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Business news from Australia and around the world: companies, deals, earnings, regulation and the people running them.
1804 articles · page 37 of 38
Woolworths has reported stronger sales growth than rival Coles, with chief executive Amanda Bardwell attributing the result to a renewed emphasis on value, convenience and operational execution in a challenging retail environment.
Billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller has acknowledged using artificial intelligence to write a high-profile article criticizing Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's recent bond market intervention, stating he is "not embarrassed" by the decision. The revelation raises questions about the growing role of AI in financial commentary and policy debates.
Actor Chris Hemsworth, best known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has acquired a stake in Archie Rose, the Sydney-based craft distillery, with plans to help the brand expand its whisky globally. The investment was announced on August 25, 2026, with Archie Rose founder expressing confidence in Hemsworth's ability to elevate the company's international presence.
Victoria's Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has intervened in a massive data centre development for the first time, citing concerns over noise pollution and marking a significant regulatory shift as the state grapples with the rapid expansion of digital infrastructure.
Canadian leaders announced a major retaliatory package on Tuesday, imposing sweeping tariffs on U.S. goods in response to President Donald Trump's latest wave of trade barriers, marking the sharpest escalation yet in the deepening conflict between the two longtime allies.
A sharp decline in oil prices has boosted investor sentiment, setting the stage for gains on the ASX and Wall Street as lower crude costs ease concerns in the bond market, while Canada announced retaliatory tariffs against the United States, escalating trade tensions between the two allies.
Canada announced on Tuesday it will impose counter-tariffs on $19.9 billion worth of US goods, targeting more than 700 products, after trade negotiations with the United States collapsed. The tariffs are set to take effect on September 8, escalating a trade dispute between the two North American allies.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated on Tuesday that the Trump administration's plan to temporarily suspend higher tariffs on ground beef imports remains under discussion, declining to provide specifics on the potential policy change.
Dreame, the Chinese appliance company best known for its robotic vacuums, is abandoning its audacious automotive project—which included a rocket-boosted hypercar capable of 0 to 100 km/h in 0.9 seconds—after the government funding that fueled the venture was pulled, according to reports. The division, called "Project Starry Sky," once employed more than 1,000 people but now retains only a skeleton crew of legal and HR staff to wind down operations.
Polestar has accused the Trump administration of delaying its bid to continue selling EVs in the US before ultimately rejecting it on national security grounds, according to a letter sent to dealers.
Volkswagen chief executive Oliver Blume faced boos and whistles of protest from more than 10,000 workers at the company’s Wolfsburg headquarters on Tuesday as he urged them to accept a comprehensive reorganization that could include job losses and factory closures, underscoring the deepening conflict between management and labour at Europe’s largest automaker.
American consumer confidence fell for a second consecutive month in August, with the Conference Board's index dropping to 89.4 from 90.2 in July, as the ongoing conflict in Iran pushed gasoline prices above $4 per gallon and deepened frustration over five years of elevated inflation.
Despite carrying billions in debt, top football clubs continue to sign and retain star players like Mohamed Salah, raising questions about the sustainability of their financial models. Experts point to creative amortization of transfer fees, booming broadcast revenues, and lenient financial regulations as key enablers.
Self-driving truck startup Gatik has raised $200 million in its largest funding round to date, led by Qatar Investment Authority and Koch Disruptive Technologies, the company announced. The investment comes on the heels of a significant commercial partnership with PepsiCo, signaling growing confidence in autonomous middle-mile logistics.
Lego has reported a 21% jump in sales to nearly £5bn in the first six months of 2026, driven by tie-ups with the football World Cup, Formula One and the hit film KPop Demon Hunters, as well as strong demand for its flower-based and Star Wars kits.
MA Financial has placed temporary limits on withdrawals from its flagship $2.3 billion private credit fund, blaming broader sector disquiet and uncertainty stemming from the Albanese government's proposed tax changes. The move, announced August 25, marks the latest sign of stress in a market that has ballooned in recent years as banks retreated from riskier lending.
Uber is updating its teen account feature to allow parents to view live video from drivers' selfie cameras during their children's rides, the company announced Tuesday, expanding on existing safety tools like PIN verification and GPS tracking.
Tax and accounting experts have warned that the Albanese government’s proposed capital gains tax (CGT) changes could penalise renovations to investment properties, potentially increasing the tax burden for property investors. The reforms, aimed at closing loopholes and raising revenue, may treat renovation costs as reducing the cost base, thereby inflating capital gains upon sale.
Property developers contributed significantly less than expected to council coffers across major Australian cities in the past financial year, as a sharp downturn in construction projects dried up a key source of municipal revenue, newly released figures show.
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has rejected Xinuos’ appeal against IBM and Red Hat, bringing a decades-long legal battle over the ownership of Linux code to what appears to be its final chapter. The court upheld a lower court’s dismissal, ruling that Xinuos’ claims—centered on allegedly improper contributions of jointly-developed UNIX code from the defunct Project Monterey—were time-barred and amounted to a re-litigation of ownership issues long settled. Xinuos has announced it will petition for a full-bench rehearing, a move IBM’s legal team calls a “very long shot” with only a 0.03% chance of being granted.
Billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller has sharply criticized the U.S. Treasury's bond buyback plan, arguing that the intervention undermines a crucial market check on government borrowing and heightens the danger of unsustainable fiscal policy. Druckenmiller contends that markets are the superior judge of bond prices, and that the Treasury’s move effectively removes a key accountability mechanism.
The cost of after-school childcare for primary school children in England has soared by 42% over the past ten years, with annual bills now exceeding £2,800 per child in parts of the country, according to a new analysis of data from the children’s charity Coram conducted by The Guardian. The average yearly cost now stands at £2,636, a 5% increase on the previous year, placing increasing financial strain on working families.
Gold prices surged to their highest level in more than three months on Tuesday, driven by escalating conflict in the Middle East and persistent uncertainty over US fiscal policy under the Trump administration. Bitcoin, often described as a digital alternative to gold, also climbed above $80,000 for the first time since May, underscoring a broad shift toward assets perceived as safe havens amid geopolitical and economic turmoil.
The Australian federal court has found that US-based dating website eHarmony engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct through subscription traps that cost thousands of Australian customers hundreds of dollars each, in a case brought by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that dates back to 2023.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is facing criticism from his former mentor, billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller, who warned that efforts to suppress bond yields are a dangerous mistake and urged the Trump administration to focus on reducing the budget deficit instead.
US agribusiness OSI Group has acquired Cordina Farms from private equity firm PAG, merging the iconic Australian poultry brand with its local operations to create a third major competitor in the country's concentrated chicken market, directly challenging the dominance of ASX-listed Inghams and family-owned Baiada.
Newly unsealed court documents from the Murdoch family succession battle reveal Rupert Murdoch's private fears about his media empire falling into 'wrong hands' and his characterization of son James as a troublemaker who had to be removed from the business, offering an unprecedented glimpse into the bitter clash that ended with eldest son Lachlan being anointed successor in 2025.
Spot gold touched almost $4,700 an ounce on Tuesday, its highest level in three months, as traders sought refuge from rising US inflation expectations, bond market jitters, and growing uncertainty over the US administration's fiscal plans. Bitcoin also surged past $80,000, while oil prices fell despite the threat of sweeping US sanctions on Iran.
Unsealed court documents have revealed that Rupert Murdoch and his advisors considered merging News Corporation and Fox Corporation as a strategy to 'elegantly exit' News Corp CEO Robert Thomson, marking a potential major shift in succession planning for the global media conglomerate.
A confluence of rapidly escalating power demands from data centres and persistent delays in renewable energy projects is expected to put significant pressure on Australia's electricity grid, raising the risk of supply shortfalls over the next ten years, according to industry experts.
Subscribers in Western Europe have experienced the steepest price increases for Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video over the past four years, according to new research that underscores a global shift toward tiered pricing and ad-supported plans.
The Washington Post has been ordered to reinstate opinion writer Karen Attiah, who was fired after posting remarks that included the phrase 'violent white men' following the death of controversial right-wing commentator Charlie Kirk. The decision, reported on August 24, 2026, stems from a legal or arbitration ruling, though specific details of the order remain undisclosed.
President Donald Trump announced a new 50% tariff on automobiles, auto parts, and steel from Canada, effective January 1, 2027, escalating a trade dispute that began when Canada suspended negotiations. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney accused Trump of seeking to 'destroy' Canada's auto industry and said he would only resume talks if the United States comes with 'the right attitude.'
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has announced a fresh round of sanctions targeting Iran’s key trading partners, describing the measures as an ‘economic D-Day’ designed to sever Tehran’s financial lifelines. The move escalates Washington’s campaign to isolate Iran from the global economy, intensifying pressure on countries that continue to trade with the Islamic Republic.
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has launched an investigation into Situational Awareness, a high-profile artificial intelligence hedge fund that nearly collapsed earlier this year, according to a report from TechCrunch. The fund, which had been celebrated as a Wall Street sensation for its use of machine-learning models to generate outsized returns, now faces federal subpoenas as regulators probe potential misconduct.
Perth-based biotech hopeful Syngenis Labs has banked a $363,000 research and development refund from the Australian government, following a $4 million pre-float capital raise, as it continues to build an integrated platform combining artificial intelligence, RNA, DNA and manufacturing capabilities.
Zillow and Redfin have reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission to resolve an antitrust case, requiring Redfin to reenter the rental advertising business. The agreement, announced August 24, 2026, follows FTC allegations that the two real estate tech companies colluded to limit competition in online rental listings, potentially harming consumers and landlords.
San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York spent a day in jail this week after being arrested and pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges in Ohio, casting a shadow over the team's upcoming historic regular-season game in Australia against the Los Angeles Rams on September 11 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Blackbird Ventures, one of Australia's leading venture capital firms, has raised a new $1 billion fund with significant backing from prominent US institutional investors, signaling growing international confidence in the Australian startup ecosystem and enabling the firm to target larger funding rounds and secondary share sale opportunities.
The Trump administration has proposed a new rule to formalise a $103,265 fee for H-1B visas, a dramatic increase from the current application cost, and seeks to make permanent a temporary regulation that has faced legal challenges.
GoFundMe CEO Tim Cadogan acknowledged in a new interview that the crowdfunding platform has become a 'load-bearing part of American culture' since the pandemic, acting as a de facto backup for a broken healthcare system and a flashpoint for political and geopolitical conflicts, all while operating as a for-profit business collecting fees and tips.
Graduate job vacancies in the UK have tumbled to their lowest point since records began a decade ago, with only 8,383 positions advertised in July – a 45% drop compared with the same month last year, according to data from recruitment website Adzuna. The figures, released on Monday, underscore a worsening downturn in the entry-level labour market and raise fresh questions about the value of university degrees amid rising tuition costs.
Federal safety regulators have escalated their investigation into braking issues in General Motors' electric vehicles, following reports of failures that in one incident forced a driver of a 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV to deliberately steer into a concrete curb to avoid a catastrophic collision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is now probing whether the defect poses an unreasonable safety risk across multiple GM EV models.
Sydney-based private equity firm Pemba Capital has acquired Melbourne wealth manager Hewison Private Wealth, which oversees $3 billion in assets, according to a statement from the firm reviewed by Zotpaper. The transaction underscores ongoing consolidation in Australia's wealth management sector as firms seek scale and fee-for-service models gain traction.
A Perth-based modular home manufacturer has blindsided its customers by announcing its sudden closure and immediate takeover by a new firm, raising questions about the fate of deposits, partially built homes, and the broader health of the state's modular construction sector.
Australian businesses are facing a steep rise in the cost of running artificial intelligence systems, prompting a reassessment of the technology's return on investment as the initial hype gives way to the reality of ongoing operational expenses.
Chinese regulators have ordered the recall of nearly 3 million Tesla vehicles and hundreds of thousands of cars from Xiaomi, XPeng, and Geely over safety concerns with hidden door handles, which they say could trap occupants and hinder rescuers after a collision. The sweeping action broadens a crackdown on minimalist door designs that have become a hallmark of modern electric vehicles.
Shein will begin trading on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange on 1 September, the company announced on Monday, finalising a long-awaited initial public offering that values the fast-fashion giant at close to $27bn – a significant drop from earlier estimates but still one of the largest listings in Asia this year.