If your business is turning inspiration into innovation, it’s time to be recognised.
- Exclusive
- Interest rates
RBA rate rise shock is being underestimated, history shows
The Reserve Bank has hiked interest rates almost every time in the last 25 years that it has faced the current high quarterly inflation rate immediately before a board meeting.
Labor to wipe $3b from students’ HECS debt
The government will cut the student debt of around 3 million students as cost-of-living pressures continue to create pain.
CommBank to refi PE-backed logistics giant; Daimler, IFM tip into debt
The new loan comes four years after Allegro Funds, led by deal maker Adrian Loader, paid less than $10 million to acquire Team Global Express.
This BHP old boy thinks copper and rare earths prices will spike
Arafura Rare Earths boss Darryl Cuzzubbo says higher prices are inevitable for two commodities vital to the energy transition.
- Opinion
- Federal budget
Bullock and Chalmers share blame for sticky inflation
The RBA governor and the Treasurer both had fair warning about the need for decisive action. Instead, they used hope as a strategy, writes Steve Hamilton.
Lagging real estate stocks have dipped too far, analysts say
A growing sense of confidence about US borrowing costs makes analysts covering the industry’s stocks expect a 15 per cent rally in the next 12 months.
Breakthroughs draw investment back to sector
Many in the industry believe that a clear route has recently opened up to building large-scale systems that will bring real technical and business advantages.
Wealth Generation: News and views to help aspirational investors grow their wealth. In your inbox every Wednesday.
smart investor
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?
Inside Australia’s most luxurious retirement pads
Rooftop pools, plush libraries and temperature-controlled wine cellars – welcome to deluxe retirement living.
We retired overseas but came back. What should we do with our money?
This couple may not be able to reopen their super accounts, but there are other tax-effective opportunities.
Should we pay off our mortgage or keep it for a line of credit?
A line of credit can serve as a financial lifeline – the trick is to know when to let go.
- Opinion
- Inflation
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.
weekend reads
- Analysis
- Australian economy
‘Made in Australia’ risks higher interest rates and a poorer future
The old rules of economics still apply and the consequences of Albanese’s big gamble could be widely felt.
Why Australia’s domestic violence problem is complicated
The hope is that targeted action, and policies to boost women’s economic security more broadly, can continue to deliver results.
‘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.
Parents unite to end ‘daily battle with kids’ over phones, social media
Banning phones in schools is only part of the solution. What happens at home is even more important.
Bad timing for biopic about an Israeli prime minister
Golda looks at the stakes of high-powered confrontation in the Middle East, and Fremont is a subtle, bittersweet, wryly humorous film.
Get the latest business news on the go with the AFR’s new iOS app.
Companies
McGuigan owner Australian Vintage dumps CEO over ‘conduct’ issues
The ousted CEO of Australian Vintage, Craig Garvin, is ‘considering legal options’, while the chairman says his exit won’t have an impact on merger talks with Accolade.
- Analysis
- Due diligence
Time for Rio Tinto dual-listing rethink with Anglo American in play
Trading the spread between the value of Rio Tinto’s dual-listed London and Australian shares is usually the province of specialist arbitrage funds. But BHP’s tilt at Anglo American has it back in focus.
Stokes lieutenant Anthony De Ceglie wants a ‘unified voice’ at Seven
Seven West Media’s first company-wide editor-in-chief is now in charge of more than 30 news sites and 16 hours of news coverage every day.
Backers of takeover target Austal want Hanwha in the race
Austal shareholders say the opening shots in takeover battle for the defence ship builder have fallen well short of the mark, but granting due diligence would be a start.
Melbourne Rebels survive but fight with ATO, Rugby Australia not over
Former Melbourne Rebels director Georgia Widdup said the decision meant plans for a “financially sustainable future” could progress.
- Updated
- Earnings season
Macquarie takes hit on green energy
The investment bank’s chairman Glenn Stevens has warned that fossil fuels, especially gas, will be required “for quite some time to come”.
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.
Companies in the News
Search companies
View stories and data from an ASX listed company
Markets
Yellen counsels caution on currency intervention after surge in yen
The US treasury secretary said ‘we would expect these interventions to be rare and consultation to take place’.
- Opinion
- Investing
The succession wisdom of an iconic value investor
Fund manager Richard Pzena has made some tricky decisions during his career. But one he is particularly proud of is to act early on succession: his, writes Jonathan Shapiro.
Warren Buffett says AI may be better for scammers than society
The billionaire investing guru predicted scammers would seize on the technology, and may do more harm with it than all the good already realised or envisioned.
Wall Street surges as jobs report shows hiring slowdown
Stocks rose on Wall Street following a government report showing job growth rose modestly in April.
Economists call for tighter immigration to help RBA’s inflation war
Economists from some of the largest banks are urging the government to restrict migrant visas to help ease the housing crisis that is pushing rents and prices of goods higher.
Opinion
Make this the tipping point on domestic violence
A tighter judicial system, support for families forced to leave violent homes, long-term culture change, and more sophisticated use of data and prediction. Nothing can be left off the table in tackling terror at home.
Editorial
There is so much to be done on violence against women
Maintaining the momentum of this week’s announcements after decades of neglect is the biggest issue facing the anti-violence movement.
Columnist
Albanese needs to get off the fence on antisemitism
Readers’ letters on the Israel-Gaza conflict, the government’s fight with Facebook, and a knotty royal problem.
Contributor
Look to South America to see Made in Australia in practice
The Albanese government’s Peronist-like policies won’t add to growth and investment, despite the prime minister and treasurer’s rhetoric.
Columnist
Europe should brace itself for a Trump victory
The difference between 2024 and 2016, when Trump last won the presidency, is that this time he has a plan. From Europe’s perspective, it would look like Fortress America.
Columnist
So many things wrong with Labor’s one huge bet on PsiQuantum
Venture capital investors typically place many best across multiple different companies and technologies. The government is backing one technology and company.
Federal opposition spokesman for science
Reports
BOSS Best Places to Work
The awards celebrate the achievements of the best small, medium and large organisations and nine sector winners.
Politics
- Exclusive
- Tax avoidance
Tax office moves on administrators in ‘$180m tax fraud’
The administrators of a formwork company involved in what could be the country’s biggest tax fraud are facing court action for reducing an $11 million payroll tax debt to just $1.
Why Australia’s domestic violence problem is complicated
The hope is that targeted action, and policies to boost women’s economic security more broadly, can continue to deliver results.
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.
Australia, US, Japan, Philippines vow to step up military drills
Four way defence ministers meeting in Hawaii raise concerns over China’s clashes with Filipino ships in South China Sea.
Albanese vows to tackle antisemitism after crisis talks with rabbis
Jewish Australians should feel safe in the classroom and in their neighbourhoods, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says.
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World
Fake videos of Modi aides trigger political showdown in India election
Indian police arrested at least nine people, including six members of Congress’ social media teams, in the states of Assam, Gujarat, Telangana and New Delhi.
- Opinion
- East Asia Forum
Japan’s outdated policies keep too many women out of workforce
Japan has few options to prevent the labour supply from diminishing to a disastrous level. The underutilised potential of women offers room to lift productivity.
Tories suffer historic losses in UK local elections as voters revolt
The Conservative have lost dozens of seats on local councils - a result that suggests the party faces one of its biggest-ever defeats in the upcoming general election.
Israel briefs US on plan to evacuate civilians ahead of Rafah operation
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says a major military operation in Rafah would result in deaths and damage “beyond what’s acceptable”.
Trump and his one-time confidant meet again, this time in a courtroom
Hope Hicks, once a spokeswoman for Donald Trump, broke down in tears on the witness stand as she talked about their time together.
Property
Why city boltholes are the next must-have for Baby Boomers
A new wave of apartment buyers could fuel stiffer competition, experts say.
What every buyer needs to know about auction clearance rates
Auction clearance rates give some clues about when to buy or sell.
Inside the $30m Sydney penthouse with harbour views and haute couture
This CBD penthouse comes with luxury furniture, art, a car collection, jewellery and 350 bottles of wine – all curated by a concierge service
‘Larger than life’: packed memorial farewells Lang Walker
Friday’s two-hour public service for the property developer and Rich Lister, who died in January, was attended by a who’s who of Australian business and politics.
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.
Wealth
Boomers direct spending to kids and grandkids
Financial advisors report many over-65s are helping family members rather than splurging – though travel is a thing.
‘Larger than life’: packed memorial farewells Lang Walker
Friday’s two-hour public service for the property developer and Rich Lister, who died in January, was attended by a who’s who of Australian business and politics.
Inside Australia’s most luxurious retirement pads
Rooftop pools, plush libraries and temperature-controlled wine cellars – welcome to deluxe retirement living.
Technology
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.
- 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.
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
Luxury price increases leave gap for Australian brands
Luxury goods are more expensive than ever. Customers are still buying – but they’re also looking for alternatives.
- Opinion
- Style
Fashion is a way to stand out. But sometimes camouflage is better
I was diagnosed with stage one hormone receptor-positive breast cancer in December. It’s the good kind, as these things go.
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.
