ASX rises; A2 Milk soars on upbeat outlook, Bendigo Bank drops
Shares open higher; Qube and Macquarie enter into formal takeover deal; BlueScope doubles dividend; Ansell keeps guidance; JB Hi-Fi increases sales. Follow live.
These numbers say your favourite fundie’s probably hurting
As the ASX 200 eyes another record high, investors shouldn’t fail to notice how much volatility lies just beneath the surface.
Penfolds owner Treasury Wine axes dividend after posting hefty loss
CEO Sam Fischer faces a huge task in a shrinking wine market, where even the flagship business has suffered falling profits.
9 better ways to flat-bed-hop to Europe and the US in 2026
From new routes to upgraded seats, these airlines are changing the way Australians cross the globe in 2026.
Taylor hits back at Chalmers’ economic sledging
Angus Taylor says “we all make mistakes”, when confronted on tax policy history; alleged Bondi terrorist Naveed Akram appears in court. Follow live updates.
Inside the $12b fund using AI to trade the Federal Reserve
Suhail Shaikh has lived through a feast and famine at the $12 billion global macro shop and has learnt to lean into winning trades and ditch the bearish bent.
The extraordinary trading of Glencore founder Tor Peterson
As Rio Tinto merger talks drove Glencore shares higher, one of the Swiss miner’s founding fathers was busy laying bets that required Glencore shares to slump.
KPMG partner fined for using AI to cheat – on an AI test
More than two dozen KPMG Australia personnel have also used artificial intelligence to cheat on internal exams since July.
Alvarez & Marsal plots major expansion with big salaries – and demands
The global advisory firm came to Australia in 2023 and has plans to keep hiring and increase revenues rapidly even as the industry’s biggest players shrink.
Think the CGT discount is a tax break? Think again
It is arguably unfair to middle-income earners who sell a property to be pushed into a higher tax bracket for that year.
EARNINGS SEASON
JB Hi-Fi sales pierce $6b in first half, but headwinds coming in 2026
The electronics retailer slowed in January after consumers splurged on phones, video games and fitness gadgets on Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
China’s falling birthrate fails to dent a2 Milk turnaround plans
David Bortolussi said the New Zealand-headquartered infant formula and dairy business would hit its $1.7 billion sales target a year earlier than expected.
Ansell overcomes Trump tariff hit with higher prices, swingeing cuts
The medical glove and protective surgical suits maker has outperformed expectations despite putting the cost of the trade restrictions at $113 million a year.
BlueScope unleashes rivers of gold to ward off suitors as profits rise
The country’s largest steelmaker is pushing back on attempts by SGH Limited and Steel Dynamics at buying the business, pointing to a big earnings turnaround.
Surging residential settlements push Stockland profit up 19pc
As interest rates rise, the company is remaining cautious, keeping its guidance unchanged after a strong first half.
Lucy King on the global scam operators targeting Australian investors and how the brother of “Raygun” came to be linked to one of them.
Companies
Coles set to face the music over ‘misleading’ discounts
There is plenty at stake for the supermarket giant and the competition regulator as a dispute over hundreds of allegedly fake promotions finally has its day.
Alvarez & Marsal ‘vikings’ come for Australia’s consulting giants
Bryan Marsal has plenty to say about the New York-headquartered firm’s local prospects. Just don’t suggest it’s an “eat what you kill” operation.
Humm co-founder’s fiery stoush with activist investors comes to a head
The Takeovers Panel is assessing the events while Andrew Abercrombie fights to retain his board seat in a situation that it set to culminate this week.
Lawyers strike gold against BHP in UK’s biggest class action
A major lawsuit against Australia’s highest valued company over a mine disaster will run for several more years after already topping $600 million in legal fees.
‘I’m very measured’: Sigma CEO’s global ambition for Chemist Warehouse
Vikesh Ramsunder says Chemist Warehouse’s international operations could one day “potentially” exceed the huge Australian store network.
BHP’s export of flagship iron product crashes amid stoush with China
An 80 per cent slump in export volumes of a key BHP iron ore product to China occurs as the world’s biggest miner prepares to release results this week.
Can big ski resorts really transform into year-round destinations?
Thredbo has installed an alpine rollercoaster and Mount Buller put in new equipment to transport mountain bikes as operators try to maximise their investments.
SPONSORED
Markets
The market’s biggest tech bear is finally growling
GQG Partners’ Rajiv Jain has endured a rough year betting against tech. Now he’s enjoying a moment of vindication and reveals what he’s buying and avoiding.
Surging demand has helped Australia’s bond market finally come of age
A jump in issuance is great news for Australian investors and the federal government. But it has not always been this way.
From Goldilocks to too hot, markets face an almighty inflation test
Fund managers are starting to rethink a playbook that pushed equities to record highs as Australia emerges as a possible bellwether for the rest of the world.
S&P 500 reverses early rally as early CPI optimism fades
US equity investors opted to sell into a morning rally with Apple and Nvidia pacing the magnificent seven lower. ASX futures point to a positive Monday start.
US inflation eases, traders lift odds of third rate cut
The American consumer price index rose 0.2 per cent in January, the smallest gain since July and restrained by lower energy costs.
Opinion
ASX companies should seriously consider annual director elections
The two strikes rule has been in place since 2011 so it’s time to closely assess whether changes would better serve our listed markets.
Associate editor
US attitudes to Vietnam remains imperialist, not capitalist
Vietnam’s relationship with Washington since the end of the war has been one of remarkable redemption, but trade negotiations with Donald Trump shows the scars remain.
International affairs expert
Think the CGT discount is a tax break? Think again
It is arguably unfair to middle-income earners who sell a property to be pushed into a higher tax bracket for that year.
Former Treasury official
The age of the disposable CEO has arrived
Chief executive churnover is less visible than political head rolling, but it is increasing and can be just as disruptive.
Columnist
The case for the carbon tariff Angus Taylor rejects
It may seem a niche issue but sorting the issue of carbon leakage from emissions-intensive facilities is needed to put industrial climate policy on a firm footing.
Energy expert
Labor should follow Mark Carney’s lead on managing migration
It is not dog-whistling to prudently review immigration settings to match public opinion. The immigration program must retain popular support to be sustainable.
Editorial
Politics
Taylor demands PM set up government spending audit
The new opposition leader is seeking to put pressure on Labor over rising inflation and higher interest rates as gross national debt approaches $1 trillion.
Labor urged to revisit ‘absolute no-brainer’ migration reform
Immigration is set to become a major political battleground after Angus Taylor said the Liberal Party would block or expel people “who hate our way of life”.
Founder of network promoting Liberal women quits in protest
Charlotte Mortlock, the former staffer and founder of Liberal women’s network Hilma, has announced she is quitting the network and the party due to “recent events”.
Plan to switch off home solar panels meets state resistance
The grid operator says its inability to switch off rooftop solar panels during grid emergencies risks blackouts. The Queensland government is less convinced.
Australia, EU zero in on free trade deal after breakthrough talks
A sweeping free trade pact with Europe close to being struck after negotiators converged on previous sticking points follow two days of intensive talks.
World
US concludes BYD and Alibaba have links to Chinese military
The companies are among a number that the Pentagon believes could pose a threat to American national security.
Kremlin poisoned Navalny with dart frog toxin: Europe
The rare and illegal toxin was found in the body of Russian dissident Alexei Navalny, who died in prison two years ago, five European governments say.
Thousands rally for Iran regime change in cities around the world
About 250,000 people rallied against Iran’s regime on the sidelines of a gathering of global leaders in Germany, as other protests were also staged worldwide.
Trump working on rollback of steel and aluminium tariffs
The president is poised to scale back more tariffs amid rising costs for US businesses and consumers, and in a bid to check his faltering approval rating.
Rubio calls Europe a friend, but warns it must change
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a far more accommodating message in Munich than the speech delivered a year ago by Vice President JD Vance.
Property
Melbourne developer presses ‘go’ on $1b Gold Coast luxury tower
The latest large project slated for the Glitter Strip shows developers are rushing to secure builders. But it also shows high-end development is crowding out the mid-market.
Beachside home sells for $1.4m above reserve as auction numbers jump
Proceeds from the sale of the Clovelly deceased estate went to charity, meanwhile auctions remain competitive – but the depth of buyer demand may be easing.
Pub matriarch claims children never paid for Gold Coast apartment
The heirs to the De Angelis pub empire have been fighting over a multimillion-dollar Main Beach unit. But their mother is now staking her claim.
Former CBA boss lands secret buyer for Hunters Hill estate
One of Hunters Hill’s finest estates, Lyndcote was listed for sale by former CBA chief executive David Murray last year. Now, it’s disappeared from websites.
Brookfield heavyweight splashes $28m on record-setting waterfront
Stewart Upson, the Asia Pacific head of the Canadian private capital giant Brookfield, and his wife Jemma have spent a record sum for a slice of Avalon Beach.
Wealth
Should I give money to my kids to avoid the new super tax?
Evaluate your super balance against $3 million and $10 million thresholds before June 30, 2027, because this date is a critical reset point under transition rules.
Annie Cannon-Brookes goes solo with huge Southern Highlands venture
The billionaire is preparing to unveil her tourism project with everything from restaurant Three Blue Ducks to cattle grazing and sustainable crickets.
The life-changing effect of $10,000 super top-ups in your 30s, 40s or 50s
Lower fees, a pivot to growth assets and modest additional contributions could lift your retirement balance by thousands – or even millions.
Technology
So far, so very good: Intel’s fightback against Apple
MSI’s excellent Prestige 14 Flip AI+ laptop is an early example of what we can expect from the latest generation of Intel-based devices.
Venture capitalist turns tech founder with AI company buyout plans
Former EVP investor Misha Saul and Silicon Valley CEO Benjamin Plummer have launched a company to buy out legacy services businesses to transform with AI.
Why more people are swiping right on AI boyfriends
What kind of society emerges when attachment to other human beings itself becomes a subscription service?
Work & Careers
Want to get more done? This is the best music to work to
Listening to music at work can you stay focused, build creativity and block out distractions, scientists say, although for some tasks silence may be best.
How repeating first grade drove Christian Beck towards a circa $6b IPO
A lifelong desire to prove he wasn’t stupid drove the ATI Global founder to build an international legal tech firm. He’s now asking markets to value his work.
Life & Luxury
Aussie medal party continues with Graham moguls bronze
It’s Graham’s second medal after winning silver in the individual event at the Pyeongchang games in 2018, and extended Australia’s medal run in Livigno.
Aston Martin’s $2m-plus hybrid supercar is finally here … sort of
Five years behind schedule, the Valhalla – with all of its F1 tech, insectoid looks and bank-breaking price tag – is tantalisingly close to reaching Australian drivers.
No sex please, we’re Wuthering Heights purists
Emerald Fennell’s bombastic new movie has sent us back to the original dark, deranged version.
Why this CEO dragged a painting to the top of a mountain in Bhutan
HX Expeditions’ Gebhard Rainer has hiked all over the world, saying the experience of walking in nature “triggers memories and a sense of déjà vu”.
The Melbourne art fair punching above its weight against Sydney
Victoria’s biggest art fair has been catching up to the sales volume of its northern rival, focusing on entry-level budgets with young galleries and a new salon for designer homewares.
