- Live
- US votes 2020
'Era of demonisation' is over: Biden calls for unity
President-elect Joe Biden urged Republicans to end the divisions of Donald Trump's time in the White House as he claimed a mandate to tackle COVID-19, climate change and racism. Trump is still vowing to overturn the Democrat's win in court. Follow live updates here.
- Opinion
- US votes 2020
President Biden has no option but to govern from the centre
The tight election means Joe Biden will have to run a moderate administration. That's good for America after the hyper-partisanship of the Trump years, writes Alexander Downer.
- Analysis
- US votes 2020
Biden will have one hand tied behind his back from the start
Trump is unlikely to be helpful during the 10-week transition between now and inauguration day. After that, Biden's known capacity for working with Republicans will really be tested, writes Ed Luce.
'This isn't over!': Trump supporters refuse to accept defeat
From Atlanta and Tallahassee to Bismarck, Boise and Phoenix, crowds ranging in size from a few dozen to a few thousand decried the news of Joe Biden's victory.
- Analysis
- US votes 2020
Denial, and resignation, from Trump and a handful of aides
Aides said the President had no plans to immediately deliver the kind of concession speech that has become traditional in past elections.
Citizen Trump will face legal woes
Donald Trump's legal woes are likely to deepen because in January he will lose the protections the US legal system affords to a sitting president, former prosecutors said.
- Opinion
- US votes 2020
Trump has one last chance to boost his legacy
How Trump manages his anger and self-confessed inability to accept defeat in the coming hours and days will become a crucial part of his legacy.
AMERICA VOTES
'Welcome back America': World leaders greet Biden win
World leaders raced to welcome Joe Biden's anointment as US president-elect, with some hailing the change in the White House as an opportunity to reset geopolitics.
Morrison keen to work with Biden on a vaccine, climate
The Prime Minister says his government is looking forward to working with the new US administration on "the world's many challenges" including a COVID vaccine and new technologies to reduce global emissions.
There will be a Trumpism after Trump
Despite plague, economic crisis and his own immense faults, Trump was a competitive candidate with a coalition that was more blue-collar and nonwhite than the Republican vote in 2012.
The top priorities for the Biden transition team
Joe Biden’s top priority in the 10 weeks before Inauguration Day on January 20 will be building a staff and assembling the pieces needed to tackle the coronavirus.
Harris becomes first Black woman, South Asian elected VP
The 56-year-old California senator represents the multiculturalism that defines America but is largely absent from Washington's power centres.
Companies
Fourth Coca-Cola Amatil investor says takeover offer is too low
Setanta joins Pendal, Martin Currie & Antares in saying Coke Europe's offer for Amatil is too low. The four are close to having enough shares to block the bid.
AGM season steadies outlook for stronger 2021
Corporate Australia is back on its feet and annual meeting season has struck a positive note with the market.
- Updated
- Investment banking
Things can change really quickly, warns Macquarie CEO
The group believes a situation where house prices tumble 20 per cent and unemployment rises to 9.5 per cent is still a possibility.
'Employee payouts are private': IFM chief to Liberal MP Tim Wilson
IFM Investors has refused to tell a parliamentary inquiry how much an employee accused of sexual harassment was paid out when they left the business.
Treasury Wines wrestles $4b China problem
The Penfolds producer had a partial recovery in its share price as some investors bet that all the bad news on China had already been factored in.
'Will there be any honey for me?'
The boss of Melbourne cleaning group Transclean maintains he was not involved in any illegal activities as hearings into alleged corruption wrapped up.
These travel bubbles look promising
Dust off the passport. As Australian borders open up, international travel is once again becoming a real prospect but only to a select few destinations.
Markets
Biden win, split Congress a welcome result for markets
A Biden presidency and gridlocked Congress could well provide a Goldilocks environment for markets.
ASX rallies to best week in four after US election, QE
The Australian sharemarket posted its best week in four as investors cheered the US election and the Reserve Bank's first foray into quantitative easing.
AGM season steadies outlook for stronger 2021
Corporate Australia is back on its feet and annual meeting season has struck a positive note with the market.
Household spending has bounced back fast
The RBA raised its forecast for household consumption to 13 per cent growth for June 2021 in Friday's quarterly statement of monetary policy, overtaking its forecast of 8 per cent made only three months ago.
- Analysis
- Monetary policy
Inside the RBA governor's change of heart on QE
The Reserve Bank's dramatic move into 'quantitative easing' this week might have seemed out of character for the cautious Philip Lowe. But it has been eight years in the making.
Opinion
No return to the America of old
In a society rent by deep domestic cleavages, it is wishful thinking to expect a Biden presidency to restore America's historic leadership role in the Asia-Pacific region.
Columnist
There will be a Trumpism after Trump
Despite plague, economic crisis and his own immense faults, Trump was a competitive candidate with a coalition that was more blue-collar and nonwhite than the Republican vote in 2012.
Contributor
Trump has one last chance to boost his legacy
How Trump manages his anger and self-confessed inability to accept defeat in the coming hours and days will become a crucial part of his legacy.
United States correspondent
What happened to the America of 1980?
When Ronald Reagan moved into the White House, the sense of national energy and self-belief across the US was so palpable you could almost taste it.
Senior writer
American democracy must now start healing itself
The United States is a sometimes unruly and deeply divided democracy. But it's also democracy that makes it attractive and unbeatable.
Editorial
Trump can't just lose, he has to quit
Elections aren’t truly over until a loser concedes. And democracies aren’t truly democracies until executive authority is transferred by – or from – a losing incumbent.
Contributor
Politics
Melbourne reopens to the world
After nine days of zero cases the ring fence around Melbourne has been dropped and two further stages of widespread business relaxations announced.
China widens trade sanction net to cover all fishermen
The Department of Agriculture has warned all fishermen they are in China's sights and that any product they send to Australia's biggest market could remain stranded for a fortnight or more.
NSW gets the gold star for coronavirus fight: AFR readers
NSW was number one for its handling of the coronavirus pandemic, while the Northern Territory was given the wooden spoon by readers despite the Victorian outbreak.
'You will pay': Beijing ups threat to Australia
The fallout between Australia and China is escalating – Beijing has accused Canberra of behaving like America’s 'roughneck'.
- Opinion
- Canberra Observed
Maybe what the world needs now is four years of boring
Sleepy Joe Biden might offer respite from four years of turmoil. But the close election result confirms that the populist movement that produced President Donald Trump is now firmly entrenched.
SPONSORED
World
Win or lose, Trump will remain a powerful force
Losing will be intolerable for Donald Trump who is almost surely to remain a powerful and disruptive force in American life after winning 48 per cent of the vote despite four years of scandal.
Runoff elections will drag out US Senate fight
It's a long shot, but Democrats could win two senate seats in run-off elections in January.
'We're going to win this race', says Biden as count grinds on
Joe Biden all but claimed victory in the 2020 presidential race, declaring he has won a thumping mandate to bring the country together in order to address urgent crises including the alarming acceleration in US COVID-19 cases.
Operation Moonshot: How Europe hopes to break the lockdown cycle
As the number of COVID-19 cases mount in Britain and across Europe, governments are praying for a vaccine and trialling large-scale testing to get through the crisis.
Why this man left Goldman Sachs to head a business in Myanmar
Here's how Melvyn Pun's investment strategy has reaped profits from 'one of the fastest growing countries in the world'.
Property
Historic farm on block as $18m land bank
The historic holding has been owned for 160 years by the same family – its future, though, may be as a housing subdivision on the fringe of Melbourne.
Record low interest rates give house hunters a confidence boost
The latest move by the RBA to cut the official cash rate to just 0.1 per cent this week is expected to further stimulate the property market, with house hunters given a psychological boost.
The eastern suburbs where house prices are rising most
Home values in the coveted area have reached a record high overall, but a few unexpected neighbourhoods have been driving the trend.
Vicinity's rent collection flatlines in September
The mall operator took received just 56 per cent of rental billings from tenants in the third quarter, but there are signs of improvement.
Phoenix flies to top national architecture award
The country's most prestigious design awards couldn't avoid the disruption of 2020. But they show the importance of buildings giving back to a community.
Wealth
Meet the Millennial smashing his dad at share trading
What started as a hobby for 31-year-old Tom Lowe, quickly became a friendly stockpicking competition with his dad.
- Opinion
- SMSFs
SMSF trustee guide to navigating way through pandemic
With COVID-19 having moved the goalposts even more dramatically than the GFC, failure to keep up with the changes will be costly.
- Opinion
- Superannuation
How in-house investments unravelled Dixon
John Wasiliev looks at what went wrong at Dixon Advisory and what happens next.
Technology
- Opinion
- Video games
The Xbox Series X is the most powerful console ever – with a catch
Two new gaming units from Microsoft, set to debut on November 10, feature impressive technical advancements but few games to showcase their power.
Why the flying car revolution is finally all set to take off
In the UK, one man is using a different strategy that he hopes will allow Britain to become the market leader in the industry that has been tipped to be worth $US2.9 trillion by 2040.
China halts world's biggest IPO, questions Jack Ma
China shocked global financial markets by halting the world's biggest IPO and calling in Alibaba founder Jack Ma for questioning by financial regulators.
Work & Careers
CFMEU political influence at risk over loss of 'ferocious' advocate
Union leader Michael O'Connor, who has resigned, faced several no-confidence motions at national executive meetings and has been battling a poaching war led by John Setka.
60 Minutes pioneer Gerald Stone dies
Stone created a news and current affairs juggernaut that supercharged Nine's ratings and profits and changed the way we watch television.
Life & Luxury
Adam Brand and Wolfe Brothers get back to the land
Whether it's gold prospecting or berry farming, Adam Brand and The Wolfe Brothers have been putting the 'country' back into 'country music artist' during their enforced break from touring.
Canberra shows off its mid-century design cred
This year's Design Canberra Festival includes tours of key mid-century buildings led by architect Michael Dysart and artists opening their studios to the public.
You're never too old to divorce
At the age of 89, author Fay Weldon surprised everyone when she announced the end of her marriage.
Bond meets Batmobile in 'cartoon' Aston
With its bulging flanks, flared nostrils and massive wheels it may look almost like a cartoon Aston, but it's powerful and more practical than many exotics.
Prestige jewellers go large with shape-shifting creations
If you're going to fork out a king's ransom for a tiara, you may as well choose ones with the technical wizardry to transform into three.