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It's been a rocky year so far for Australian companies with increasing pressure from inflation, high interest rates and the outlook for a slowing economy. But this week, we'll get a range of updates from some big corporate names .. and a snapshot of how consumers are faring.

Global markets have tumbled on growing fears about a rapid economic slowdown in the United States. The heavy selling came despite an interest rate cut from the Bank of England overnight .. and signs the US Federal Reserve will begin cutting rates in September.

Westpac and Commonwealth Bank are predicting the Reserve Bank might cut interest rate in November as underlying inflation continties to slow. Rates look like coming down globally after US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell signalled a rate cut for September. Also, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority says consumer gripes surged 9pc to 105,000 in 2023/2024. Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Bu...

Most people know the frustration dealing with banks and insurances companies when they have a gripe about their treatment. A new report from the Australian Financial Complaint Authority will ring a few bells because it shows financial complaints rise by 9 percent to 105,000 in the last financial year. The biggest gripes are about the way banks and insurance companies deal with customers, highlight...

The Federal Government has refused to rule out providing an financial lifeline to Rex Airlines which fell into administration overnight. W hile Rex's regional services look like surviving, more than 600 jobs could be in jeopardy. The airline's capital city routes - where it tried and failed to compete with Qantas - have been axed. Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent Featured: Marcu...

The federal government is under pressure to take an equity stake in Rex Airlines which fell into voluntary administration overnight. The collapse of the regional carrier comes after it tried and failed to take on Qantas and Virgin on major capital city routes. Rex's collapse could mean as many as 850 workers will be made redundant.

The federal government is under pressure to take an equity stake in Rex Airlines which fell into voluntary administration overnight. The collapse of the regional carrier comes after it tried and failed to challenge Qantas on major capital city routes. Rex's collapse could mean as many as 850 workers will be made redundant. Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent Featured: Michael Kaine...

Regional carrier Rex Airlines is on the brink of collapse after a failed bid to challenge Qantas and Virgin on major Australian routes. Also I speak with Australian Foundation Investment Company (AFIC) and tomorrow's quarterly inflation update and rate rise fears.

Regional carrier Rex Airlines is on the brink of collapse after a failed bid to challenge Qantas on major Australian routes. The possibility that Rex will go into voluntary adminstration puts 2,000 jobs in jeopardy and follows the demise of the discount airline Bonza earlier this year. Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent Featured: Roger Montgomery, fund manager; Michael Kaine, Tran...

Financial services giant AMP says few younger Australians are tapping parents for a loan from the "bank of mum and dad". A survey of 2,000 people also found that retirees or people approaching retirement would like to help their kids but are anxious their own nest eggs might run out. Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent Featured: Ben Hillier, head of retirement, AMP

A major economic forecaster is warning that another interest rate rise would wipe out wage rises and stage three tax cuts that have provided some support to struggling households. Deloiitte Access Economics says next month's Reserve Bank board meeting next month is "make or break" and that a rate rise could risk a recession. Also, business payments platform Xero says sales growth has declined for...

There are fresh warnings that the worst impacts of last Friday's global cyber outage are just starting to hit. While the cyber security company Crowdstrike has taken responsibility for briefly taking much of the world offline .. criminal hackers are busy exploiting the uncertainty created by the outage trying to con unsuspecting businesses and consumers. Also, corporate regulator ASIC charges four...

Include the family home in the aged pension assets test for homes valued over $2.1m, make downsizers exempt from stamp duty. Actuaries Institute report recommends urgent change as way to free up housing supply and encourage retirees to downsize. I speak with report author and Deloitte partner Andrew Boal.

Australian employment jumped well beyond expectations in June, yet the jobless rate still ticked higher as more people went looking for work, a mixed report that leaves open the question of whether interest rates need to rise further.

What's behind the 700 job cuts at Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group? by Peter Ryan

US$500 billion wiped of microchip stocks on fears of US-China trade war by Peter Ryan

The International Monetary Fund warns stubbon inflation, especially in the services sector, means interest rates might need to stay higher for longer. Also the IMF singles out rising protectionism means global reforms such as the transition to renewables could be delayed.

Australia's major banks have been accused of using complex backdoor funding techniques to fund fossil fuel companies as a way of getting around climate change commitments. Environmental investor group Market Forces claims bank efforts to get around the Paris Agreement eight years ago amount to "greenwashing". Also US gun and ammunition stocks after Trump assassination attempt. Response from ANZ to...

Australia's major banks have been accused of using backdoor funding techniques to fund fossil fuel companies as a way of getting around climate change commitments. Environmental investor group Market Forces claims bank efforts to get around the Paris Agreement eight years ago amount to "greenwashing". Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent Featured: Kyle Robertson, banks analyst, Mark...

Donald Trump assassination attempt: little fallout expected on financial markets. But AMP chief economist Shane Oliver says it adds to uncertainty and concerns about stability in the US. Warns on bigger worries about Trump's economic policies - if elected in November. Also, corporate regulator ASIC outs some major banks for overcharging vulnerable customers.

The pay for CEOs at Australia's top companies has fallen slightly, with a survey showing the median CEO pay packet has marginally dipped - to just under four million dollars a year. But the Australian Council of Superannuation Investors (ACSI) says most top ranking bosses will struggle by thanks to eyewatering bonuses. Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent Featured: Ed John, executiv...

The shipping crisis in the Red Sea from continuing attacks by Houthi militants is likely to stoke global inflation pressures and risk another Reserve Bank interest rate rise. Economist Chris Richardson says there are also global jitters about Donald Trump's possible election as US president and a ramped-up trade war with China.

The case for cutting official interest rates in the United States is gaining momentum - but "just yet". That's the message from the chairman of the US Federal Reserve Jerome Powell who's hosing down rate cut speculation despite signs that inflation is continuing to moderate. Also, US weather forecasters Accuweather has put a number of the full cost of Hurricane Beryl of between US$28-32 billion fo...

Former ASIC chair James Shipton has backed the findings of a scathing senate report into the corporate regulator which he's decribed as flawed and in need of reform. A senate economics committee report has urged an overhaul of ASIC and wants it broken up into two agencies claiming pressures on the regulator have facilitated white collar crime. Reporter: Peter Ryan, Senior Business Correspondent Fe...

The chance of an interest rate rise as early as next month remains a risk after the Reserve Bank board warned that any inflation spike could require urgent action to bring it down. The alarm is contained in the minutes from the RBA's most recent board meeting which was held a fortnight ago before inflation unexpectedly jumped in the May monthly reading revealed last week.