and soon.He was warning about dangerous debt structures well before the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Now, with inflation still sticky, interest rates elevated, debt piling up and huge amounts of money pouring into AI, he thinks the pressure is building again. But what breaks first?In this special episode
WiseTech's new CEO on recovering from scandal
WiseTech Global is one of Australia's great technology success stories, running CargoWise, the operating system for global trade.But in recent years it's been engulfed in scandal amid grave allegations against founder and former CEO Richard White, which he strenuously denies. On top of that, the company's facing a changing tech and trade landscape thanks to AI.WiseTech's new(ish)
What's behind the retail results?
Australia’s biggest retailers have opened their books - and the numbers tell a pretty revealing story.Woolworths and Coles remain firmly in control, but the numbers show their strategies are shifting. Online sales are surging, shoppers are hunting around for value, Aldi’s growth has slowed, and smaller players are fighting over an increasingly narrow slice of the market.In this s
The conflicts shaking markets
The world economy is being pulled in several directions at once.The war between the US and Iran has flared again, while fears are growing about what a wider escalation in Russia’s war on Ukraine could mean for energy, trade and global markets.In this special episode of ABC Business Daily, Carrington Clarke is joined by Madison Cartwright, a geopolitical and geo-economic analyst w
Do falling property prices create opportunity?
"No one wants to catch a falling knife."Australia’s property market is shifting fast. Home values have now fallen for five months in a row, buyer activity is down, auction results are softening, and 93 per cent of capital city suburbs recorded price falls through winter.But falling prices do not mean the same thing for everyone. For some buyers, it could mean opportunity. For sel
Can housing take another hike?
September is shaping up as a big month for interest rates.In the US, Kevin Warsh is talking tough on inflation, while here at home three of the big four banks now think the RBA could hike again - potentially as soon as next month.So are borrowers on both sides of the Pacific about to be slugged again? And what would that mean for an Australian property sector already under pressu
The business of comedy: Alan Kohler talks to Marty and Michael
YouTube, TikTok and Instagram are full of "content creators", but very few turn it into a profitable business.Brisbane comedy duo, Marty and Michael, got their start doing silly stunts on Facebook. More than a decade later, they have nine staff and 13 million followers across social media platforms. They've worked with US "Jackass" comedians and built a brand from that same style
Banks forecast rate hikes
There’s been a dramatic shift in interest rate predictions among some of Australia’s biggest banks today with CBA joining ANZ in predicting we’ll get a hike in November. NAB says the RBA likely to act next month.So is more borrower pain all but certain to deal with Australia’s inflation problem? And in the US, Meta has tried to minimise its pain by settling a massive court case a
What will the inflation data mean for rates?
Fresh data out today shows prices are rising slower than they were earlier in the year, but still well above the Reserve Banks target. So does that mean the Reserve Bank might be forced to hike rates even further? And Canada has loaded its tariff cannon to aim at its southern neighbour… will it light the fuse? Carrington Clarke and Diana Mousina, Deputy Chief Economist at AMP bre
Fuel shortages stoke food supply fears
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced a series of measures which he says will cause the ‘economic asphyxiation’ of Iran, including going after other countries that do trade with the Middle East power.But with no end in sight to the ongoing global energy crisis, a wave of secondary food shortages are cresting on the horizon. So how is this affecting the economics of A
Canada stands up to Trump tariffs
Trade talks between the US and Canada broke down over the weekend, meaning a raft of Canadian products are now facing a higher tax slug. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will retaliate against the US “dollar for dollar.”And meanwhile the Australian dollar has been gaining value against the greenback for eight weeks in a row. But is the Australian dollar really gett
The business of making better shoes
As a podiatrist, Anna Baird spent a lot of time thinking about feet. In 2008, she wanted to be able to recommend comfortable and fashionable shoes to her clients and when she couldn’t find ones she liked, she decided to make them herself.In this episode, Alan Kohler sits down with Anna Baird, founder and CEO of Bared Footwear, to unpack the story behind one of Australia’s most di
How healthy are Australian banks?
There’s been a stream of news out of the banking sector - from earnings results to plummeting home loan applications to AUSTRAC’s investigation into mortgage fraud. So Carrington has called on Brian Johnson, Senior Banks Analyst at MST Financial, to unpack it all. What to make of banks' AI uptake? And just how much does the banking sector spend on staffing costs?Also why are Aust
Meta is back in court
Tech titan Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is defending itself in US court against claims that it designed deliberatively addictive products aimed at children. What’s at stake in this bellwether case? And what happens if Meta loses?And financial intelligence agency AUSTRAC has made hundreds of referrals to authorities in connection with an investiga
Why you should care about US bond yields
The yield on thirty-year US Treasury bonds is the highest it’s been in nearly two decades. So why are investors demanding a higher return in exchange for lending money to the US government? And why should Australians pay attention?And as Australian property prices fall, what can we learn from our commonwealth cousins - New Zealand and Canada - about the risks of a bursting proper
New wages for gig workers
Host Carrington Clarke is back in the hosting chair to discuss the news that some of Australia’s gig workers now have a new safety net in place - with a new wage floor and insurance protections that come into effect today. But how will this affect the hundreds of thousands of independent contractors across the country? And what will it mean for delivery costs?And national prelimi
The farm kid behind virtual fences
What if farmers could herd cattle with a swipe of their smartphone?Craig Piggott, founder and CEO of tech company Halter, has done just that - developing cattle collars that let farmers manage their herds via virtual fences. Craig joins Alan to talk about growing up on a New Zealand farm, how the collars work, why company culture is so important to the startup, and after expan
Aluminium's billion-dollar bailout
A more than two-billion-dollar bailout is on the way for Tomago, Australia’s largest aluminium smelter. It’s a move that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says will secure jobs and sovereign capability for the Australian economy.So what do we know about who will foot the bill? And what questions does this raise about the costs of decarbonisation?And what to make of earnings results
What the CBA results tell us about the economy
Commonwealth Bank earnings are in – and in the billions – an increase from last year’s results that exceeds expectations for the banking behemoth. But what to make of the dip in mortgage applications that CBA and other banks are reporting?And how are the banks, and the RBA, looking at persistently weak productivity in the Australian economy?Steph Chalmers and ABC Business Corresp
What the RBA thinks about the economy
It’s official: the Reserve Bank has held the cash rate - a decision in line with most economists' expectations and the market pricing. But how does this hold fit into the RBA's view of the wider economy?Is it a sigh of relief from the bank’s board members? Or are they watching risks and wondering about raising rates again?Michael Janda and ABC Chief Business Correspondent Ian Ver
Will the RBA hold rates?
The RBA’s interest rate setting board kicks off its meeting today, to decide which way rates will go. What’s behind the widely held expectations that the central bank will hold rates steady when it announces its decision tomorrow?And oil prices continue to fluctuate as uncertainty persists in the Strait of Hormuz. But what explains the gap between the price of Brent crude and pet
Alan Joyce on Qantas, redundancies and regrets (he's had a few)
Alan Joyce spent two decades working for Qantas including fifteen years as CEO.He was one of Australia's most influential CEOs and had a pay packet to match.By the time he left the airline, Qantas had suffered huge reputation damage, thanks to job losses and the “ghost flights” controversy which infuriated many Australians during COVID. In this conversation on That's Business wit
Finance experts get hacked and spruik crypto
Some of Australia's leading economic and financial commentators have had their X accounts hacked with the hacker then using their accounts to post about apparent crypto investment riches.Meanwhile Australian silicon company Simcoa is leaving the US critical minerals market after being slapped with a massive tariff by the Trump administration. Who else has landed in America’s cust
SpaceX spends big
Space X is making headlines this morning with its first earnings report since the tech titan went public in June. So what to make of its astronomical revenue growth? And what is still pulling its share price back to earth?Meanwhile hundreds of ASX-listed companies are getting ready to report over the coming weeks and analysts are concerned about an earnings momentum slow-down. Co
What South Korea's Kospi crash tells us about tech
It's been a wild couple of weeks for South Korean shares with the stock market collapsing and wiping hundreds of billions of dollars off the value of Seoul's Kospi. The major market index has since recovered a little, but it has big questions about the global tech boom. And the downfall of a high-profile hospitality property group owned by entrepreneur Jon Adgemis is shedding so
Fuel spikes, property slumps
With the fuel excise cut officially over are petrol prices about to skyrocket at the bowser?And fresh housing data shows that the property price slump seems to be spreading. Is Australia’s property market headed for a correction?And what might this mean for the RBA – just a week away from its decision to hike or hold rates?Steph Chalmers and ABC News Business Editor Michael Janda
Inside a coconut water empire
When Scott Mendelsohn started selling coconut water out of the boot of his girlfriend's car, hardly anyone knew what it was. But over the past decade interest in coconut water has grown rapidly and his business, Raw C, now turns over $100 million a year. Mendelsohn joins Alan to talk about the global appeal of coconut water, working with suppliers in Asia, navigating Australia’s
Will Chinese AI save businesses money?
Artificial intelligence isn’t going away. And the race for dominance isn’t over. But a new generation of AI models from China is putting fresh pressure on Silicon-Valley AI behemoths and raising questions about access, user experience, and price. So how could cheaper AI shake up big tech business models?And how are economics affecting AI rollout in Australian businesses?Our hos
Are you paying too much interest on your mortgage?
Offset accounts promise savings perks to mortgage borrowers across the country by lowering interest payments. But financial regulator ASIC says that many offset account owners have been paying more interest than they should. So how have banks responded to the issue? And how does this affect trust in the banking sector? And with today’s fresh inflation figures showing an easing
Does a new refinery make economic sense?
After more than two decades of plummeting oil production in Australia, is the country about to get a new refinery? As Treasury warns that petrol prices will climb further if the war in Iran continues, the federal government is backing a pre-feasibility study for what would be the first refinery built on Australian soil since the 1960s. So will upping sovereign refining capacity
Fuel price fickleness
After an oil spike on Friday, the price of Brent crude has fallen - again - as this sort of energy volatility continues to shape the global economy. As we wait for the latest Consumer Price Index data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday, what knock-on effects of economic fickleness are already evident in the retail sector?And as central banks begin to meet aroun
The ACCC’s war on oligopolies
It’s been a busy year for Australia’s consumer and competition regulator. The ACCC has made headlines, taking supermarket giant Coles to court over misleading discount pricing - and winning. A similar court case involving Woolworths pricing schemes is ongoing. But beyond the high-profile legal cases - the ACCC stays busy - carefully considering nearly every corner of the Australi
Trump tariffs are back
We know Donald Trump loves a tariff. And according to his administration, a slew of new ones are set to hit 60 countries this afternoon. Australia is on the list - with a 12.5 per cent tariff that will be imposed on Australian exports to the US. So what exactly are the grounds for these new duties? And what will be the impact? And how does Australia’s tariff square with those imp
Does the RBA like unemployment?
Fresh employment data just released from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, shows the unemployment rate has held steady in line with economists’ expectations. What do these numbers mean for the RBA’s interest rate decision next month?And some Australian small businesses have been surprised to get reimbursements from the US government for money collected from the so-called liber
What Australians get wrong about interest rates
A brand-new bulletin from the Reserve Bank is out today, capturing how Australians experience and understand the economy. And while public awareness for the RBA is high, survey results seem to suggest that people don’t have a great handle on how inflation is affected by interest rates. So what problem does this present for the RBA – whose one blunt tool is to toggle rates?And a n
Will Moonshot’s AI bring Silicon Valley back to earth?
A new AI model from Chinese startup Moonshot has put pressure on Silicon Valley-backed tech titans. Meanwhile markets have taken notice, with downturns on the South Korean KOSPI. Could these sorts of tech moves in China, drag the highly valued Space X, Nasdaq and more - back down to earth?And here in Australia, where the national property conversation carries on, could a lack of
