- Opinion
- Federal election
Underdog ScoMo has a shot
The election will be much closer than political pundits project, only because Labor’s "tax everything that moves" platform has given ScoMo a chance of pulling off a minor miracle, writes Christopher Joye.
NAB remediation bill hits $1.1b
National Australia Bank says it will cop an extra $525 million after-tax hit through new customer remediation costs, mostly related to its wealth arm.
Atlassian shares hit on Q3 guidance
Despite the hefty revenue jump, investors pushed the company down more than 9 per cent in after-hours trade on the Nasdaq.
- Live
- Markets Live
Jobless rate rises to 5pc, shares plunge
Australian shares have plunged after the jobless rate rose to 5 per cent and firmly lifted the Australian dollar.
- Opinion
- Federal election
Labor suddenly looks exposed
Labor, as one MP put it, suddenly feels as though "we've got our arse hanging out in the breeze'', says Political Editor Phillip Coorey.
Senator who killed company tax cuts calls it quits
Tim Storer, the Senator who cost the government its company tax cuts, has quit politics after 14 months.
It's now or never for Jokowi to fix Indonesia
Unofficial results show Jokowi defeating his rival, but the bigger question now is whether he will learn from the missteps and take tough measures to get Southeast Asia's biggest economy humming.
Business
Fortescue iron ore prices jump 47pc
The Pilbara-based miner received an average price of $US71 a tonne ($99 a tonne) in the March quarter.
Sanjeev Gupta steps up steel expansion
The British billionaire is setting up a new corporate structure where steel plants in the UK, Europe and at South Australia's Whyalla will sit under one roof.
Suppliers call for intervention over supermarkets
Industry sources say the big supermarket chains are threatening to cut off suppliers who are seeking price rises to cover costs.
- Exclusive
- Food & drink
From chocolate to chia - Darrell Lea turns healthy
Darrell Lea and its stable of liquorice and rocky road will be joined by a sister company specialising in sugar-free chocolate, protein bars and nut bites.
- Opinion
- Copper
BHP plants more copper acorns in Ecuador and Canada
Andrew Mackenzie has seeded the future oaks of BHP's global mining estate.
Dulux agrees to Nippon Paints' $3.8b takeover
Dulux boss Patrick Houlihan, who has been at the helm for 12 years, intends staying on after the $3.8 billion takeover by Nippon Paints.
New life for Canberra transport as rail line opens
Canberra's light rail project beats Sydney's out of the blocks – without blowing its business-case budget.
Markets
Jerome Powell adopts an inflation stance Janet Yellen shunned
The Federal Reserve chairman and his colleagues have put policy on hold until sub-par inflation rises convincingly.
Pinterest shuns 'social media' label as it readies IPO
Pinterest hopes to raise as much as $US1.28 billion by offering access to its vast user community but can it compete with newer, hotter startups?
What happened in markets before the bell
US stocks had earlier eyed a return to all-time highs on the back of upbeat Chinese data that eased concerns about the health of its economy.
Job ads slide again ahead of key employment data
The growth in job ads is slowing but still at high levels the latest SEEK employment report shows.
Qualcomm gains $US30b in value after Apple settlement
Resolving the dispute with Apple could help the chipmaker return to market dominance in the 5G network market.
Opinion
Labor suddenly looks exposed
Labor, as one MP put it, suddenly feels as though "we've got our arse hanging out in the breeze''.
Political Editor
Australians deserve a better post-Easter election campaign
Indulging voter complaints may prove one way to win an election, but such a narrow campaign lets Australians down.
Editorial
BHP plants copper acorns in Ecuador and Canada
Andrew Mackenzie has seeded the future oaks of BHP's global mining estate.
Columnist
Why industry funds must ignore activism
Once you accept the argument that any institution has a right to use other people's money for purposes outside its mandate, you open a Pandora's box of possibilities.
Columnist
Politics
Shorten 'superficial' on policy, PM says, after super gaffe
In an interview with the AFR while on the campaign trail, the Prime Minister vows to leave no stone unturned as he launches a raid on Labor's Tasmanian seats.
Budget update fails to quell row over tax cuts
The pre-election budget update has done little to settle the political row over tax cuts and how they will be paid for.
- Exclusive
- Federal election
Labor states issue please explain on $40b 'cuts'
State and territory Labor Treasurers have demanded that Josh Frydenberg guarantee no cuts to essential services in order to fund tax cuts, after analysis found $40 billion in annual cuts would be needed.
- Breaking
- Political donations
High Court backs developer donation ban
Former LNP president Gary Spence has lost his challenge against Queensland's political donation laws
Shorten defends ALP climate policy
Labor has cited the government's own climate change modelling to defend its plans.
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World
US and China plan further rounds of trade talks
Robert Lighthizer and Steven Mnuchin are scheduled to fly to Beijing for face to face talks that bolster hope of a trade deal by late May.
Jokowi set to consolidate with second-term win
After an bitter seven month campaign, President Jokowi is on track to win a second, five-year term as worries persist that his challenger will not accept the result.
Peruvian ex-president dies after shooting himself in raid
Alan Garcia, who led the country for a total of 10 years, shot himself after police arrived to arrest him over a bribery investigation.
China's growth rate stabilises after earlier wobbles
China's economy is showing signs of stabilising after a weak January and February.
Manhunt ends in death for teen fixated on Columbine
Authorities feared 18-year-old Sol Pais had bought a shotgun and travelled to Colorado to carry out a school shooting "inspired" by Columbine high school.
Real Estate
Melbourne West still the best for housing
Rockbank-Mount Cottrell was one of 12 Melbourne locations to rank in the Top 20 building and population hotspots list.
Transport liquidity: Car Next Door seeks growth in outer suburbs
Car sharing platform has cut entry costs to get owners to sign up in lower-traffic areas.
Charter Hall gets tech designer Gensler for 80,000 sq m tower
Landlord plans new office complex on Collins Street that would appeal to an advisory, tech or finance employer.
- Exclusive
- Opal Tower outrage
Opal builder to pay lost rent amid rorts
Landlords have struck a deal with Icon for the builder to pay them rent on empty units which either cannot be occupied or have been vacated by tenants.
Property NSW takes out Charter Hall's tower
Charter Hall has all but filled an Elizabeth Street building it bought two years ago in the Sydney CBD with a large and looming lease expiry.
Personal Finance
Tax Office to ramp up audits of landlords
One investor was fined over $12,000 for over-claiming deductions on a holiday home when investigations revealed it was not made genuinely available for rent.
Impact of Easter penalty rate cuts 'exaggerated'
Employers say union research claiming hospitality and retail workers will miss out on $80 million in penalty rates over Easter is filled with inaccuracies.
Technology
Investors wave through MYOB takeover
Investors voted to send the company, which creates tax and accounting software, into the hands of private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts on Wednesday.
Disclosure cloud over Afterpay's US growth push
Afterpay is touting the US as its big growth opportunity. But recent disclosures cast doubt on how much of its US operation it actually owns.
ReadyTech up 18 per cent on debut
The education and HR software company has defied the expectations of institutional investors and performed strongly in early trade on the ASX.
Leadership
Can a boy from the bush save financial advice?
Viridian founder Glenn Calder says there's a better way to provide financial advice but insists the system has to be commercially viable.
- Exclusive
- Freedom of speech
Lecturer Tim Anderson sues Sydney University over sacking
A controversial academic fired over swastika slides has launched legal action that could have broad ramifications for freedom of speech in the workplace.
Lifestyle
Braised sweetbreads at the Olympics of cooking
Months of intensive training for Australian chef Michael Cole and his apprentice Laura Skvor are distilled in 5½ crazy, loud hours at the Bocuse d'Or.
Your brain is making you fat
Obesity is a disease, say global experts, and we need a new approach to treating it beyond endless fad diets.
Have your cake and eat it with the Benz C-Class sedan
The new-look AMG C63 S blows away the competition with its high performance and comfort, writes Tony Davis.
Transforming an iconic British bike brand
Royal Enfield's motorcycles might hark back to the glory days of English engineering, but these new classics come straight out of Chennai, writes Tony Davis.
The vegan boom is more than just a blip
Going meat-free might not be the norm, but it’s no longer not normal for those under 40.