Arms producers increase revenue to record $1 trillion
Stoked by the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, the revenues of the 100 largest arms makers grew to a record $US679 billion ($A1 trillion) last year. The 5.9 per cent…
Big fall in tobacco sales burns wholesaler’s profits
Independent retail supplier Metcash has posted a small rise in interim profit, after a further collapse in tobacco sales. The wholesale distributor to IGA, Mitre 10, Total Tools, the Bottle-O,…
Runaway reindeer sparks emergency operation in UK
A recalcitrant reindeer has gone on the run in an English seaside town, causing a Christmas kerfuffle for local authorities. The reindeer fled a festive celebration in the coastal town…
Crackdown nears on ‘dark patterns’ exploiting consumers
Dodgy business practices that trap consumers into hard-to-escape subscriptions or hit shoppers with hidden fees are a step closer to being weeded out. Legislation outlawing the manipulative tactics, known as…
Defence set for biggest overhaul in decades
Labor is poised to announce the biggest overhaul of Defence in decades in a bid to lift performance in a department plagued by cost blowouts and delays in getting new…
Homebuyers at square one as price hikes eat rate cuts
Surging home prices have wiped away the benefits of three interest rate cuts to new buyers, new data reveals. Across Australia, home values grew by one per cent in November…
Trump, Xi talk on phone about trade, Taiwan and Ukraine
US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have spoken by phone to discuss trade, Taiwan and Ukraine, according to the White House and Chinese officials, nearly a month…
Dire housing affordability widening the wealth divide
Housing affordability has sunk to record lows, exacerbating the divide between Australia’s haves and have nots. Since March 2020, home values have climbed by 47.3 per cent, lifting the median…
Labor path to pass nature laws in last week narrows
Labor is facing an uphill battle as it tries to strike a deal in the Senate to pass major environmental law reforms. Resistance from the Greens and the coalition suggests…
Japan wages push bolsters case for rate hike
Early signs on Japan’s annual wage negotiations for next year point to another round of solid pay hikes despite profit pressure from US tariffs, bolstering the case for the Bank…