The search is on for Australia’s fastest growing companies.
Labor’s ‘populist’ student caps will break funding model: unis
Education Minister Jason Clare sought to allay worries over caps on international students, but his proposal was labelled “scandalous” by one vice chancellor.
- Exclusive
- Big four
Term deposit rate cuts may fund the next ‘mortgage war’
The nation’s largest banks are beginning to ratchet up loan discounting once again, driving them to punish savers to protect margins.
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
CFMEU mulls High Court challenge, employers also face scrutiny
CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith is not ruling out a High Court challenge to legislation forcing the union’s construction divisions into administration.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
The office property saga isn’t over. Here’s the next five twists
Dexus chief executive Ross Du Vernet sees signs of a bottom forming in the office property market. But there’s a hell of a lot still to play out.
- Exclusive
- Construction
The ASX’s next big float is a South African construction giant
Aveng will spin out its Australia and New Zealand business McConnell Dowell and examine listing on the ASX next year.
Fortescue counsel backs 22-day spying mission on Element Zero
Private investigator reports were detailed but justified in seeking search and seizure orders, said Fortescue’s lawyer.
Why Melbourne’s third runway is now Labor’s time bomb
The airport CEO warns inaction will hurt consumers, as the political weaponisation of aircraft noise threatens to once again become an election theme.
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EARNINGS SEASON
- Results Wrap
- Chanticleer
Dexus’ big move and the other result that caught our eye
The property giant gives itself more wriggle room, Reliance Worldwide gets investor hearts racing, and Vicinity Centres goes further upmarket.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Yancoal’s 20pc crash is about more than a missing dividend
Queensland and NSW’s big coal miners have their eyes up, knowing consolidation makes sense and could create value for investors.
Yancoal withholds dividends to hoard cash for M&A spree
The cashed-up miner has declined to pay dividends ahead of “potential corporate initiatives”, triggering a massive slump in its share price.
Ansell declares PPE glut over, sheds almost 10pc of its staff
Shares in the medical gloves group jumped as the chief executive confirmed 1330 jobs had been cut as it ramps up automation.
Profit season calendar and results
Here is a list of dates Australian companies are reporting earnings results this month.
higher education summit
Industrial laws stifle private sector collaboration
Industrial relations laws are stopping universities better collaborating with private experts, says Macquarie Uni’s vice chancellor.
Vice chancellors feel the political heat
Universities say they are in crisis after Labor’s cap on overseas students, but the education minister says his priority is getting more equity students into the system.
Labor’s ‘populist’ student caps will break funding model: unis
Education Minister Jason Clare sought to allay worries over caps on international students, but his proposal was labelled “scandalous” by one vice chancellor.
Gaza protests my most difficult issue, says Sydney Uni’s Scott
Resolving the Gaza protests has been the most difficult challenge of his public professional career, says Sydney University vice chancellor, Mark Scott
‘Face it, not every research project deserves funding’, unis told
Productivity Commission chairman Michael Brennan says vice chancellors need to be more realistic in the claims they make to policymakers.
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Companies
- Exclusive
- Construction
The ASX’s next big float is a South African construction giant
Aveng will spin out its Australia and New Zealand business McConnell Dowell and examine listing on the ASX next year.
Billions in private capital increasingly exposed to soured loans: Pimco guru
Christian Stracke, the firm’s global head of credit research, said investors are leaning towards new forms of private capital, particularly asset-backed deals.
- Exclusive
- Streaming
Fox Sports, AFL, NRL sued in US over alleged misuse of Meta tracking
The legal actions centre around the use of a monitoring tool on subscription services to watch the football codes outside Australia.
Global Lithium fights shareholder move to axe directors
Global Lithium is resisting a push led by businessman Liaoliang Zhu to remove two board members, including former Rio and Fortescue executive Greg Lilleyman.
Fortescue counsel backs 22-day spying mission on Element Zero
Private investigator reports were detailed but justified in seeking search and seizure orders, said Fortescue’s lawyer.
Jabiluka uranium owner warns of Christmas cash crunch
ERA has fully impaired the controversial Jabiluka deposit and will need to raise billions of dollars to complete rehabilitation of uranium mines near Kakadu.
New rules will stop tax agents seeking mental health help: CA ANZ
The claims about new laws designed to rein in rogue tax agents were denied by the government and the chairman of the tax regulator.
Companies in the News
Search companies
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Markets
Aussie dollar’s rebound brushes off China woes
The $A has staged a powerful recovery from the market rout to climb above US67¢ despite the collapse in iron ore prices. Strategists expect the rally to keep going.
Why Chris Kourtis just sold BHP and bought Fortescue
Investors and analysts are starting to warm to the longtime ASX pariah, despite the slumping iron ore price.
- Opinion
- Investing
Markets should be afraid of whoever wins the US election
Donald Trump wants a say in monetary policy, and Kamala Harris is flirting with economic populism. Markets are right to be jumpy ahead of November’s election.
Investors are buying up gold stocks before the first US rate cut
The precious metal is the standout commodity this year, jumping 21 per cent to fresh records on expectations that the US dollar will weaken. It has also lit a fire under ASX-listed producers.
The ASX stocks that could still shock this reporting season
Here are the winners and losers so far as earnings month hits half-time. And UBS reveals the companies that could rally or sell off in the second stanza.
Opinion
Vice chancellors feel the political heat
Universities say they are in crisis after Labor’s cap on overseas students, but the education minister says his priority is getting more equity students into the system.
Columnist
University scapegoats still need to get houses in order
The Higher Education Summit heard a system based on decades of massive expansion, loan-funded students and big injections of foreign students is at a watershed.
Editorial
For inflation to fall fast, Labor must boost productivity, not hobble it
The Albanese government may not have caused the problem, but its policies help determine why the interest rate pain will last longer here.
Economist
Tax agent code shouldn’t invade right to mental health privacy
These new obligations will disincentivise seeking mental health treatment and cause fear that a diagnosis could trigger disclosure rules and hurt business.
CEO, Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand
The campaign controlling the memes shapes the reality of the election
While Donald Trump remains the king of mass media co-option, Kamala Harris is fast mastering memetic warfare, writes Whitney Meldrum-Hanna.
Strategic advisor
Markets should be afraid of whoever wins the US election
Donald Trump wants a say in monetary policy, and Kamala Harris is flirting with economic populism. Markets are right to be jumpy ahead of November’s election, writes Chris Giles.
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
- Exclusive
- Political leadership
Taxpayers cover millions in pollies’ travel under ‘junket scheme’
Money from the little-known Australian Political Parties for Democracy Program goes towards overseas conferences, networking events and training for politicians.
Growth resurgence to keep interest rates higher for longer: RBA
The RBA said it considered lifting the cash rate to 4.6 per cent this month amid concerns of a forecast lift in economic growth and persistently high inflation.
Why Melbourne’s third runway is now Labor’s time bomb
The airport CEO warns inaction will hurt consumers, as the political weaponisation of aircraft noise threatens to once again become an election theme.
Albanese seals new defence pact with Indonesia’s Prabowo
Australia will lock in deeper military ties with Indonesia amid rising regional tensions with China.
- Updated
- Courts
Reynolds ‘shook, cried’ in chamber amid targeted political attacks
Marise Payne says her former Senate colleague Linda Reynolds visibly shook in the chamber and showed signs of trauma amid extreme pressure from opponents.
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World
‘I gave my best’: Biden defends legacy as he passes torch to Harris
One month after an unprecedented mid-campaign switch, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designed to give a graceful exit to the US president.
Onus on Hamas as Israel backs plan to break ceasefire impasse
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the proposed accord “a bridging agreement” and acknowledged that not everything was spelt out in detail.
- Analysis
- Tragedy
Did Bayesian’s 72m mast cause it to sink?
The superyacht was one of the 50 largest sailing yachts in the world, and her mammoth mast supported a total sail area of almost 3000 square metres.
Harris plans to raise corporate tax rate to 28pc in Trump clash
The move to increase government revenue would face stiff opposition from Republicans and the business community.
Superyacht sinks in Italy, tech tycoon, several others missing
Mike Lynch had just been acquitted of a billion-dollar fraud. Now he’s missing, and one person is dead after his luxury yacht was struck by a tornado.
Property
The regions where homeowners are selling despite falling prices
Home vendors in some pockets of regional Victoria are facing the toughest selling conditions in the country.
Dexus posts $1.5b loss as office values tumble
The fund manager and investor expects a drop in earnings in the 2025 financial year amid a challenging commercial property sector.
Chadstone owner Vicinity beats guidance as occupancy rates rise
The mall landlord reported operating earnings of 14.6¢ per security after saying in February that it would hit the top end of its guidance of 14.5¢.
Ingenia reveals five-year plan for settlements growth
The developer of affordable accommodation for downsizing Baby Boomers wants to focus its own capital on the core land lease business.
Starmer backs working from home against ‘culture of presenteeism’
The UK government wants to introduce a new “right to switch off” as part of a workers’ rights reform package.
Wealth
- Opinion
- Property prices
What property investors need to know about the mean, median and mode
Property investors need to know the three main statistical metrics and how they each offer a unique perspective on market values.
Stability is great for portfolios – if you know where to look
Poll outcomes across the developing world appear to support growth as the US election looms.
- 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.
Technology
How to use AI in unis – and spot ‘very bland’ cheats
Banning AI was an understandable knee-jerk response, says ANU vice chancellor and tech expert Genevieve Bell. But it won’t work.
Why an Aussie firm spent $1.5m on a ‘Drive to Survive’-like rally doco
In a branding strategy inspired by the success of influencers such as MrBeast, SafetyCulture founder Luke Anear is using YouTube to increase audience reach.
- Exclusive
- Start-ups
Investors back ‘unicorn’ Go1 CEO swap, as IPO plans emerge
The founding CEO of $3b Queensland tech firm Go1 will step down in a move backed by its early investors, with his co-founder taking sole charge of the run to an IPO.
Work & Careers
‘Crazy’: doubling uni graduate rates in current economy a big ask
Labor’s plan to dramatically raise the number of Australians with tertiary qualifications is “exceedingly ambitious”, says one of the UK’s leading educators.
Strategy firm wins work by focusing on traditional advice
Kearney says it has found its “sweep spot” by assessing the “essential rightness” of prospective projects and clients.
Life & Luxury
Why Aussies love this ski resort – and it’s not Whistler
It starts with one season as a ski bum and morphs into an annual family holiday with kids in tow. People keep returning to SilverStar in Canada’s British Columbia.
How medical research is failing women
For years, the process for developing and testing new drugs has focused disproportionately on male bodies — to the detriment of female patients.
Look, no hands: How to go bespoke without visiting the tailor
Using a new AI-powered tailoring app, this writer measured up at home for a custom-made suit. The process was almost seamless.
A Father’s Day gift guide for the desperate
What dads want to do and what they have to do, are not always the same thing. But these gifts help bridge the gap.
The uncomfortable truth about Dad bod
New fathers often find themselves with extra upholstery. Although polishing off your kids’ meals doesn’t help, that’s not the real culprit.
