Finance

Finance · 4 November 2026

RBA’s Fifth Hike Turns Mortgage Budgets into a Treasure Hunt

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The Reserve Bank’s fifth interest‑rate rise this year forces mortgage borrowers – especially the unemployed and those with large loans – to scramble for extra savings each month, prompting a mix of groans and deb…

Finance · 3 November 2026

RBA hikes rates to 4.85% for fifth time, Bullock says ‘pain now’ prevents worse later

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The Reserve Bank of Australia raised the official cash rate to 4.85%, the highest since 2008, marking its fifth consecutive hike. Governor Michele Bullock warned that a pinch today will spare market participants a bigger…

Finance · 3 November 2026

Chalmers Calls Himself “Helpful” on Inflation While Shifting Rate‑Hike Blame to Weak Demand

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

At a post‑hike press conference, Treasurer Jim Chalmers pledged to be “helpful” on inflation but used weak public‑demand data to argue the government should not be blamed for the widely‑expected interest‑rate…

Finance · 3 November 2026

Shares + Says Joins Australian Brokers Eyeing Anthropic Nasdaq Debut

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Shares + Says is among the Australian brokerages signing up for Anthropic’s planned Nasdaq IPO after the AI firm hinted at a Wall Street listing earlier this month.

Finance · 3 November 2026

RBA’s 18‑Year High Rate Hike Leaves Market Participants Counting Their Coins

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The Reserve Bank of Australia raised the cash rate to its highest level in 18 years in a majority decision, sparking a flurry of budget revisions and tongue‑in‑cheek commentary about coffee machines and calculators.

Finance · 3 November 2026

RBA’s Rate Hike Turns ASX into a Champagne Toast While Wall Street Tries to Remember the Last Tech Bubble

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

A rate hike from the Reserve Bank of Australia is set to lift the ASX, while US stocks, still nursing a tech‑driven slump, recover a fraction of last week’s sell‑off. Meanwhile, oil prices collapse, sending market…

Finance · 2 November 2026

Westpac predicts 11% house‑price drop while posting $6.8 bn profit

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Westpac, Australia’s second‑biggest lender, said interest rates will stay elevated and house prices could fall more than 10% by March, even as it reported a $6.8 bn profit.

Finance · 30 October 2026

NGX Limited’s Namibian Gold Licences Spark Glitter‑Strewn Frenzy

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

NGX Limited’s shares surged 92.9% after securing seven gold licences in Namibia that cover more than 1,300 square kilometres, making the company the ASX runner of the week and turning the market into a treasure hunt.

Finance · 30 October 2026

ASX nudges higher as Alphabet plunges and the ECB chief quits – market participants scramble for meaning

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The Australian stock market is set to edge up despite a historic drop in Alphabet’s shares and the surprise resignation of the ECB chief, leaving market participants bewildered and busy.