Macquarie says RBA set to cut rates
Former central banker and Macquarie's chief economist Ric Deverell believes 'soggy' growth and weak inflation trending lower are likely to push the RBA to cut by 25 basis points next week.
- Live
- Federal election
'You don't need to cheer every five minutes'
Tony Abbott has accused Zali Stegall of wanting a Labor government, in a lively debate on climate change in Warringah. Follow the debate live here.
Property losses worse than during GFC
UBS says house price falls show no sign of bottoming out, while Morgan Stanley has warned the economy is starting to see the employment impact from the slowdown in residential construction outlook.
Banks drag ASX after NAB cuts dividend
Australian shares retreated following poor results from the financial sector and the Fed's less dovish than expected tone.
Labor plan to mandate 'healthy' recipes
Fat, sugar and salt in some of Australia's favourite foods could be reduced as part of Labor's war on waistlines.
City of Sydney mulls cancelling $300m ad tender
The City is recommending to councillors that its chief executive should negotiate contracts directly.
Woolworths shrugs off Coles' toy bump
The sales jump that Coles enjoyed from its March quarter toy promotion has done little to dent Woolworths sales momentum.
Business
Woodside chairman pleads for 'responsible' policy ahead of poll
Richard Goyder also defended Woodside's record on tax payments at his first annual shareholder meeting as chairman.
NAB cuts dividend as Hayne inquiry costs bite
NAB has sliced its interim dividend by 16 per cent, the first cut in five years, as customer compensation costs surge.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
NAB calls for corporate tax reform
NAB's chief Phil Chronican worries Australia might make the same mistake as Europe which kept pushing interest rates lower to kick-start economic growth, even though it did little for the broader economy.
NAB CEO says no rate cut needed
Philip Chronican has poured cold water on the idea that the RBA should give the economy a helping hand with a rate cut.
Amcor chairman says packaging giant isn't lost to Australia
Amcor chief Ron Delia was a notable no-show in the flesh at a short meeting approving the buyout of Bemis to create the world's biggest consumer packaging company.
Woolworths food, liquor, BIG W sales rise faster than expected
Brad Banducci is more confident about the year ahead after "neutralising" Coles and taking share in liquor and department stores.
Carbon fibre tanker maker wins climate change funds
Omni Tanker's carbon fibre tanks are 35 per cent lighter than conventional steel tanks and are more resistant to chemicals, giving big energy savings.
Markets
Pinnacle wants to put unhappy fundies out of their misery
Pinnacle Investment Management's Ian Macoun has unhappy fund managers at large institutions in his sights as he seeks to build his home of funds to possibly $150 billion.
- Opinion
- Monetary policy
The Fed needs a better feel for markets
This was supposed to be a no-drama, non-event Federal Reserve policy meeting – and was, until a small communication slip led to outsize moves in markets.
- Live
- Markets Live
ASX closes lower on major bank falls
Australian shares closed firmly lower on Thursday with the major banks tumbling as NAB cut its dividend.
Fed keeps rates on hold on weak inflation
Jerome Powell has ignored President Donald Trump's call for a 1 percentage point cut in the benchmark interest rate, but lowered a technical rate on reserves.
- Opinion
- M&A
Why Berkshire's $14b oil deal is classic Warren Buffett
The investing guru's conglomerate announced a deal this week, but not the kind Buffett's fans have been awaiting.
Opinion
Wesfarmers' lithium deal looks easier than Lynas
Just weeks after being spurned by Lynas, Wesfarmers' chief Rob Scott unveils another idea to put the company on the fast track to the electric-car future.
Columnist
ANZ fails banking basics
It is safe to say ANZ Banking Group's dividend looks as solid as a rock but don't expect it to increase any time soon.
Columnist
The Canberra 'bubble' has nothing on this
Scott Morrison often dismisses the Canberra bubble. But the campaign bubble is even more artificial. Deliberately, reports Jennifer Hewett.
Columnist
Why politics should be about objectives
If political parties were to take this approach, we’d have a better view of our direction as a nation.
Politics
Cap big four public service consulting fees: Greens
The Greens will seek to use their numbers in the next Parliament to cap public service spending on consultants and contractors.
Unions rally for changes to strike laws
Unionists have called on politicians to "give us what we deserve - a right to strike" at May Day rallies ahead of the election, putting pressure on Labor to declare its hand.
New rules to cut cost of securing emergency power
The reforms of the system to source emergency power reserves also give more flexibility to the market operator to manage the power grid.
Labor's carbon cuts will still hurt: Fisher
Labor's decision to allow heavy polluters to offset emissions using international carbon credits has "substantially'' reduced past estimates of its impact.
Liberal candidates axed for social media rants
Scott Morrison says vetting processes need to be improved of prospective candidates' digital footprint after two of its Victorian nominees were axed.
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World
Afraid to touch Guaidó, Maduro plays waiting game in Caracas
Venezuela has settled back into its strange status quo, with the armed forces sticking by Nicolás Maduro, who won a rigged re-election last year, and the Trump administration standing by Juan Guaidó.
China using Big Brother mobile app to monitor Muslims: report
A mobile app is being used to carry out illegal mass surveillance and detention of Muslims in western China's Xinjiang region, according to a new report.
Thai king surprises with royal wedding ahead of coronation
Just days before his official coronation, Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn has married the deputy head of his personal guard force and given her the title Queen Suthida.
Huawei's identity crisis as it pushes into 5G worldwide
Huawei says it doesn't take orders from Beijing. But then its founder insists "We don't accept the Western political value system completely".
- Analysis
- Venezuela crisis
US commitment to regime change in Venezuela tested
Donald Trump has made removing Nicolas Maduro from power one of his top foreign policy efforts. But regime change will not be straightforward.
Real Estate
Commercial property sours for the first time since 2015
Retail sentiment took a big hit in the first quarter and the outlook for hotels also worsened, NAB's Commercial Property survey showed.
Dexus seals the deal on record $1.48b Collins St sale
Listed fund manager Dexus has officially sealed the deal on Melbourne's biggest property sale.
UBS slashes Purplebricks outlook
Analysts predict struggling agency will need a £100 million capital raise in the next financial year.
- Opinion
- Property market
How foreigners helped cool Australian housing
Regulators and domestic politicians in successive governments did too little to help make housing more affordable. Foreign investors did.
Avid Property raises bid in Villa World takeover battle
Avid Property shows its intent to buy undervalued housing developer.
Personal Finance
Vacancy rates rise in every capital city
Falling property prices have allowed more first home buyers to enter the market, driving up the number of vacant rentals around the country.
Property investors rush to beat crackdown on SMSF loans
Agents say business owners are doing commercial real estate deals to beat a January 2020 deadline set by Labor.
Why savers need to be alert to bank 'specials'
SMSFs are big investors in term deposits and need to be nimble when it comes to rollovers, writes John Wasiliev.
Technology
'Election manifesto': 17 recommendations to bolster innovation
Better tax incentives for investors, more funding for AI PhD students and visas for computer science grads are some of the policies the IT sector want to see.
- Opinion
- World markets
Apple's future to turn on four key questions
Apple has never really addressed the most pressing question about its business: Does Apple believe this industrywide smartphone sag will end?
Why the silver generation is a gold mine for e-commerce
Australia trails Britain and China in online purchasing, but older Baby Boomers and the ''silver'' age group of 67 to 75 are catching up.
Leadership
Harold Mitchell serves up big guns in tennis case
Media mogul Harold Mitchell will call high-profile witnesses to fight ASIC's case that he secretly helped Seven win the TV rights for tennis.
To B or not to B: the push for new laws
As more Australian companies seek B Corporation status, supporters are lobbying for legal changes to make the move smoother.
Lifestyle
- Exclusive
- Arts
The 5 wealthy women who championed Sydney Modern
Five art-loving women, led by Gretel Packer, reveal what convinced them to donate millions to the Art Gallery of NSW Sydney Modern project.
Eat rice to fight obesity, says study
Researchers say even a modest increase in rice consumption of 50g a day per person could reduce the worldwide prevalence of obesity by 1 per cent.
- Opinion
- Wine & spirits
Great Southern winemakers shine
Focusing on what works best for the region rather than making radical changes is paying off for these winegrowers, writes Max Allen.
4 ways Aston Martin is making the future
The 106-year-old car maker is working hard to beat a few imposing obstacles, from a limp IPO to historically low production volume.
- Exclusive
- Hotels
Peter Bond selling Dunk Island for $20m
The island, which offers 147 hectares of development land and a Qantas-built airstrip, was an internationally famous resort destination until it was ravaged by Cyclone Larry in 2006 and then Cyclone Yasi in 2011.
