December 10, 2024

Dr Shane Oliver, Head of Investment Strategy & Chief Economist at AMP, discusses living standards. Key points Falling real wages and a surge in tax and interest payments have led to a slump in Australian living standards. But a broader driver of the malaise in living standards has been a slump in productivity growth from […]

US stocks have closed lower, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down for the fourth consecutive session. The Dow shed 154.10 points, or 0.35%, to close at 44,247.83. The S&P 500 dropped 0.3% to 6,034.91, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.25% to 19,687.24. Tech stocks were in focus, with Oracle tumbling 6.7% after its quarterly

China’s Communist Party has shifted its monetary policy stance to “moderately loose” from “prudent” for the first time since 2009. The announcement, made by the Politburo on Monday, comes as part of a broader effort to bolster China’s slowing economy and address mounting deflationary pressures. The shift was revealed ahead of the upcoming Central Economic

BrainChip Holdings (ASX:BRN) has been awarded a US$1.8m contract with the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop neuromorphic radar signal processing algorithms. The deal is part of the Small Business Innovation Research program. The total contract amount will be paid over the 12-month term of the agreement. The tech BrainChip specialises in the

Financial services company Perpetual (ASX:PPT) has provided an update on its proposed scheme of arrangement with global investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co (KKR), revealing that tax complications could reduce shareholder cash proceeds and increase the Perpetual’s potential tax liability to between $493m and $529m. This includes a possible $488m primary tax liability. The

Develop Global (ASX:DVP) has completed the documentation for a loan facility of approximately A$100m with Trafigura, supporting the restart of its flagship Woodlawn copper-zinc mine in New South Wales. The facility, which includes a five-year offtake agreement, will fund the recommissioning of the mine and accelerate its return to production. Trafigura Group Pte Ltd, headquartered

Visioneering Technologies (ASX:VTI) has announced plans to delist from the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX), with a vote on the proposal scheduled for a special meeting of stockholders on 10 January 2025. The company’s board believes the delisting is in the best interests of the company and its securityholders, citing challenges related to liquidity, valuation, and

Integral Diagnostics (ASX:IDX), which operates diagnostic imaging services in Australia and New Zealand, has secured clearance from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for its proposed acquisition of Capitol Health (ASX:CAJ), subject to the divestment of a key clinic in Melton, Victoria. Capitol Health, headquartered in Melbourne, operates diagnostic imaging services across Victoria, Tasmania, South

Immutep (ASX:IMM) has announced the initiation of its TACTI-004 Phase III clinical trial, which aims to evaluate the efficacy of its lead immunotherapy candidate, eftilagimod alfa (“efti”), in treating first-line metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Efti will be used in combination with Merck’s Keytruda (pembrolizumab) and chemotherapy. This will be compared to the standard treatment of

Dr Shane Oliver, Head of Investment Strategy & Chief Economist at AMP, discusses the cash rate. Key points: At its December meeting the RBA left the cash rate on hold at 4.35% as widely expected, leaving it unchanged for 13 months now. The RBA’s rates guidance pivoted to be more dovish though. It continues to