Business, Economics and Finance

A leading economist says the "risk" of an "imminent" RBA interest rate hike is "rising", while former treasurer Peter Costello is urging Australia to arrest its fertility downturn.

Tasmania's premier and treasurer agree to reduce borrowings for government businesses in an effort to accommodate more debt for the Hobart AFL stadium.

Care providers are trying to strongarm cash from suppliers of equipment, including wheelchairs, a month after the federal government reformed home care packages for senior Australians.

Chat logs and gambling data show the tactics used by Australian-run online casino Stake to keep one user hooked. 

The Australian dollar fell and the share market rose today, after economic growth turned out to be a bit less than expected.

Australia's fertility rate is at a record low. Former Treasurer and architect behind the baby bonus, Peter Costello wants the government to address the declining birth rate. 

ANZ senior economist Adelaide Timbrell says the latest GDP result reveals more caution among households, who are saving a higher share of their income than last quarter.

Australia's economy expanded 0.4 per cent in the September quarter, coming in below forecasts but economists say interest rate cuts are not back on the table. 

Zone RV is just one in a series of caravan companies that have gone under in recent years. Here are the major challenges plaguing the industry.

Australia's economy grew by 0.4 per cent in the September quarter, driven by data centre spending spree and housing boom

Housing approvals fell sharply in October, even though the shortage of housing has been worsening.

The move is expected to revive Versace's fortunes, after middling post-pandemic performance as part of the US luxury group Capri Holdings.

Macquarie Technology Group has just completed the structure of a new AI data centre in north Sydney. Its CEO, David Tudehope says he supports the government's national AI plan.

Questions are being asked about why Zone RV fell into administration, leaving hundreds of workers unemployed and customers in limbo.

Co-director of the UTS Human Technology Institute, Professor Nicholas Davis says a commitment from the government to protect Australians in its AI plan isn't enough. 

Small business owners tell business reporter Adelaide Miller they have lost thousands of dollars to fraudulent chargebacks — that is, online shoppers disputing legitimate transactions and receiving a refund.

It remains a useful tool for some nefarious operators, including global crime gangs and questionable governments, but Bitcoin's role has been usurped by stablecoins — one in particular.

The public policy think tank, Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA), believes Australia could increase its current housing stock by nine per cent if just one in four standalone homes in the five biggest cities are developed into dual occupancies. 

The local share market had its first retreat in six sessions. There was an IT outage of market sensitive ASX announcements too, that resulted in company updates unable to be issued. Alan Kohler has the details.

Housing prices continue to climb across the country but the pace of growth is easing as the Sydney and Melbourne markets lag the mid-sized capital cities.