Business & Finance
Two major wind farms and new transmission works started construction in South Australia on October 9, 2026, underpinning billions in regional investment, hundreds of construction jobs and long term supply contracts with miners as the state pushes toward near 100 percent renewables.
Australia’s central bank and financial markets are contending with a fresh inflation impulse from rapid adoption of artificial intelligence, a development economists say makes further Reserve Bank rate rises plausible despite recent tightening and a cooling housing market.
A Federal Court judgment published on October 5, 2026 sharply criticised the culture inside ANZ’s global markets division while upholding parts of the bank’s case against former trader Etienne Alexiou, and ordered ANZ to calculate compensation for withheld deferred equity. The ruling deepens reputational and regulatory pressure on one of Australia’s biggest banks ahead of an investor strategy update.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers travels to Tokyo on October 4, 2026 to lead the inaugural Australia Japan Finance Ministerial Dialogue, targeting Japanese capital for Australian AI, renewable energy and critical minerals projects while showcasing the country’s superannuation pools.
Warren Buffett has stepped down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway at 96, with his son Howard Buffett taking the role as the $1.1 trillion conglomerate enters a new era of leadership.