BUSINESS

Under Australia's consumer law, buyers are only entitled to a return or refund if the product is faulty or doesn't match the description, not if they simply change their minds.

Eurozone stock markets rebounded Thursday as France's political stand-off showed signs of easing, while Chinese equities fell despite reports the United States may be less stringent than feared with its curb on tech equipment to China.

National Australia Bank (NAB) revealed that debit and credit card scams were at their highest levels in November.

India's Adani Group conglomerate said Wednesday it had lost almost $55 billion in a stock market rout since US prosecutors last week accused its founder and other officials of fraud.

The company collapse would mean dozens of farmers being left without buyers for their milk and owning millions of dollars for previous supplies.

The monthly consumer price index (CPI) increased 2.1% in the 12 months to October 2024. A more steady inflation environment was shown by the fact that this increase fell short of the 2.3% market projection.

Under the Australia Connect initiative, the Bosun subsea cable will link Darwin, Australia, to Christmas Island, which will then connect to Singapore. Additionally, a new interlink cable will connect Melbourne, Perth, and Christmas Island, with Melbourne linking to the Honomoana cable system.

Anglo American pivoted to restructuring, primarily to refocus on copper -- an essential resource amid rising global demand for sustainable energy solutions -- following its successful defense against a $49 billion takeover bid from BHP.

Next Level Elevators transforms Australian homes with premium Italian-engineered elevator solutions, offering families unparalleled flexibility and elegance. Its best-selling elevator, the Eltec HLB, embodies customisable luxury, allowing homeowners to tailor every aspect, from cabin size to finishes.

US shoppers are coming out in force this holiday season, but the festiveness is being tempered by inflationary pressures that have abated but not completely faded.

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority said in a statement it was confident the 3% buffer will help households stay afloat and repay their loans under various scenarios.

Global stocks diverged and the dollar gained Friday following a bounce on Wall Street as traders weighed weak European economic data and concerns over escalating tensions in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Healthscope had proposed a AU$100 fee for Bupa and AHSA members using the former's care facilities to deal with what they called the "chronic underfunding" from insurers, amid rising cost of providing care.

BioCatch Trust Australia will be used to assess whether customers of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, National Australia Bank (NAB), ANZ Group Holdings, Westpac, and Suncorp Bank were legitimate or fraudulent.

The US government late Wednesday asked a judge to order the dismantling of Google by selling its widely used Chrome browser in a major antitrust crackdown on the internet giant.

The government is providing up to AU$80 million to support Rex's regional routes during this period, recognizing the airline's vital role in regional Australian communities.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Finance Minister Katy Gallagher confirmed in a joint statement that the fund's main goal was to maximize returns, with the growth rate benchmark and risk profile remaining unchanged.

The current gender pay gap is 21.8%, meaning women earn 78 cents for every dollar earned by men, resulting in an average annual income difference of AU$28,425 less for women.

Major European and Asian stock markets mostly gained and the dollar firmed against main rivals Wednesday following a positive lead from Wall Street, as all eyes turned to upcoming results from artificial-intelligence giant Nvidia.

The rate of business failure increased to 5.04% in October, the highest level since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, when it was 5.08%.

Walmart reported a jump in third-quarter profits Tuesday behind solid US sales and gains in its e-commerce business as the retail behemoth lifted its full-year financial forecast.

Following the OAIC's report, Bunnings released a video compilation showing incidents where customers threatened staff with weapons and physically assaulted them.

Following the allocation of the funds, Industry Minister Ed Husic said, "What we don't want to see is Australian firms leaving our shores because they don't get the support they need at the right times."

As underlying inflation remained "too high," RBA noted that it wanted to see consistent inflation data before considering a rate cut, to ensure any decline was sustainable.

Markets rose Tuesday after a broadly positive day on Wall Street, with focus turning to the upcoming release of tech giant Nvidia's earnings, while traders also kept tabs on Donald Trump's picks for his new administration.

Young Australians, aged 18 to 29, reduced their expenditure by 2% year over year in the third quarter of 2024, with significant drops in both essential (by 2.3%) and discretionary (by 1.9%) spending.

European and Asian stock markets traded mixed Monday following a pre-weekend retreat on Wall Street as investors scaled back bets on US interest-rate cuts, fearing Donald Trump's policies could reignite inflation.

"Mortgage arrears rates have risen, but they remain low and at similar levels in Australia and the United States," Christopher Kent, assistant governor of Reserve Bank of Australia, said. "This is despite the significant rise in required mortgage payments in Australia."

Starting Jan. 1, 2026, businesses providing essential goods and services, such as groceries, fuel, banks, and utilities or health services, will be required to accept cash, with some exemptions.