With houses out of reach, fancy a unit as big as a car?

In Hong Kong, where housing is even more expensive than in Sydney, micro-apartments are booming.

Wall St mixed, ASX futures higher

US stocks eked out a gain, while the greenback weakened after poor housing data and a slump in consumer sentiment.

'Humbled' Frank Lowy honoured by Queen

Frank Lowy's journey to a British knighthood began during World War II.

'The perfect person to have in this place at this time'

The chief scientist is struggling to solve one of Australia's most intractable problems.

Families sacrifice meals and GP visits to pay for electricity

There's more bad news on energy prices, as a new report reveals the shocking lengths struggling families will go to to stay on top of growing bills.

Network Ten staff told not to order anything

Korda Mentha held 50 meetings with Network Ten's management, directors, advisers and shareholder guarantors in recent months in a bid to help the broadcaster stay on its feet, according to a letter sent to employees on Thursday.

Strong jobs growth takes interest rate cuts off table

• COMMENT

Changes in the workforce have meant that it now takes a much lower jobless rate to create the same inflation pressure.

APRA crackdown is good news for some lenders

• COMMENT

The Law of Unintended Consequences does not sleep.

Amazon to acquire Whole Foods for $18 billion

Amazon.com will acquire Whole Foods Market in a $US13.7 billion ($18 billion) deal, marking the biggest transaction ever for the e-commerce giant as it pushes deeper into groceries.

Ten years since the GFC, world suffers 'debt overhang'

Almost 10 years since the global financial crisis, in a world of sub-par economic growth even the optimists are downbeat.

Treasury assumes banks will pass on some of levy to customers

• UPDATED

Treasury's costings for the $6.2 billion tax on banks assume they will pass on some of the impost to their customers, despite the government urging lenders to "absorb" the levy.

ASX has strongest week in two months

Australian shares posted their strongest weekly advance in more than two months, led by a rebound in the big banks.

Markets Live: Strong week for the ASX

Shares lose most of their early gains but remain on track for their best week in two months as investors snap up some bargains.

ASX winners and losers - a snapshot

The stand out listings traded on the ASX captured at key moments through the day, as indicated by the time stamp in the video.

Activist investors welcome MacKenzie as new BHP chair

Mining giant BHP Billiton has named famed former Australian packaging executive Ken MacKenzie as its next chairman.

Collins Street's top towers turf the lobby and let in luxury

The cold stone corporate lobbies in Collins Street's top towers are being cleaned out and high-end retailers are moving in.

Health stocks hit the sweet spot

They've soared higher than the mines at the peak of the iron ore price surge. Faster than the bank stocks as the Trump trade inflated the world's financial stocks. And they've done better than utilities and other defensives as the economy slowed down.

Why solar power will kill coal faster than you think

Solar power, once so costly it only made economic sense in spaceships, is becoming cheap enough that it will push coal and even natural-gas plants out of business faster than previously forecast.

Investors target suburban offices

Suburban offices have become prime investment targets as falling vacancies and rising rents attract more investors to the sector.

Financial adviser bans on the rise but ASIC says it needs more powers

The corporate watchdog is banning an increasing number of financial advisers over misconduct, but wants more power to go after the banks that hire them.

'Drenched in 100-degree liquid': Thermomix taken to court

The ACCC has taken Thermomix to court over allegations it misled customers and engaged in misleading conduct regarding the safety of its TM31 device.

Cleanskin king represents new face of BHP

• COMMENT

None of BHP's old guard of directors would get to wear the BHP chairman's crown. The new king had to be a cleanskin.

Is it time for USD outperformance?

With the Fed sounding confident on its inflation outlook and an increasingly hawkish stance, we are seeing green shoots that the USD is ready see better days. Could this pose a problem towards equities?

Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has so much money he doesn't know what to do with it

The Amazon founder is well on his way to becoming the richest person in the world, with a net worth of more than $105 billion. What's less certain is what he plans to do with his fortune, and how he could reinvent philanthropy.

Ariadne sets date for Ardent showdown

Corporate raider Ariadne Australia is to have its showdown with Ardent Leisure at an extraordinary general meeting on September 4, in Sydney.

'Bad news for families': Second energy retailer announces price hike

EnergyAustralia has announced it will increase electricity prices in Sydney by 19 per cent - or $346 a year - from July 1.

We should be exempt: Bank executive

• Federal Politics

Find out why the head of the Macquarie Group Nicholas Moore says the bank shouldn't be subjected to the Turnbull government's bank levy.

a2 Milk shares surge as it lifts sales guidance again

Shares in a2 Milk surge after it lifts its full-year sales guidance for the second time in two months.

BHP names new chairman

Ken MacKenzie has been named the next chairman of BHP, taking over from Jac Nasser on September 1. Vision courtesy ABC News