Asia stocks and euro hold steady
SINGAPORE, RAW – Asian equities consolidated recent gains as investors’ sentiment improved amid strong results by US companies, helping stocks recover from the worst start to the year since 2016, while a resurgent euro paused ahead of US inflation data. Markets are still alert for rate increases in both the euro zone and the United…
CBA stock rises after earnings, ASX ahead
SYDNEY, AAP – A strong first-half earnings performance from the Commonwealth Bank has helped keep the Australian market a little higher in early trade. The market heavyweight’s stock improved by four per cent after the bank flagged an additional $2 billion share buyback and lifted its interim dividend. Shares last traded for $98.14. Financial shares…
Workers want to feel included or will quit
SYDNEY, AAP – Bosses should be prepared to do the hard yards to make their staff feel included in the workplace, or face falling victim to ‘the great resignation’. As a falling unemployment rate tightens the labour market, staff also want a “sense of purpose” and to feel their organisation is having a “positive impact”,…
Macquarie, Suncorp earnings help lift ASX
SYDNEY, AAP – Investors have raised some major financial services providers following their earnings as the big share categories lifted the Australian market. Macquarie Group and Suncorp pleased investors on Tuesday and the market rose more than one per cent with help from financials, miners and healthcare. Macquarie claimed a record third quarter, helped by…
Rate hike talk undermines confidence
CANBERRA, AAP – The prospect of higher interest rates this year has undermined confidence, just when consumers appeared to be getting back on their feet after the shock of the highly infectious COVID-19 Omicron variant. The weekly ANZ-Roy Morgan consumer confidence index – a pointer to future household spending – fell 1.9 per cent in…
Suncorp peppered by disaster claims
SYDNEY, AAP – Financial services group Suncorp has posted a near 21 per cent fall in first-half net profit in the wake of higher insurance claims from natural disasters and lower returns on its investments. But the Queensland-based entity says its underlying business is strong, putting it in a “good” position in the second half…
Wall Street ends lower as Meta weighs
NEW YORK CITY, RAW – Wall Street ended lower on Monday, as investors digested recent quarterly results from megacaps Amazon and Facebook owner Meta Platforms, while Peloton jumped following reports of interest from potential buyers, including Amazon. Amazon.com Inc traded higher for much of the session after expanding its market capitalisation by around $US190 billion…
Aust shares end lower amid cautious mood
SYDNEY, AAP – The Australian share market has ended slightly lower despite a late recovery, as investors spied bargains among frontline stocks that have suffered amid cautious sentiment. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index ended down 9.4 points, or 0.13 per cent, at 7110.8 points on Monday. The All Ordinaries index fell 4.7 points, or 0.06 per…
Star casino to pay $13m after ‘wage theft’
SYDNEY, AAP – Beleaguered gaming operator Star Entertainment Group will fork out around $13 million dollars to up to 2,200 casino staff after admitting that it has underpaid workers for the past six years. Star on Monday said it had alerted the Fair Work Ombudsman and the United Workers Union to the planned repayments, which…
Overseas tourists to return on February 21
CANBERRA, AAP – International tourists will be allowed to come back to Australia from February 21. After the almost two year ban on foreign travellers, fully vaccinated tourists will be able to arrive in a matter of days. The decision comes following a meeting of cabinet’s national security committee on Monday. While the international borders…
