Business, Economics and Finance

The biggest share sell in history is here with SpaceX raising $US1.7 trillion to launch further into space with data centres and colonisation of Mars.

The ASX end the week on a high amid hopes of a Middle East peace deal, while SpaceX's IPO prepares for lift-off on the Nasdaq. See how the trading day unfolded on the ABC News live markets blog.

Financial markets were initially rattled by Donald Trump's threats to launch further attacks on Iran, but ultimately rebounded on hopes the warring nations will — eventually — reach a peace deal, as finance presenter David Chau explains.

KPMG is engulfed in a scandal that's already claimed the scalp of its chief executive Andrew Yates and threatened its government contracts.

NAB's senior FX strategist, Rodrigo Catril joined The Business ahead of interest rate decisions in both the US and Australia.

Senior financial analyst with Capital.com, Kyle Rodda joined The Business to discuss the path investors are treading between oil shocks and AI stocks.

The Albanese government is paying an economic and political toll for an ongoing and deeply unpopular war.  

Danielle Francis from the Water Services Association explains how water utilities are responding to the increasing requests from data centres for water. 

Oil fell today, but the local share market went up a little. While global sharemarkets fell, led by Wall Street ahead of the debut of SpaceX on Friday.

Rabobank's global strategist Michael Every has dubbed the latest clash between the US and Iran a "PeaceFire" and says there's a real possibility of no binding deal until the US midterm elections in November.

The Middle East war and the oil supply squeeze have supercharged the shift in businesses away from diesel towards renewable energy.  

This year's ACT budget reveals rates will increase for most Canberra home owners, along with the territory's deficit, but the controversial health levy introduced last year will be ditched.

Supermarket giant Woolworths will begin consultations with potentially affected staff today after announcing plans to shift some operations offshore.

The federal, Tasmanian and South Australian governments have contributed to a new funding package for Nyrstar's Hobart and Port Pirie smelters, including money for feasibility studies into modernising and expanding their operations.

Editor's note: Two graphics in this report (on Bitcoin versus gold and dwelling completions) contain errors in their y-axis.

A report into Australia's construction sector has singled out market volatility as the biggest constraint to lifting building completions. A lead researcher, RMIT's Ehsan Gharaie, joined The Business to discuss the key findings.

NAB director of SMSF and investor behaviour, Gemma Dale joined The Business to discuss what is known about Open AI's lodgement of paperwork for an IPO.

Australians felt a greater sense of satisfaction during the pandemic than when restrictions were fully lifted, ABS data has shown. 

A cybersecurity company with financial red flags received a $15m state contract in the dying days of the Miles government.

Australians felt a greater sense of satisfaction during the COVID-19 pandemic than they do today, according to government data, when households are grappling with the impact of inflation, rising interest rates and a reduction in real wages.