The search is on for Australia’s fastest growing companies.
Minority government draws closer as Labor spins it wheels
The government is running out of time to start rebuilding its fortunes, with the latest Freshwater poll showing it unable to gain traction with voters.
ASX to slip as investors wait for more signs of economic resilience
Investors will have a clearer picture of consumer sentiment as a string major retailers and discretionary brands report their results.
Voters prefer limits rather than total ban on gambling ads: poll
Limiting the number of sports betting ads shown on television, and when they can be shown, is more popular than banning them altogether according
- Exclusive
- Aviation
AFP on the scene at Rex as boardroom recriminations deepen
The inquiries come weeks after the regional carrier collapsed, and as administrators at EY work to find a buyer for its fleet and network of services.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
This $3trn investor knows what to watch when it comes to Harris v Trump
It’s not long until early voting starts. This fortnight will be a big one for the presidential race, and the outcome will have a major impact on markets.
- Opinion
- Sharemarket
Resilient corporate profits are masking the ASX’s shaky foundations
Earnings season reveals local groups are performing better than expected. Weakness in China and a fall in Commonwealth Bank’s share price could undo the gains, writes Jonathan Shapiro.
Real estate portal Domain the ultimate fixer-upper for Nine’s board
It’s Australia in 2024, and property is (still) king. Getting the one-time growth engine firing again would make for some very happy shareholders.
Wealth Generation: News and views to help aspirational investors grow their wealth. In your inbox every Wednesday.
MONDAY MEDIA
Lifestyle, culture websites argue for their slice of Meta’s pie
There are more than 440 separate publications on the approved list that Meta could be forced to deal with. Meta reckons that list is too long.
Real estate portal Domain the ultimate fixer-upper for Nine’s board
It’s Australia in 2024, and property is (still) king. Getting the one-time growth engine firing again would make for some very happy shareholders.
AFR journalist wins Kennedy Award for second year running
The award for Outstanding Finance Reporting is the latest in a string of honours for the investigative journalist Neil Chenoweth.
With $70 this duo grew Australia’s biggest media brand for young women
Six years on, 30-year-olds Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews have built a burgeoning company without any external investment.
New York Times reporter’s misstep led to leak of Jewish chat group
One of the global media giant’s Australian staff said she “deeply regretted” her decision to share material from the private discussion.
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Companies
- Exclusive
- Aviation
AFP on the scene at Rex as boardroom recriminations deepen
The inquiries come weeks after the regional carrier collapsed, and as administrators at EY work to find a buyer for its fleet and network of services.
Mining lobby says Plibersek intervention imperils $1b gold project
The federal environment minister late on Friday placed heritage protection orders over the headwaters of the Belubula River, near Regis’ McPhillamys development.
Fast-growing firm nabs ex-big four partners in Canberra consulting push
BDO Australia has recruited a former PwC-turned-Scyne partner and an ex-Deloitte and Sayers Group partner to lead its new Canberra office.
Cyclone damage bill at South32’s Groote manganese mine hits $171m
The lucrative operation is owned jointly with Anglo American. New filings show the two diversified miners are injecting more money to resume exports next year.
- Opinion
- Gender equality
When it comes to chairing major boards, men still rule
Over the past year, depending on when the data was cut, there have been either no women, or one woman, sitting at the helm of an ASX20 company.
MyState, Auswide agree to binding regional bank merger
Street Talk understands the regional banks have entered into a transformative binding scheme implementation agreement.
In ‘diabolical trouble’ – How big wine brands fell out of favour
Wolf Blass, who set up his eponymous wine brand almost 60 years ago, says the cheaper end of the wine sector is in ‘diabolical trouble’ but the cycle will turn positive again.
Companies in the News
Search companies
View stories and data from an ASX listed company
Markets
Jim Chalmers warns of $3b budget hit on iron ore slump
After hopes a buoyant Chinese economy would keep prices high faded away, the commodity’s price fell sharply and is now trading below Treasury’s indicative forecast in the budget.
- Opinion
- Sharemarket
Resilient corporate profits are masking the ASX’s shaky foundations
Earnings season reveals local groups are performing better than expected. Weakness in China and a fall in Commonwealth Bank’s share price could undo the gains.
- Opinion
- Private equity
After the rout, this area of the market is ripe for making money
As the Federal Reserve prepares to start cutting interest rates, there are two questions to be asked when making your next investment bet, particularly following this month’s turmoil.
Wall Street smashes records to post best week this year
Equities extended their advance into a seventh straight session, with the S&P 500 seeing its best performance in such a span since October 2022.
- Opinion
- Federal Reserve
Five big questions for the Fed at Jackson Hole
The annual economics conference is a chance for Jerome Powell to reveal how he might change the way the Fed conducts monetary policy.
Opinion
The ASX’s legal mess reveals deep-rooted problems in boardrooms
Court action against the ASX over its bungled CHESS replacement project reflects a worrying escalation in the box-ticking, compliance culture inside Australian boardrooms.
Contributor
Poll shows why productivity should be the main game in Canberra
The gridlock of minority governments would mean that Canberra’s productivity policy problem, which is already partly to blame for prolonging the cost of living pain, will only get worse after the next election.
Editorial
Democrats now the American dreamers
Democrats have become the true believers in the American mission. Republicans will be more prudential in assessing foreign policy capacities.
International editor
Why the US presidential race will be a referendum on masculinity
The contest pitches the ‘nice guys of the left’, in Tim Walz and Dough Emhoff, against the toxic masculinity of Trump and the anti-cat-lady conservatism of J.D. Vance.
Contributor
Sponsorship money doesn’t grow on trees and less popular sports will lose out
As we saw when tobacco advertising was banned, elite sports had little difficulty is attracting new sponsors, but non-elite ones will struggle, writes Sinclair Davidson.
Contributor
National cabinet urgently needs an overhaul
Readers’ letters on why national cabinet needs a review; the RBA’s Andrew Hauser; the problem of super tax changes for unrealised gains; and angst over The Australian Club.
Contributor
Reports
Wealth - Sustainable investing
This special report looks at the growing movement to support natural capital and options for investors to balance returns with greening their portfolios.
Politics
- Opinion
- Federal election
Gambling ban findings small comfort in an otherwise bleak snapshot
The latest poll has good news for the government on the gambling ban front, but the stuff that really matters remains dire, writes Phillip Coorey.
Corruption boss warns on lawyers, consultants and the election
As the anti-corruption agency marks its first year, chief Paul Brereton says electoral donations and pork-barrelling are in focus, as well as consultants doing government work.
NDIS comes in $600m below budget as reforms bite
Budget measures to cap growth in the National Disability Insurance Scheme are beginning to bring the cost of the scheme under control.
- Opinion
- Letters to the Editor
National cabinet urgently needs an overhaul
Readers’ letters on why national cabinet needs a review; the RBA’s Andrew Hauser; the problem of super tax changes for unrealised gains; and angst over The Australian Club.
Call for medical supply overhaul after IV fluid shortage shock
Health ministers met on Friday to discuss a critical shortage of IV fluid bags which is raising questions about Australia’s ability to source medical supplies.
SPONSORED
World
Ukraine blows up key Russian bridge in tactical push
The bridge’s destruction is a setback for Russian supply lines as Ukraine seeks to consolidate its territorial gains in the Kursk region of western Russia.
Deadly Israeli airstrikes hit Gaza, Lebanon despite truce talks
The new bloodshed came after the United States and its allies expressed optimism over ceasefire negotiations to end the war in Gaza.
- Analysis
- US election
Kamala Harris’ big test this week: Policy or personality
All eyes will be on the vice president at the Democratic National Convention as she tries to keep momentum going in the race for the White House.
‘Crazy laugh’: Trump leans into attacks on Harris
At a rally in Pennsylvania, Donald Trump vacillated between criticisms of the economy and immigration and personal attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris.
India’s doctors strike nationwide over colleague’s rape and murder
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to crack down on sexual violence against women, but incidents are rising.
Property
Decline in home ownership a boon for retirement operator Eureka
The company’s new chief executive, Simon Owen, says a growing number of retirees don’t have the real estate to buy into more expensive homes.
Sydney investor Jacky Cheung adds prized Scone farm to $265m portfolio
Private Sydney investor Jacky Cheung has added one of the Upper Hunter region’s biggest farms, Balarang Station, paying $32.5m
Vietnamese owners hope to triple money on NT cattle station
Pham Nhat Vu, the brother of Vietnam’s richest person, Pham Nhat Vuong, is selling Vermelha Station near Larrimah, which he purchased for $18 million in 2016.
It was a hot real estate trade. Now investors are worried
For individual investors, the chance to invest with Wall Street’s elite was too good to pass up. It’s not looking so good for them now.
- Exclusive
- Luxury property
Adam Blumenthal knocks down price to sell Rose Bay penthouse
Founder of EverBlu Capital Adam Blumenthal and wife Annabelle Shamir have sold their Rose Bay penthouse after almost a year on the market.
Wealth
- Exclusive
- Investing
What investors can learn from 30 years of markets data
Analysis by Vanguard Australia for AFR Weekend reveals how different asset classes have performed and a surprise top performer in the last financial year.
The ATO has this overlooked property tax in its crosshairs
Small-scale property developers need to be aware that GST is applicable in certain circumstances. Read the 10 tips for mum and dad developers.
Should I pay my children to stay off social media?
The right age for children to start using social media is a topic of hot debate.
Technology
Crowdfunding firm seeks survival funding after ‘diabolical’ 18 months
Equitise, a major equity raising platform, is in talks with investors to recapitalise the company as the sector looks to rebuild after the tech funding winter.
- Analysis
- Social media
Who’s afraid of Elon Musk?
Is the combative entrepreneur fanning the flames of far-right politics or is he just “an angry man screaming into a hurricane”?
We can’t control deepfakes, tech giants say
Fake AI images and videos flooding social media thanks to Elon Musk’s xAI firm. Microsoft and Amazon say we may need new laws to stamp out the worst ones.
Work & Careers
Urgent bid to stop sparkie work bans to cite blackout risk to lives
A recent ruling that workers taking industrial action at Transgrid put people on life support at risk is likely to be relied upon by Endeavour Energy.
- Opinion
- Gender pay gap
This Gender Pay Day, employers must take action for their own good
Women must work, on average, 50 more days per year to earn the same as men. Here’s what businesses need to do about it, writes Mary Wooldridge.
Life & Luxury
The comic cynicism of the celebrity academic
A new, celebrated novel makes fun of academic fame, university politics and self-entitled students.
Everyone is angry at Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, even its musicians
The MSO’s decision to cancel a guest pianist for his Gaza war commentary, then backtrack, has united pro-Israel and pro-Palestine activists in disdain.
Caviar in business class? Why bother with first
The luxury is typically only afforded to first class travellers, but Qatar Airways says it will offer it to customers on the 14-hour flight to and from Doha.
For $5600, you’d want to keep the bottle this rare cognac comes in
Beyond French liqueur, this week we’ve sourced seductive fashion, chic homewares and smoky scents.
This Aussie quit his career to open a luxury resort in Greece
It’s no coincidence that it took Australians to tackle the challenge of opening Gundari in such a secluded island location.
