A recent survey shows 74 per cent of Australian business leaders expect profits to increase in the year ahead, despite a still-challenging outlook and sticky inflation.
In a special sitting Thursday, Parliament will vote on proposed price caps for coal and gas, which the government says will help curb soaring energy bills. Producers, which oppose the plan, have already seen their share prices drop.
Alternative investment manager Blackstone’s decision to limit redemptions from its $103 billion real estate investment trust has investors questioning whether such funds can continue to maintain strong performance as the broader real estate market deteriorates.
This year’s recalibration of bond prices now reflects the higher interest rate environment, making future returns attractive again for fixed income in 2023 as deteriorating fundamentals threaten other asset classes.
The most contentious aspect of the federal government’s new industrial relations rules centres on multi-employer bargaining, which critics say will create wage pressure and add to inflation. There is some common ground, however.
Economists agree the outlook for house prices in 2023 is largely dependent on upcoming interest rate decisions by the Reserve Bank of Australia, and signs of weakness are already appearing. Complicating matters further, borrowers face an impending fixed-rate cliff.
The red-hot lithium market is forecast to cool over the near term, but the outlook around where prices will settle over the long term is less certain. Several variables are at play that could alter the direction of the market.
The Chinese government’s announcement of less onerous isolation guidelines prompted markets to rally in anticipating of a move away from zero-COVID policies. While significant short-term challenges remain, market sources say renewed growth may be in sight, representing future opportunity.
The NSW Supreme Court on Thursday ruled Perpetual would be on the hook for more than just a $23 million break fee should it abandon its bid to takeover rival fund manager Pendal Group, likely scuttling recent advances by a Regal Partners-led consortium for Perpetual itself.
The collapse of the fifth largest cryptocurrency exchange, joining a growing list of crypto casualties this year, has raised serious doubts about the asset class. Observers say more rigorous oversight is coming.
