If your business is turning inspiration into innovation, it’s time to be recognised.
How 777 Partners bad marriage doomed Bonza from the start
Documents pitched to investors prove Bonza could never succeed with the fleet it was leasing – a condition of its relationship with 777 Partners.
High inflation may last another two years unless rates rise again
If Jim Chalmers does not use the budget to cool the economy, the RBA will have little chance of achieving its target without raising interest rates, say economists.
Foreign students flood appeals tribunal to stay longer
Many student hopefuls who have had their visa application rejected are appealing the decision, often as a means to extend their stay.
- Live
- Markets Live
ASX gains; Block surges, Macquarie drops, Pro Medicus hits record high
Miners, tech lift shares 0.4pc. Afterpay grows sales 25pc. New car sales hit record in April. Apple lifts dividend, buyback to record $US110b. Follow here.
615,000 customers locked out of super accounts by Google fail
The super fund has blamed Google’s cloud computing services for the prolonged outage.
Russia using WW1 chemical weapons in Ukraine: US
The US made the accusation as the French President stepped up calls for Europe to consider sending troops to Ukraine in the future.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Why Wikramanayake says a tough year proves Macquarie’s growth story
Investors have been looking past the group’s big profit drop and betting that the drought in renewable energy asset sales will end. But the rebound may be bumpy.
Wealth Generation: News and views to help aspirational investors grow their wealth. In your inbox every Wednesday.
review
How to get a meeting with the UAE’s $2.3 trillion man
Deals with hard-to-reach decision maker Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan are often built on years of relationships with one of his network of gatekeepers.
- Opinion
- Workplace
Business school blather can’t beat real-world CEO know-how
What’s needed is a new management theory that avoids the deceptive certainties of neoliberalism and the equally deceptive vagaries of stakeholder capitalism.
What will central banks do in a cashless world?
The development puts new pressure on such institutions to reimagine their role and become more innovative.
There hasn’t been a series this complex – and funny – in a long time
One of the bigger gags in this Vietnam War tale, is the casting of Robert Downey jnr in several make-up-heavy roles.
Our world is already ravaged by nuclear war
Annie Jacobsen’s new book, written in the style of a techno-thriller, sets out what might happen if that fateful button is pushed.
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Companies
Bapcor shapes as takeover target after share price rout
Macquarie says the Autobarn owner is a target after the 24pc plunge in its share price. It had private equity owners more than a decade ago.
Macquarie goes after big four’s business lending lunch
The investment bank’s share of small business lending is only 1.7 per cent, but its $15.8 billion book grew by 22 per cent for the year and Macquarie wants more.
Macquarie profits fall 32pc as commodities, green investments weigh
Big dips in the investment bank’s asset management and commodities divisions failed to match the better performance in its banking and capital markets arms.
Buy now, pay later surges as Dorsey realises Cash App vision
Block’s BNPL volumes are rising as Afterpay is rolled into Cash App, which has 24 million active users in the US. The stock jumped more than 10pc on Friday.
- Exclusive
- Hotels
Adgemis, fighting fires, now has the Tax Office at his door
The Tax Office is knocking on the door of Jon Adgemis’ embattled pub group for more than $10 million as the former KPMG rainmaker attempts to save his empire.
Once Macquarie’s $58m man, Nick O’Kane’s pay fell to $1m
Once the financial conglomerate’s highest-paid executive, Mr O’Kane resigned in March so was not eligible for the lucrative profit share bonuses.
Bonza directors say they were blindsided by lease cancellation
The airline laid off staff and extended its flying outage to Tuesday because it can’t find planes.
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Markets
Apple’s shares rally after return to sales growth forecast
The tech giant announced $US110 billion in share buybacks and raised the quarterly dividend by 4 per cent.
Father-son duo make $16.7b in 3000pc stock rebound
The shares of Phoenix-based online used-car dealer Carvana have surged from historic lows, but the company still faces challenges.
Markets cheer after Fed chief rules out rate increases
Traders have ramped up US rate cut bets this year after the Federal Reserve kept interest rates on hold, but the prospect of higher rates in Australia this year is still on the cards.
What happened overnight? Traders turned to key US jobs data
Australian shares were set to rise as tech stocks drove higher before Apple’s earnings. Traders were also gearing up for the US jobs report tonight.
Blackstone taps vast source of cash in $1.5trn credit push
Blackstone has been eagerly driving the expansion of the booming multi-trillion dollar private-debt markets. And it’s paying off.
Opinion
Central bank independence is dead
Politicians are compromising central banks’ commitments to price stability targets, and the ensuing sticky inflation will require a much tougher cost of capital to extinguish, writes Christopher Joye.
Columnist
The two big threats haunting global sharemarkets
Investors appear to have moved on from the news that US interest rates will be higher for longer, but analysts warn of two lurking dangers that risk puncturing their optimism.
Columnist
Bonza’s grounding strands airline competition too
Had the government dealt with some of the highly public problems of aviation with more alacrity than it has, the failure of one small player would not have seemed such a blow.
Editorial
BHP is betting self-interest trumps politics on Anglo American
Convincing South Africa’s government its $60 billion takeover bid for the mining multinational is politically palatable is part of BHP’s challenge in a particularly complex deal.
Columnist
How to make sure JAUKUS is a success
It’s a no-brainer to bring Japanese technology into AUKUS pillar 2. But it needs to take account of Tokyo’s inexperience and concerns about high-level military co-operation.
Chalmers’ ‘new growth model’ lacking on the supply side
Jim Chalmers is right to say that Australia cannot draw an “artificial distinction between our prosperity and our security”. It has been a theme of The Australian Financial Review’s since our 2022 Business Summit.
Editorial
Reports
BOSS Best Places to Work
The awards celebrate the achievements of the best small, medium and large organisations and nine sector winners.
Politics
OECD warns sticky inflation means rates higher for longer
The warning came as CEOs deliver upbeat assessment of the economy and financial markets push out expectations for rate cuts to May or June 2025, potentially after the next federal election.
PM, Chalmers mull go-it-alone power price discounts
The Albanese government is considering a second round of power bill discounts, on top of $1000-per-household credits promised by the Queensland government.
- Exclusive
- Defence
Hanwha could face long wait for answer on Austal bid
The Albanese government is likely to prioritise picking a new frigate design over considering a foreign takeover bid for the Perth shipbuilder.
Blow to China’s bid to join trade pact
New Productivity Commission modelling has found there would be little economic benefit to Australia if China was admitted to the trans-Pacific free trade deal.
Housing focus as Pallas warns of horror Victorian budget
Economists warn that Victoria has no choice but to cut spending in next week’s budget, after slugging businesses and property investors last year.
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World
Why anger is rising over Japan’s ‘dangerously’ weak yen
Ryohei Kim is furious at the Bank of Japan because of the record-low yen and the impact it is having on his beloved video games.
- Analysis
- US politics
A bystander to ’60s protests, Biden now becomes a target
The protests pose two political risks to Joe Biden. They could worsen his estrangement with the left and feed into a narrative that he has presided over disarray.
- Analysis
- UK politics
Angry, broken Britain set to push its PM off a cliff
If Rishi Sunak can’t prevent a complete hammering at 100-plus mayoral and council elections, his party might kick off yet another leadership spill.
Biden says ‘order must prevail’ as US college arrests top 2000
The US president has broken his silence, calling for order on college campuses where protests against Israel’s war are escalating and some have turned violent.
Philippines summons Beijing envoy in South China Sea flare-up
The Philippines has accused China of elevating tensions in the South China Sea after its coast guard used water cannon and damaged two vessels.
Property
Sydney couple down $700,000 trying to demolish old house
Ali and Amanda Hassan are fighting a long and costly battle with their council to convert a run-down dental surgery into a modern duplex.
Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg lists family home
Former treasurer Josh Frydenberg and his lawyer wife Amie have listed their family home in Melbourne’s Hawthorn.
$10b housing fund should be doubled, community providers say
The massive response to the federal government’s first tender to develop affordable and social rental housing shows more funding is needed, developers say.
Ransomware group claims attack on valuer HTW
In a post on the dark web, Black Suit says it has obtained 20 gigabytes of the valuation firm’s customer and transaction data.
A housing boom is coming – for the wealthy
Investors, downsizers and upgraders will drive the next wave of residential development. First home buyers will hardly get a look in.
Wealth
Why this Sydney investor bought property in Brisbane
Investors from Sydney and Melbourne are increasingly looking further afield in the hunt for value. But how do you go about buying in an unfamiliar market?
What every buyer needs to know about auction clearance rates
Auction clearance rates give some clues about when to buy or sell.
- Opinion
- Flat Chat
There’s more trouble coming for apartment owners. Here’s why
The Netstrata insurance scandal rocked the strata management industry in NSW, but that’s just the beginning as an independent inquiry starts to dig deeper.
Technology
- Opinion
- Digital Life
Why Apple’s earnings call gives us hope for more exciting new devices
iPad and iPhone sales have dropped. But Tim Cook said something that could make us all want to upgrade, writes John Davidson.
‘Country mile ahead’: How PsiQuantum won a $1b investment
Chief scientist Cathy Foley said US-based PsiQuantum showed it was a “country mile” ahead of other Aussie companies in trying to build a world-first quantum computer.
Amazon posts strong cloud unit sales on rising AI demand
The e-commerce company’s operating income more than tripled as Amazon Web Services and adverts provided a boost.
Work & Careers
Pioneering CEO reveals the truth about four-day work weeks
Workplace consultancy Inventium was the first company in Australia to adopt a shorter schedule, but three years later it is not on track to hit its targets.
How this musician landed a job in AI that didn’t exist a year ago
Welcome to our fortnightly AFR series featuring professionals who have made a big career leap into the unknown.
Life & Luxury
This week’s edit of lovely luxuries for Mother’s Day
From active mums to working mums and even sleep-deprived mums, we have inspired gift ideas for the maternal figure in your life right here.
‘I loved’ my old accounting job – surprise confession from opera star
Baritone Teddy Tahu Rhodes is nostalgic about his days working with spreadsheets before he quit the world of finance to fulfil his musical ambitions.
The nine things every man needs to know about prostate cancer now
Experts at the cutting edge of new research into the causes and treatments answer the questions you might be afraid to ask.
Inside the fight for smartphone-free childhoods
A rising number of parents around the world, who have become addicted to handheld devices themselves, want to ban under-16s from having them.
The best Mother’s Day gadget gifts – ranked by price
How much do I love you? Let me count the dollars. This year’s guide doubles as a handy reckoner, revealing how you feel about the matriarch in your life.