Business

The jobless rate is predicted to be on the way up again, but economists think it’s not a concern.

Unemployment tipped to surge again after surprise drop

Australia's latest jobless figures are likely to follow a trend for the year's start after economists were wrong-footed by a surprise fall in unemployment.

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Alcoa has been fined over habitat destruction in the Northern Jarrah Forest, south of Perth. (Adrian Black/AAP PHOTOS)

Alcoa slugged millions over illegal forest clearing

Alcoa has agreed to pay $55 million to restore a forest habitat that's home to protected species after clearing it for bauxite mining without approvals.

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More than 15 million Australians are facing added pain to already-crunched household budgets after Federal Health Minister Mark Butler on Tuesday approved an above-inflation increase to private health insurance premiums. 

Medibank, Nib shares jump on health insurance price rises

Shares in Medibank and Nib have jumped after both insurers announced premium hikes of more than 5 per cent for 2026.

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Australia’s big banks have delivered bumper profits. The Nightly

Big banks cash in on AI revolution as tech tanks on ASX

TOM RICHARDSON: Bank shares have surged in February as they impress investors with cost control and benefit from the flow through of three interest rate cuts in 2025.

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The "down down" campaign allowed more retail price cuts as supply costs rose, a Coles boss says. (Joel Carrett/AAP PHOTOS)

Coles got supplier rebates for discounted promotions

Its ‘down down’ campaign enabled Coles to make higher profits as more product sold, depending on deals with suppliers, a senior executive says.

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Santos boss Kevin Gallagher at the Australian Energy Producers conference in Brisbane last year.

Santos culls 400 jobs as boss pockets enormous bonus

Kevin Gallagher’s pay packet for the 2025 year was inflated by a multimillion-dollar payment of performance rights as the oil and gas producer also announced sweeping job cuts

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The Economist has examined the deal.

Will investing in Russia really bring America trillions?

The Kremlin is making big promises to Donald Trump’s administration.

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NAB’s cash profit jumped to $2.02b in December.

NAB’s profit jumps on higher revenues, productivity gains

NAB has flagged cost out programs and more lending helped its profit jump in the December quarter.

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Workers have seen their pay levels go backwards compared with inflation for the first time since late 2023, unless they’re a public servant. Labor’s election promise to get wages moving again is looking hollow.

Pay levels lag behind inflation for first time in two years

Workers have seen their pay levels go backwards compared with inflation for the first time since late 2023, unless they’re a public servant. Labor’s election promise to get wages moving again is looking hollow.

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ew BlueScope chief executive Tania Archibald.

SGH, Steel Dynamics lob new $15b offer on BlueScope

The revised bid is a “best and final” $32.25 a share offer that values Australia’s biggest steel maker at $15 billion.

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Data on wages is expected to show the pay for most workers isn't keeping up with inflation.

Inflation set to outpace wage growth despite pay bumps

December wage data is set to remain stable, even though large sections of the workforce pocketed a rise in their weekly pay.

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It is the second major hit to households in the past two weeks after the Reserve Bank lifted official interest rates by 25 basis points, pushing mortgages higher.

Health insurance premiums set for biggest rise in nine years

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler says premiums will increase by an average 4.41 per cent from April, up from the previous year’s 3.73 per cent rise.

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Baby Bunting’s nine revamped “stores of the future” are delivering the goods, helping the baby goods retailer grow overall same-store sales by 4.7 per cent

Baby store refits delivers 'halo effect' for retailer

Baby Bunting's nine revamped ‘stores of the future’ are delivering the goods, helping the baby goods retailer grow overall same-store sales by 4.7 per cent.

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