BUSINESS

European and Asian stock markets diverged Tuesday and the dollar rallied as Donald Trump wasted no time in starting his second term as US president with a raft of announcements affecting the global economy.

Sales of electric cars slid last year in Europe in an otherwise stable market, data from carmakers showed Tuesday.

Macquarie, Australia's fifth-largest lender, will now offer a one-year fixed rate of 5.55% for owner-occupiers paying principal and interest, provided they have at least a 30% deposit.

"Capital city prices have increased substantially, making them less accessible for many buyers – in contrast, regional markets remain relatively affordable, which has kept demand metrics stronger there," Cameron Kusher, PropTrack's Director of Economic Research said.

Australian energy market is set to undergo a significant shift, which brings consumers under complex power pricing plans. These plans, including dynamic tariffs, aim to reduce energy consumption during peak hours when production costs are higher.

The closure will affect 200 jobs, while around 100 e-commerce staff will be redeployed to Kmart to make the most of Catch's existing warehouse infrastructure.

European and Asian stock markets rose on Monday and bitcoin soared to a new high as Donald Trump prepared to re-enter office as president of the world's biggest economy.

The bank revealed on Monday that 14 branches will close between Feb. 7 and 27 in Queensland, Western Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria, in addition to the two closures already scheduled for next month.

Australia's 47 billionaires boosted their wealth by an incredible AU$28 billion in a single year, which was an astounding AU$3.2 million every hour.

The Grattan Institute said in a recent report that Australia's superannuation system was at risk of becoming a "massive inheritance scheme" rather than a retirement funding mechanism.

Proposals to remove credit card surcharges have been met with criticism from major Australian airlines Virgin Australia and Qantas, who have warned of possible price rises for customers.

For small businesses, success often comes down to balancing many different tasks, like managing customers, employees, and suppliers. Given the economic challenges over the past year, it's no surprise that many Australian SMBs have felt the pressure on their cash flow, according to Rebecca Warren, Executive General Manager of Small Business Banking at CBA.

With both job creation and unemployment on the rise, Australia's labor market is facing a conundrum. It's uncertain what will happen to interest rates next month because of this unexpected mix.

DCTs integrate innovative tools and methodologies that enhance efficiency, patient engagement and data quality while ensuring regulatory compliance.

With prices continuing to climb, some are turning their attention to the possibility of boosting local coffee production to cushion the market. However, industry insiders say that this will be a slow process.

Stock markets mostly rose Tuesday with traders' attention fixed on President-elect Donald Trump's tariff plans, earnings updates and upcoming inflation data.

TikTok on Tuesday labeled as "pure fiction" a report that China is exploring a potential sale of the video-sharing platform's US operations to billionaire Elon Musk as the firm faces an American law requiring imminent Chinese divestment.