Rate cut looms as inflation result brings RBA ‘comfort’
The Reserve Bank should have "all the comfort it needs" to cut interest rates again in August after underlying inflation fell to a three-and-a-half year low.
Economy, Business and Finance
Carbon price or climate failure: expert economist warns
Australia won't meet its renewable energy commitments without significant reforms but there's still time to redeem the situation, an expert warns.
Australia’s frustration with motor insurance grows
Australia's financial product watchdog continues to grapple with a mountain of complaints, with car insurance the leading cause of consumer consternation.
Online shopping rebounds as rate cut talk opens wallets
Australians are spending more online as inflation eases and interest rate cuts seem more likely following a lean period, especially for some home-buyers.
Indigenous people left ‘out in the cold’ by super funds
Australia's superannuation system is failing Indigenous people with some giving up on their funds due to rigid processes, research has found.
Women greenlit to sue Qatar Airways over strip searches
A group of Australian women allegedly subject to invasive strip searches have been given the go-ahead to sue an airline over a Qatari airport incident.
Australian-made green plane fuel closer with grant win
Creating sustainable aviation fuel without using farm waste could be possible within months, researchers say, and will cut emissions from air travel.
Trump and Powell bicker over cost of Fed building reno
President Donald Trump and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell are bickering face-to-face over the cost of the building renovations.
Australia steps up US trade beef as Trump claims win
Australia has criticised the US for using its size and might to disrupt international trade through tariffs, warning it will lead to firms looking elsewhere.
Workers could be $14,000 ahead under a growth mindset
Australia's productivity tsar says Australian workers would be $14,000 better off each year in the long run if the nation treads the right path on reform.
Tourist mecca fighting to turn tide on Mother Nature
The Gold Coast could be pushing sand uphill as it works to restore beaches eroded by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
The piece of data that could decide next rate decision
Quarterly inflation data will dominate the economic agenda this week, while dwelling approvals, retail sales and property price figures will also be revealed.
‘Good day for patients’: cheaper medicines on the way
Australians are being reassured cost-of-living relief is still on the federal government's agenda as it prepares to legislate changes to make medicine cheaper.
West is best economically as eastern states left behind
Western Australia remains the top economic performer in CommSec's State of the States rankings, but its "breakneck" growth is starting to lose momentum.
‘Bad policy’: Australia fears double US tariff rate
US President Donald Trump has flagged all countries, including Australia, could be hit with baseline tariffs up to double the current rate of 10 per cent.
‘Respect never cost anything’: PM defends China outcome
Visiting Chinese cultural icons will pay dividends for Australia, the prime minister says as the opposition claims parts of his trip seem indulgent.
Jobless rate nears four-year high, firms rethink plans
Australia's unemployment rate has bucked expectations and risen as economic headwinds take their toll on employers.
Wanted: 10,000 households to plug in to energy research
From households fitted with solar panels to electric car drivers and business operators, a new research centre aims to model nationwide trends in energy use.
Nation on notice as signs point to growing jobless rate
Australians are being warned about possible further rises in unemployment after a shock jobless rate jump that has strengthened the case to cut interest rates.
Rally propels Aussie shares to another record close
The Australian share market has crossed 8700 points for the first time in its biggest rally since April, while posting its best weekly performance for 2025.
PM’s China stance hailed by Taiwan despite criticisms
The prime minister used a six-day trip to China to signal a willingness to boost Australia's trading ties while balancing concerns over Beijing's aggression.
Stories in the stars shared at science festival
Stories of the night sky, the enduring food practices of Aboriginal people and chats about death are all on the line-up of a science festival.
Peek into surprise RBA decision as rate cut on cards
Borrowers are hoping for clarity on the Reserve Bank's next moves as an unexpected jump in unemployment firms the case for an interest rate cut.
The ‘critical’ data that could greenlight next rate cut
Economists await key quarterly data that could put the odds firmly in favour of an August interest rate cut, as the Reserve Bank sheds light on its shock hold.
Aussie shares set new record on strong China growth
The ASX200 has climbed 0.7 per cent to finish above 8,600 for the first time, and was also within 10 points of its all-time intraday high.
PM retraces predecessor’s steps on China’s Great Wall
Anthony Albanese has used a visit to the Great Wall of China to emphasise Australia's wish to engage on ways to build regional security and stability.
Rising cost to build a wake-up call on housing dream
Australians looking to build their own homes are facing a reality check as construction costs rise, with the increase likely to also weigh on inflation.
Time to see a doctor? Watches to track sleep disorder
Smartwatches can detect signs of a common and potentially serious sleep disorder with the medical regulator approving software that analyses bedtime breathing.
Surprise rate hold another blow for consumer confidence
Fewer rate cuts than expected will further weaken already fragile consumer confidence, as the Commonwealth Bank records a gradual household spending recovery.
Indigenous product makers taking home the chocolates
Demand for Indigenous products across the Asia-Pacific region is strong, as the founder of this chocolate manufacturing business well knows.
House values break ceiling in almost half of suburbs
An upswing in home values has broadly eased, but almost 45 per cent of Australian suburbs are at record-high dwelling values after sustained growth.