Finance

Finance · 28 September 2026

Budgeting for the Future: RBA’s Rate Hike Looms as Treasury Promises a $6 bn Smile

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Parliament’s final budget is set to unveil a $6 bn improvement, while the Reserve Bank’s next rate hike remains on the agenda, sending market participants into a mild frenzy of speculation.

Finance · 28 September 2026

Cash, Dairy and Road Cones: NZ’s Inflation Has Got a New Coat of Paint

Moss Harlow, Auckland desk

Over the past decade, New Zealand households have seen the cost of everyday items climb faster than the headline inflation rate, prompting economists to wonder if the economy’s been taking a very expensive detour.

Finance · 28 September 2026

ASX Holds Its Breath as RBA Prepares to Tighten, Market Participants Tread Lightly

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

The Australian share market opens flat as investors brace for the Reserve Bank of Australia's 15‑year‑high rate hike, while market participants trade between optimism and existential dread.

Finance · 28 September 2026

Banks Banish Loyalty: Rewards Vanish as Surcharge Ban Sparks Fee Surge

Vera Chen, Sydney desk

Major Australian banks slash reward points and free travel insurance as the Reserve Bank enforces a surcharge ban, prompting market participants to scramble for cheaper alternatives.

Finance · 28 September 2026

Fed’s 0.25% Rate Hike Leaves Borrowers in a State of Uncertainty

Helen Pell, Washington desk

The Federal Reserve’s latest 0.25‑percentage‑point bump in the federal funds rate is sending ripples through the housing market, pushing mortgage rates higher and leaving many borrowers wondering how much extra the…

Finance · 28 September 2026

Fed’s Rate Hike Leaves Markets Feeling Like a Budget‑Friendly Roller Coaster

Helen Pell, Washington desk

In a move to tame persistent inflation, the Federal Reserve raised rates, prompting a mixed reaction from stocks, earnings reports, and a briefing that repeated 'robust' four times.

Finance · 27 September 2026

Fed Chair Warsh Leaves Interest Rate Future Open, Like a Jar of Pickles on a Submarine

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin M. Warsh has concluded that the future of interest rates is a mystery, utilizing the word 'robust' with surgical precision to confuse bond traders nationwide.

Finance · 27 September 2026

Robust Coffee Surge: Tariff Tensions Brew a Record-High Roast

Helen Pell, Washington desk

Coffee prices soar to record highs after the U.S. backs off tariff threats, leaving Colombian roasters buoyant and markets buzzing with a robust, albeit jittery, optimism.

Finance · 27 September 2026

Labour’s ‘Stability’ Plan Stumbles as Energy Bills Soar

Iris Quay, London desk

Andy Burnham’s pledge to stabilise public finances is met with a tidal wave of higher energy costs, borrowing rates and inflation, turning a planned reset into a slapstick lesson in economic reality.