Chalmers warns over weak economic growth
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has warned next week’s GDP growth figures are expected to be weak, as former RBA official Luci Ellis says negative growth is possible.
ASX to fall, US data bolsters higher for longer rates
Australian shares are set to open lower, tracking losses in New York. $A drops. Bitcoin surges through $US63,000, then pares advance.
BHP sheds jobs, axes white-collar teams in global reset
BHP rocked its workforce with a major restructure disbanding specialist teams and putting far greater responsibilities on its iron ore, coal, copper and nickel leaders.
Ex-politician ‘sold out Australia’: spy chief
Delivering his annual security threat assessment, ASIO chief Mike Burgess has declassified details of a foreign intelligence service’s activities in Australia.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Perpetual’s bet on Pendal isn’t looking pretty
Fund manager Perpetual is much bigger than it used to be, but that’s not going well for investors.
Toyota urges Labor to put brakes on clean car plan
The country’s top-selling car brand, Toyota, has urged the Albanese government to slow the pace of new car emissions standards, saying it is too ambitious.
Power market in the dark as negotiations over Eraring drag on
A burst of heat in NSW on Thursday looks set to reinforce how vital the generator is for keeping the lights on, adding pressure to the ongoing discussions.
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Companies
Saint-Gobain buys into CSR’s dark past along with its bright future
The French giant’s $4.3b takeover of the building products group, pivotal to Australia’s industrial development, isn’t without thorny issues.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
JPMorgan rising star on the firm’s hidden Aussie superpower
Filippo Gori is patiently waiting for a deal-making revival. But in Australia, he says, the firm has two rapidly growing businesses vital to the economy’s plumbing.
Guzman y Gomez pushes back IPO plans as losses widen
The Mexican-themed restaurant chain is backed by Barrenjoey and TDM Growth Partners. Global sales soared 30 per cent in the first half of the financial year.
- Exclusive
- Renewables
Solar firm 5B readies Indian manufacturing after $50m US deal
The company will build a US Customs-compliant plant partnership with top Indian panel maker and engineering group Waaree.
EQT’s record-breaking fund opens door for rich Australians
The private equity firm raised about $36.5 billion on Wednesday in a historic round in which Australians played an unsung role.
‘This is awful’: Entire New Zealand TV newsroom shuts, 200 jobs axed
US owner Warner Bros. Discovery said subsidising endless losses in a declining ad market “is not sustainable”.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
What we learnt: Flight Centre, Worley, Clinical Labs and Kelsian
Flight Centre rides the friendly skies, Worley cauterises a wound, Clinical Labs backs rival’s blood test move, and Kelsian delivers a miss.
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Markets
Bitcoin tops $US62,000 with enthusiasts eyeing record highs
Bitcoin has more than tripled in value since the start of last year, climbing back from a 64 per cent plunge in 2022, in a remarkable comeback.
Soaring rents and building costs threaten inflation outlook
The RBA will struggle to get inflation back to the middle of its target range as long as the costs of renting and building a new home increase at rapid rates.
FTX founder’s lawyers recommend short prison sentence, no fine
FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried should serve no more than 6 1/2 years in prison for orchestrating the fraud that brought down the cryptocurrency exchange.
ASX inches lower; shorted stocks rally, Neuren, Kelsian dive
Australian shares break four-day winning streak. January inflation holds steady at 3.4 per cent. Healius rout extends. Most shorted ASX stocks among stage break-out rallies.
Inflation holds steady at 3.4pc in January
Ongoing price pressures in the housing market offset outright price declines in pantry staples such as beef and seafood in January.
Opinion
Dunkley byelection is about nothing but politics
A lot will be read into the implications of Saturday’s poll because it’s essentially a purely political horse race short on substantial policy ambition.
Editorial
Report card on the REITs: mind your debts
Lessons from earnings season: retail property surprised on the upside, logistics cooled a tad, office continued to lag, and housing inquiry rose.
Contributor
Data centres are hot property - and not just for the returns
Macquarie Technology CEO David Tudehope says data centres are not just good investments, they will allow Australia to participate in the entire AI value chain.
Columnist
Tax carbon, but don’t gamble on green energy ‘superpower’
A carbon levy is required, but the money should be returned to households, not bureaucrats trying to pick ‘green’ winners, writes John Kehoe.
Economics editor
Australia’s defence plans are a charade
The announcement on Australia’s new ships doesn’t pass the pub test. Like its predecessors, this government isn’t serious about the threat it consistently talks about.
International editor
Board seats for super raise governance issues
Paul Keating’s 80th birthday interview raises the under-discussed issue of the impact of the $3.6 trillion union-influenced superannuation funds on the nation’s capital markets.
Editorial
Reports
Wealth: Turbocharging your retirement
This series of articles looks at the options for retirement income, the best asset mix heading into retirement, and what you need to know to retire overseas.
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by Australian Retirement TrustPolitics
Voters back energy cost relief over emissions reduction: poll
Growing cost-of-living pressures are pushing Australians to prioritise lowering the price of their power bill over the source of their electricity.
Former Liberal Party strategist CT Group embroiled in forgery claims
Spanning transactions from Monaco to Switzerland, CT Group has been accused in the UK’s High Court of offering up forged bank documents in the family legal dispute of a deceased Israeli diamond dealer.
Victoria ‘overly reliant’ on stamp duty, industry warns
The Real Estate Institute of Victoria has urged the Allan government to cut stamp duty and consider introducing tax incentives for long-term rental properties.
NSW Libs used $5b fund for ‘pork-barrelling at public’s expense’: Auditor-General
The state’s audit office found the signature WestInvest program was poorly designed and put the state’s AAA credit rating at risk.
‘Temporary’ nickel tax breaks could cost $800k per worker
The 10 per cent credit would be the equivalent of about $825,000 per worker, or six times what the previous Labor government provided to car makers.
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World
Biden suffers strong protest vote in primary win
The US president easily won the Democratic primary in Michigan, despite significant defections by voters in his party angry at his support for Israel’s war in Gaza.
China property giant Country Garden faces demands to liquidate
The developer overtook Evergrande as the epicentre of China’s property crisis when it defaulted on a dollar bond in October.
Wider Ukraine war ‘inevitable’ if NATO sends troops, Kremlin warns
Moscow’s warning comes after France’s Emmanuel Macron opened the door to sending Western forces to the war. But Germany’s leaders poured cold water on the idea.
Apple cancels work on electric car, ending decade-long effort
The decision, which Elon Musk welcomed, means the iPhone maker is abandoning one of the most ambitious projects in its history.
- Explainer
- US election
Your dinner party guide to the US election
Will the November vote be a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump? With primaries and caucuses in full swing, and candidates dropping like flies, here’s the lowdown.
Property
Melbourne estate hits the market for $49m
More than a hectare of inner Melbourne is on offer, with the historic estate re-entering the market alongside a neighbouring property for $48.8 million.
$500m raising to turn unloved hotels, offices into rental housing
Fund manager and hotel developer Pro-Invest Group is in the midst of an equity raising to fund the development of 10 co-living apartment towers with 2000 units.
Swatch adds gloss to Melbourne’s luxury watch precinct
The Swiss watchmaker cements a city block as the country’s premier luxury watch precinct after opening a flagship store on Collins Street.
- Exclusive
- Luxury property
Mayor, Google exec pay $10.18m for Vaucluse mansion
Eastern suburbs power couple Richard and Shoshana Shields have emerged as the buyers of a three-level Vaucluse home.
Home building slumps to weakest since mid-2022
The collapse of another building company this week shows the hit to capacity in the economy and makes the national 1.2 million-home target harder to achieve.
Wealth
- Opion
- Super Q&A
How much cash can my parents pump into superannuation?
This strategy could allow a couple to contribute $940,000 to super.
EQT’s record-breaking fund opens door for rich Australians
The private equity firm raised about $36.5 billion on Wednesday in a historic round in which Australians played an unsung role.
How couples can narrow the gender pay gap in super
The gender pay gap and time out of the paid workforce mean women tend to retire with less superannuation, but there is a little-known strategy couples can use to even the score.
Technology
Former Blockchain Global director barred from leaving country
Liang “Allan” Guo is being investigated by the corporate regulator over claims that he used money from the collapsed cryptocurrency group to pay his mortgage.
Apple cancels work on electric car, ending decade-long effort
The decision, which Elon Musk welcomed, means the iPhone maker is abandoning one of the most ambitious projects in its history.
Atlassian paid $284m tax before ATO deal
Over the past six years Atlassian’s Australian entity paid $283.8 million of tax locally before reaching an agreement to pay more tax.
Work & Careers
20 microaggressions that should get you sent to HR
Increasing scrutiny of our workplace behaviour has put the spotlight on small acts that might cause offence. Here are some more to add to the list.
Poor university teaching ‘a drag on productivity’
The Productivity Commissioner says there are no incentives inside universities to lift their game and no way for students to know what they are signing up to.
Life & Luxury
‘Major shift’: Young women taking more drugs and drinking heavily
A snapshot of the Australia’s habits after the pandemic shows vaping has tripled, and more women and fewer men are experiencing harm from others’ drinking.
How Apple’s new goggles will rock your reality
2024 is already a huge year for technology, with Apple changing the VR headset game and generative AI redefining the way we use mobile phones.
The eyes have it: Little Prince makes big splash
Deborah Halpern’s boldly coloured bust smashed through its estimate as early season auctions get underway.
Julian pays $450 for a car spot to charge his Tesla
Welcome to our weekly series where we speak to EV drivers who explain the highs and lows of electric life in Australia.
From a hot desk at Deloitte, the future looks bright
Over 14 floors of the award-winning Quay Quarter Tower, the professional services firm has created some of the most desirable workspace around.
