The search is on for the 2025 Best Places to Work.
- Analysis
- Israeli-Palestinian conflict
In Jerusalem, life is normal as Israel prepares for war
While an invasion of southern Lebanon is seemingly inevitable, there is a sense of calm in the Israeli capital.
Guzman y Gomez IPO backers sell stake as stock joins ASX 200
The hottest IPO darling in recent memory has rallied hard since listing in June, but a few early investors have taken some money off the table.
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Private credit still best for returns, ‘flexible’ Soul Patts says
Where to put $1 billion when you can invest anywhere? That’s Soul Patts’ job.
Rate cuts may trigger unsustainable property price boom: RBA
Falling interest rates could lead to a rising market that encourages households to take on too much debt, raising the risk of a damaging downturn, the bank warns.
The 10 most covertly powerful people in Australia in 2024
Those who wield the most clout behind the scenes in the nation’s business and politics.
- Live
- Markets Live
ASX rallies as China pledges more stimulus; Regal rises
Shares advance; Platinum board says Regal bid ‘undervalues’ the listed global equities fund manager; ACCC allows Lendlease projects sale to Stockland and Supalai; Soul Patts profit slides. Follow updates here.
- Breaking
- Casinos
Star slashes $1b off the value of its casinos, slumps to huge loss
The gaming company has released its financial accounts almost a month after its shares had been suspended from the ASX as it battles to find new funding.
Get our expert take on the race to the White House plus receive our weekly World View newsletter to make sense of the global impact. Exclusive to subscribers.
POWER LIST
Australia’s five most powerful people in education in 2024
As we hurtle to the end of the year, there are a lot of balls still up in the air for the sector. The question is, how many have landed?
Australia’s ‘brain boxes’ are a growing source of covert power
These research and advocacy institutes are on the rise. But to get the funding, they need to be seen.
Power list reveals diminished influence of Australia’s corporate sector
This year’s list reflects the fading voice of CEOs and the growing size, scale and power of the superannuation sector.
Australia’s 10 most powerful business leaders in 2024
The strongest voices for corporate Australia in a year when cost-of-living pressures have ripped through the most vulnerable parts of the economy.
Australia’s top five powerbrokers in the law for 2024
It was a momentous year for the High Court, the competition regulator and outspoken judges. Here are the people setting the agenda in legal circles.
The best of travel, fashion, cars and more, straight to your inbox every Saturday.
Companies
- Exclusive
- Rich families
How the wealthy daughters of Westfield co-founder John Saunders invest
Previously unreported filings for Terrace Tower, owned by the late businessman’s family, reveal assets worth $1.85 billion. But it has been a bumpy two years.
Gourmet grocer The Essential Ingredient falls into administration
The high-end retailer, which has three stores and a big online operation, failed to recover from a difficult trading period during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BlueScope sounded out as Whyalla steelworks rescuer
Sanjeev Gupta’s empire is showing further signs of distress as creditor defaults tick up against his other businesses in Australia, InfraBuild and Tahmoor coal.
Sanitarium Weet-Bix and Vita Brits merger under ACCC microscope
The competition regulator is pursuing supermarkets over claims they offered non-genuine discounts. Now it’s taking a look at some of the most popular cereals.
Queensland walks away from helping Star with its big tax bill
Premier Steven Miles ended discussions with the casino operator and said executives were refusing to give up their bonuses in exchange for assistance.
ACCC green light for $1.3b Lendlease, Stockland estates deal
The divestment is one of a number of major initiatives that Lendlease boss Tony Lombardo is pursuing in a radical overhaul of the global developer.
NSW Bar backs compulsory anti-harassment training
State bar associations have swung behind the Australian Bar Association’s proposal to mandate “equality and wellbeing” training.
Companies in the News
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Markets
China pledges more stimulus, driving asset prices higher
China’s Politburo injected fresh excitement into financial markets on Thursday, pushing for more fiscal spending to stabilise the property sector.
Ex-RBA governor Lowe joins Barrenjoey board
In February 2023 Philip Lowe found himself in hot water after accepting a lunch invite from Barrenjoey. This week he joined the start-up investment bank’s board.
What happened overnight? The Dow dragged Wall Street lower
Australian shares were set to open higher. US stocks were mostly lower. Goldman said bullish equity positioning reflected enduring US exceptionalism.
China kills ASX bank rally as money piles into miners
Traders are scrambling after China’s latest effort to boost its economy prompted investors to rapidly pull money from the big four banks and pile into the mining sector.
Bond markets too punchy on RBA rate cuts, say investors
Fund managers say traders have overblown the comments from governor Michele Bullock and are siding with the central bank on the rate outlook.
Opinion
Why now may be the right time to invest in private credit
The Australian market for private credit is at an earlier stage of development, but attracting investment.
Managing Director at UBS Global Wealth Management Australia
Australia is on the map but not on the minds of South-East Asia
Greater economic engagement with South-East Asia is needed not only for Australia’s sustained prosperity but also for its political clout as a bona fide Asian power.
CEO of Asia Society
Why even good politicians are unpopular these days
It’s not just Keir Starmer – political leaders are on the nose around the world, and it’s not all their fault. Decades of peace and affluence have raised expectations.
Contributor
Three ideas to sharpen up the Business Council of Australia’s act
Curiously, given business bangs on about innovation all the time, the BCA has failed to get the memo.
Policy expert
Why Labor seems to be flirting with housing tax breaks again
The real story is that the government is desperately looking for a way out of the political dead end that has stalled any momentum in its drive to an election.
Columnist
Real tax reform could help fix the housing crisis
The political system lacks the maturity to even discuss using tax policy as a serious instrument to help solve the housing shortage.
Editorial
Reports
Technology - Valuation shift
This special report looks at shifting valuations for tech companies in public and private markets, plus how AI will change work.
Politics
Infection super agency to lead future pandemic response
A new Australian Centre for Disease Control will get powers to manage any future pandemic, under the national COVID-19 review due to be handed to government.
- Exclusive
- Negative gearing
These Australians are most likely to negatively gear their properties
With an average total income of $480,000, surgeons are Australia’s highest-paid professionals and the most likely workers to use negative gearing.
- Exclusive
- Energy
Bowen uses gas to fire up offensive on Coalition’s nuclear plans
Energy Minister Chris Bowen claims the Coalition’s energy plans will require spending tens of billions of dollars to build and service new gas power plants.
Electricity bills to surge 47pc next year as government support ends
The Albanese government has hinted it could extend the federal government’s $300 electricity bill rebate to avoid a sharp rise in out-of-pocket energy costs.
A quick guide to the politics of housing tax breaks
Anthony Albanese won’t be the last political leader to mull changes to negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, and he certainly is not the first.
SPONSORED
World
The travel bloggers ‘sugarcoating’ China’s Uyghur problem
Some influencers claim to be exposing Western media lies about Xinjiang, saying they have not seen human rights abuses taking place.
- Analysis
- Electric vehicles
I drove the ute that could ruin weekends. Here’s what happened
Electric vehicles have a veneer of delicacy; an assumption the BYD team is keen to dismiss with the new Shark 6 plug-in hybrid ute.
Harris insists she’s a ‘capitalist’ in economic pitch
The Democratic presidential candidate has been under pressure to offer more details on her economic plans.
- Analysis
- UK politics
Why Britain’s PM faces political firefights on all fronts
A combination of bad politics and unpopular policy has left Sir Keir Starmer on the back foot. And there isn’t even a Tory opponent who can lead the attack.
Lebanon says 51 killed in latest round of Israeli strikes
The attacks are the deadliest in the country since the bruising month-long war between the Jewish state and Hezbollah in 2006.
Property
Goldman Sachs’ old headquarters turned into $5850-a-month apartments
Both city and state are seeking ways to encourage more conversions to help alleviate New York City’s housing shortage.
- Exclusive
- Office
Brookfield to sell $480m stake in tower that Cartier calls home
Singaporean property giant UOL will buy Brookfield’s half stake of 388 George Street, which will be managed by Investa once the deal is completed.
- Exclusive
- Commercial real estate
BlackRock seeds $1.5b laboratory real estate fund
BlackRock is partnering with local private equity firm Wentworth Capital on a “pure play” laboratory fund that has already secured a number of seed assets
Jose was priced out of his inner-city home. So were 16,000 others
KPMG data shows rising costs are squeezing out much-needed workers from Sydney and Melbourne’s most sought-after suburbs.
‘Paying whatever it takes’: Prestige home prices jump 20pc a year in this city
International and east coast buyers are helping fuel a price boom in Perth’s most sought after luxury coastal and riverside properties.
Wealth
- Exclusive
- Rich families
Rich Lister wealth secrets revealed after 30-year loophole ends
Two years after removing an exemption that allowed Australia’s richest families to keep details of their private companies secret, their financials are filtering through.
- Exclusive
- Rich families
How the daughters of Westfield’s John Saunders invest
Previously unreported filings for Terrace Tower, owned by the late businessman’s family, reveal assets worth $1.85 billion. But it has been a bumpy two years.
Hartman exit leaves separated Forrests occupying Tattarang board
The longest surviving member of the Forrest inner circle, John Hartman, has left the board of the private company that holds most of the couple’s combined fortune.
Technology
Meet the ‘actionable futurist’ who demystifies tech for the C-suite
Futurist Andrew Grill reckons execs will struggle to make good decisions about deploying tech in their businesses if they’re not actively using it themselves.
How a Caramello Koala helped catch Coles and Woolies out
As consumers’ belts tightened, price-sensitive shoppers vented their frustrations online on Reddit, TikTok and X. The ACCC, it seems, was listening.
Will AI be a bust? A Wall Street sceptic rings the alarm
Jim Covello, Goldman Sachs’ head of stock research, warns that building too much of what the world doesn’t need “typically ends badly”.
Work & Careers
Why becoming a chief of staff is good for your career
Three top executives who took on the role early in their careers say the position was a springboard to far bigger jobs.
How Angella went from healthcare to coder in nine months
Holberton’s course is an example of the practical training programs employers are using to fill stubborn vacancies in the face of persistent skills shortages.
Life & Luxury
Everything you want to know about Fashion Week
The whole soiree is actually a month, taking in four big events in New York, London, Milan and Paris. Here’s a rundown of what’s been happening on the runways.
Seven must-see shows this October
From a Bette Davis cabaret, to Celine Dion on the Titanic and a takeover in the Adelaide Botanic Garden, there are plenty of reasons to leave the house this month.
The doctor-turned-CEO aiming to beat Ozempic
Adam Steensberg leads Zealand Pharma, a Danish drug maker whose stock has risen by more than 800 per cent since he took over in 2022.
Heading to Melbourne for the footy? It might pay to book a stop-over
Brisbane fans might choose a less-than-ideal path to save a few dollars in the pilgrimage to the MCG this weekend – booking a flight via Sydney or Canberra.
The perfect autumn weekend in London
It’s not called the UK’s capital of cool for nothing. Here’s an insider’s guide to how to spend 48 fun hours.
