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Banks' low bad debt party had to come to an end

Clancy Yeates 5:44PM

The jump in banks' soured loans is not as scary as the market reaction suggests.

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Air New Zealand's possible sell-down of Virgin Australia shares has led to speculation that other shareholders may plan ...

Air NZ flags departure from Virgin

Sarah Danckert 5:57PM

Air New Zealand flags plan to dump $350 million stake in Virgin Australia following concerns about balance sheet viability.

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Fed chair Janet Yellen said there is much uncertainty around China, but the United States is doing fine.

Yellen locks in dovish twist

Vesna Poljak 5:43PM

If the Fed is not data dependent, what is it?

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The market was in the red early but good buying in the banks pushed the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index to close 0.1 per cent ...

ASX steady in see-saw day for banks

Vanessa Desloires 5:12PM

An early rally on the ASX fizzled out as the prospect of slower rate rises in the US couldn't fully offset lingering negativity in the big four banks.

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Solomon Lew, known as the man with the Midas touch, says he is honoured to be recognised by his international colleagues.

Solomon Lew pulls off another coup

Sue Mitchell 4:28PM

Veteran retailer Solomon Lew has pulled off yet another coup, becoming the first Australian to be inducted into the World Retail Congress Hall of Fame.

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Redflow executive chairman Simon Hackett has Redfllow batteries installed in his business park in Adelaide.

Redflow takes on Tesla with ZCell battery

Angela Macdonald-Smith 5:18PM

Battery developer Redflow is challenging Tesla with a battery that is aimed to provide better performance than the market-dominant lithium-ion systems.

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The federal court last year overturned a previous ruling that fees charged by ANZ were an illegal penalty.

ANZ to refund 25,000 customers

Sarah Danckert 4:02PM

ANZ will refund $5 million to 25,000 vulnerable, low-income customers after it charged incorrect late payment and over-limit fees.

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Markets Investors face $9b bonanza this week
Workplace Relations Industry where 47% of staff are underpaid
World business Tata Steel puts entire business up for sale
World business A billionaire's $20 million garage sale
The Economy Double-dissolution weighs on sentiment

Market Indices

Last updated: March 30, 2016 - 5:51PM

Currencies

United States Dollar
Last updated: Mar 30, 2016 - 5:35PM (delayed by 30 minutes)
0.7642	0.20%
Euro
0.6757	0.03%
British Pound
0.5305	0.04%

Comment & Analysis

Carolyn Cummins

The luck of the Irish: Place your bets
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Adele Ferguson

Workers at 7-Eleven get almost $10 million
Contains: total comments9 This article contains a video.

Peter Ker

Seat-warming CEOs should take a pay cut
Contains: total comments19 This article contains a video.

Mattel chief executive Chris Sinclair has been leading a charge to revive the California-based company's Barbie business ...

How Barbie was scammed by cyber thieves

2:56PM

The email seemed unremarkable: a routine request by toymaker Mattel's chief executive for a new vendor payment to China.

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In Depth

'Like playing Russian Roulette'

Lucy Cormack 10:21AM

Doctor and mum Yvonne Skarbek had her faulty Thermomix seal replaced following women being burnt interstate. But it doesn't quite fit.

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Making a killing every 30 seconds

With Chinese funds, Bindaree says it could double its daily cattle cull and turbocharge its growth.

Angus Whitley 2:06PM

At Bindaree Beef's abattoir in northern NSW, the benefits of Chinese investment are clear. Unless you're a Black Angus cow.

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Uber can't live up to Uber hype

Alleged shooter and Uber driver Jason Dalton told police he was controlled by the app.

Megan McArdle 9:13AM

Has the ride-sharing app triggered a revolution - or just enjoyed a golden moment? As wear and tear of cars is rising, reality sets in.

Contains: total comments7 This article contains a video.

Workplace

Exploitation of Australia's fast-food staff revealed

Bing Boy franchisees underpaid two foreign workers almost $10,000 in just three months.

Nick Toscano 12:47PM

Almost half of all fast-food outlets audited by Australia's workplace watchdog are underpaying their staff.

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Food peddlers earn $10 per hour

foodora and Deliveroo riders are employed as independent contractors.

Patrick Hatch 10:59AM

Two disruptive food delivery companies accused of putting bicycle delivery workers on sham contracts.

Contains: total comments7 This article contains a video.

Markets

Global investors' taste soured by lack of reform

Standard Life Investments chief economist Jeremy Lawson says governments need to step up reforms.

Patrick Commins 5:35PM

Meaningful government measures to boost productivity would make overseas investors more comfortable with putting their money in Australia.

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$A rockets higher on dovish Fed

The Australian dollar's strong rise has put the RBA into an uncomfortable position.

Jessica Sier 5:20PM

The Aussie dollar rocketed higher and remained elevated for most of Wednesday as the US Federal Reserve signalled interest rates would remain low amid global growth uncertainty.

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Virgin in trading halt as Air New Zealand weighs shareholding

Virgin is in a trading halt pending an announcement from Air New Zealand.

James Thomson 5:09PM

Virgin Australia is in a trading halt ahead of an Air New Zealand announcement about the future status of its shareholding,

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Markets Live: Banks fall flat
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Six reasons the RBA won't cut rates
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Brazil central bank seeks to check real
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Commodities may tumble amid 'rush for exits'
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Indonesia's rupiah has room to rise still higher
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need2know: Fed boost for ASX
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S&P; 500 reaches 2016 high on rate outlook
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Aussie 10-year debt poised for first decline in three months
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The benchmark 10-year yield fell about seven basis points, or 0.07 percentage point, to 1.82 per cent as of about 2pm on ...

Investors warned to seek inflation hedge

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The Economy

Barangaroo: House wins, again

Michael Pascoe 4:59PM

Instead of trimming the gaming floor, they're trimming the harbour.

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Border Force deports co-founder of $1m start-up Disrupt

Chris Bailey, co-founder of Disrupt, has been deported because he didn't complete three months of fruit picking.

Michael Bailey 3:40PM

Lying about his fruit-picking obligation gets successful entrepreneur kicked out of the country.

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Commission backs Labor tax policy to balance budget
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'Urgent' plan to restore budget to black in three years revealed
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Investors may pay the price for denial
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Australia's role in the 'new' China
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Paying tax won't stop start-ups, says tech star
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Retail

Fantastic chairman under pressure despite CEO appointment

Sue Mitchell 6:03PM

Fantastic Holdings chairman Julian Tertini remains under pressure from shareholders to privatise the budget furniture retailer, after a series of senior executive departures.

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NSW government's Big Egg link

Shoppers, on average, pay 70 per cent more for eggs labelled free range, compared to caged.

Esther Han 1:34PM

A government-linked farm is supplying "free range" eggs to a company that has played a critical role in lobbying efforts to weaken labelling standards.

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Banking & Finance

Brace yourself for next perfect banking storm

Christopher Langner 12:02PM

Those looking for when the next financial crisis might be should set a reminder for January 1, 2018.

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Banks to gain access to $9b super market

Sally Loane says consumers are losing out by not being able to access the best-performing funds.

Sally Rose 11:55AM

Employers could soon choose what superannuation fund to pay their workers savings to, bypassing the need to negotiate with unions.

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Bad debt charges spook bank investors
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Drummond faces fresh challenges at Medibank
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$6m man: new Medibank boss set for pay hike
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ANZ tightens mortgage lending criteria
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Competition for deposits heating up: Suncorp
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Mining & Resources

InterOil board under pressure

InterOil's founder Phil Mulacek is critical of corporate governance at the company.

Angela Macdonald-Smith 4:34PM

The larger-than-life founder and ex-chief executive of Papua New Guinea's InterOil is seeking to reassert his influence.

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Commodities may tumble amid 'rush for exits'

Net-long holdings in copper climbed this month to 27,862 contracts, the highest since May.

Jake Lloyd-Smith 8:49AM

Oil and copper are at risk of steep declines as recent advances aren't fully grounded in improved fundamentals, according to Barclays.

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World Business

Google's Pichai pockets $US100.5m

Pichai received $US99.8 million in restricted stock that will vest in full by 2017.

Brandon Kochkodin and Anders Melin 10:45AM

Google chief executive officer Sundar Pichai received a $US100.5 million pay package in 2015, according to a filing from parent company Alphabet.

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Uber can't live up to Uber hype

Megan McArdle 9:13AM

Has the ride-sharing app triggered a revolution - or just enjoyed a golden moment? As wear and tear of cars is rising, reality sets in.

Contains: total comments7 This article contains a video.

Brazil's false hope rally
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US corporate profits fall to lowest since the GFC
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Innovation Japan plans fintech revolution
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Womenomics struggles in Japan
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Why Neverland Ranch still isn't sold
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China

How Barbie was scammed by cyber thieves

2:56PM

The email seemed unremarkable: a routine request by toymaker Mattel's chief executive for a new vendor payment to China.

Contains: This article contains a video.

China's money could kill two cows every minute

Angus Whitley 2:06PM

At Bindaree Beef's abattoir in northern NSW, the benefits of Chinese investment are clear. Unless you're a Black Angus cow.

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Investors may pay the price for denial
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Australia's role in the 'new' China
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China's dairy market going sour
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Chinese companies hit the brakes
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No signs of a China rebound yet
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What Trump gets right, and wrong, about China
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Featured advertisers

Property Focus

Tech tenants the new kids on the block

The kitchen area at the new Twitter offices at 2 Park Street, Sydney

Carolyn Cummins 12:45PM

There is a new tenant in town, that will soon overtake the traditional banks and financial services, and create a new feel and vibe in capital cities.

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Investa manager undertakes independent review

The ABC chairman James Spigelman has been appointed to undertake a review of governance in the IOF takeover process.

Carolyn Cummins 12:15AM

The battle for the listed Investa Office Fund may have entered its final stages, but in the latest twist the current manager has appointed James Spigelman to advise it on corporate governance arrangements.

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Packer on a winning streak over Barangaroo

Crown's $1.5 billion proposal for Barangaroo.

Sean Nicholls and Leesha Mckenny 8:31PM

James Packer's Crown Resorts has warned the NSW government that if it is forced to shrink the size of the podium on its proposed $1.2 billion Barangaroo casino resort.

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