Explore the $4 trillion superannuation industry with insights from top executives, investors, and policymakers.
No cost-of-living free-for-all despite Qld rout, says Chalmers
Steven Miles looked like someone trying to spend his way out of trouble, not someone with an economic plan, the federal government believes
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Why investors should care about ‘clunky’ merger rules
While hostile M&A deals are rare, they help keep boards on their toes. Investors should care about proposed merger reforms.
Myer board meets to ink $1b merger with Lew’s Premier apparel business
The deal – technically an acquisition by the department store giant – should hand the billionaire retailer a 30 per cent stake in Myer.
Net zero push at risk without Australian critical minerals: King
Resources Minister Madeleine King says mining has improved its reputation but must keep working at it to counter efforts by the Greens and others to tear it down.
Chandler-Mather declines to own Greens flop in Queensland
Max Chandler-Mather defended combative tactics after the party’s poor state election showing raised doubts about its bid to retain federal seats in Brisbane.
Packer in $120m payday as big bets on Nvidia, Meta pay off
The billionaire’s private investment vehicle Consolidated Press Holdings recorded a profit of more than $590 million last year, new accounts show.
NDIS autism reforms could stretch beyond election
Disability ministers will meet in Adelaide on Friday for more negotiations over the cost of early intervention services for children with developmental delays.
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The Young Rich List, now in its 21st year, set a new high for total wealth of $41.7b in 2024.
Companies
Packer in $120m payday as big bets on Nvidia, Meta pay off
The billionaire’s private investment vehicle Consolidated Press Holdings recorded a profit of more than $590 million last year, new accounts show.
Inside Chemist Warehouse’s bid to reverse its $150m retail media slide
The pharmacy giant’s advertising and media business made $640 million two years ago, but has fallen each year since.
‘Series of speculations’: Santos climate targets under attack
The Federal Court case brought by the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility alleges Santos deceived consumers with its clean energy claims.
BHP chairman Ken MacKenzie eyes the end of his rule
Ken MacKenzie is expected to retire next year as he prepares to honour the informal nine-year limit he imposed on director terms at the mining giant.
ASX hit with ‘first strike’ at AGM over regulatory concerns
David Clarke and Wayne Byres were elected to the ASX board with strong support, but it faced a backlash on executive bonuses as the CHESS fallout continues.
‘I have let you down’: Fortescue’s Hutchinson apologises to gay staff
Fortescue chairman Andrew Forrest says his leaders are required to back equality, prompting a mea culpa from energy boss Mark Hutchinson.
Temple & Webster sales growth slows
The online furniture retailer is the latest to show sales momentum is slowing this half.
Companies in the News
Search companies
View stories and data from an ASX listed company
Markets
Mining stocks the missing piece to ASX’s ‘unusual’ rally
Morgan Stanley has warned clients that company earnings are at odds with the Australian sharemarket’s lofty valuation, leaving it vulnerable to a sell-off.
$A will ‘struggle to punch higher’ as US election weighs on sentiment
The local currency has declined for four weeks as nervous investors pile into the greenback one week out from the US election.
Franklin Templeton hit by record outflows as clients ditch troubled Western unit
The group, which manages $2.6 trillion in assets, announced in August that the CIO of its largest subsidiary had been put on leave amid a probe by the SEC.
Rally in tech, miners lifts ASX
Shares firm; ANZ hits with $196m charge; MinRes to release findings by Monday; Temple & Wesbster affirms guidance; IGO skips dividend; oil tumbles. Follow updates here.
Inside the trade that put Regal in South Korea’s crosshairs
New details surrounding a block trade in semiconductor giant SK Hynix allow a glimpse into the high-risk, high-reward tactics beneath a mysterious strategy.
Opinion
Trump sells the dream while Harris warns of nightmare
Donald Trump can’t win over a staunch liberal New York City, but he used a rally at Madison Square Garden to flaunt his claim to own America’s future.
Columnist
Is disclosure enough to clear Albo’s Qantas flights with benefits?
Some might say upgrades are just a perk of the office. But the counterargument is that MPs should be removed from the special type of soft power Qantas seems to wield.
Editorial
The super system has to brace itself for a tsunami of retirees
Are trustees doing enough to prepare and provide the information, resources, transparency, services and support that retirees expect?
ASIC Commissioner
What Queensland tells the Liberal Party
If you do not tell your story, then others will fill the vacuum. That is a lesson for political parties and businesses too.
Columnist
Qantas upgrades leave PM exposed at the worst possible time
Ultimately, it adds up to another lost week for a government already running out of time to sell its message.
Political editor
Why interest rates will not fall soon – or by much when they do
Rising demand for investment capital to fund things like the green revolution will keep the price of money higher than it was.
Economics professor
Reports
Energy Awards 2024
The Awards recognise and celebrate the excellence and innovation of the businesses and people driving the future of the energy industry.
Politics
- Exclusive
- Federal election
Albanese did not declare Qantas flight upgrades given to his ex-wife
The prime minister did not declare upgrades gifted to his former wife on flights they took for personal travel to Europe, Los Angeles and Honolulu.
- Analysis
- Defence
The map that Canberra doesn’t want you to see
Australia’s military integration with the US proceeds apace, but is the Albanese government coming clean on the risks?
Gas, nukes don’t change the importance of energy targets: poll
Most readers of The Australian Financial Review believe the Albanese government cannot afford to fall short of its legislated 2030 emissions target.
Labor is killing Victoria’s economy: Dutton
Western Australia topped CommSec’s latest State of the States report, which tracks key economic indicators to determine which jurisdiction is performing best.
International student caps already driving down applications
Labor’s plans to cut international student arrivals is adding to policy uncertainty and causing some students to look to other countries for study opportunities.
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World
Malaysia PM says he welcomes Najib’s 1MDB apology
Anwar Ibrahim said while his stance on 1MDB was well known, it was not fair to single out one person for the goings-on in the sovereign wealth fund.
- Opinion
- US Votes 2024
Trump or Harris, America’s Asia trade strategy won’t change
Whoever wins next week’s election, Asia’s international economic diplomatic challenge remains the same: to keep the global multilateral trade enterprise alive.
Japan PM vows to stay on after losing majority
Public support for the LDP has nosedived after revelations last year that members were secretly enriching themselves with funds from supporters.
Could anger over abortion rights swing the US election against Trump?
Democrats are betting that a backlash against increasingly prohibitive laws will help them win votes in key battleground states.
Tehran considers response as Netanyahu says Israel hit Iran hard
The Islamic Republic has not yet signalled how it will react to Saturday’s long-anticipated strikes, which involved scores of fighter jets bombing targets.
Property
- Exclusive
- Property development
The $2b ‘capital city’ in Melbourne’s south-east
A master plan to turn 2ha in central Dandenong into apartments, shops, hotels, offices and healthcare facilities has been approved.
Property boss lists $24m mansion with cigar lounge and spa
Tim Storey’s renovated East Melbourne home includes an underground cigar and wine tasting room, as well as a spa with a sauna and flotation tank.
The Sydney suburbs where homebuyers are seeing fair value
New Domain research has revealed the Sydney suburbs where buyers’ median search prices are the same or higher than listing prices.
How cargo bikes are replacing courier vans (and fixing congestion)
They are delivering blood samples for hospitals and documents for law firms, doing more of the heavy lifting that makes London tick.
- Exclusive
- Luxury property
Unlikely power couple sell Melbourne home
‘Kath & Kim’ star Jane Turner and her husband John Denton, the former Corrs Chambers Westgarth CEO, have sold their long-time family home for more than $7 million.
Wealth
How wealthy are you (compared to everyone else)?
Try our interactive quiz to see how your income measures up with the rest of the country, your state and your industry.
Inside portfolios of Australia’s 690,000 rich investors
An extra 55,000 people joined the ranks of the high net worth investors this year, bringing the total number of rich Australians to 690,000. This is what their portfolios look like.
This couple put their life savings into an SMSF. They can’t get it out
Alex and David Didlock say they were misled by a financial adviser who promised better returns and maximum liquidity. Now they’re being told they might never see their money again.
Technology
- Gadgets With John Davidson
- Digital Life
These Tiles help you find things before you lose your mind
Life360’s latest Tile trackers still have some advantages compared with the Apple and Samsung copycat versions.
- Opinion
- Driverless cars
Ride-sharing robopods are the future of cities
Self-driving, on-demand cars could change the way we move around cities and dramatically increase throughput of congested streets.
- Exclusive
- AI
The ASX co-founder now selling DIY AI ‘girlfriends’
Candy.AI is helmed by Alexis Soulopoulos, the co-founder of ASX-listed company Madpaws. It charges users to build their own virtual girlfriend.
Work & Careers
Labor’s claimed ignorance of CFMEU thuggery ‘outlandish’: ex-ABCC boss
The former head of the building industry watchdog said he repeatedly alerted parliament to union links with bikies and organised crime over two decades.
World’s oldest consulting firm reopens in Australia
Arthur D. Little, the world’s original consulting firm, once again has a dedicated Australian operation that will initially aim to win work in the energy sector.
Life & Luxury
What men need to understand about older women and sex
Lengthy dry spells are surprisingly common in relationships, but there are ways to get that spark back.
What makes this Himalayan valley so alluring is its inaccessibility
In Ladakh’s fabled Zanskar Valley, remote villages, dramatic landscapes and ancient monasteries await adventurers. But will a new highway destroy the remote culture drawing visitors to the region?
I vowed not to buy new clothes all year. Here’s how it’s going
Our fashion editor swore off shopping for 12 months. She hasn’t been perfect, but she’s made progress.
Luxuries you can justify on so many levels
From beautiful goodies by local creatives to vintage designer bags, this week’s shopping edit has a sustainability focus.
Ebay’s got boring and the second-hand market has moved on
It’s become just another online marketplace, as the auctions that once added to the thrill of the chase now make up a small fraction of transactions.