The Paris Games have come around at just the right time, providing welcome relief from a relentless news cycle — but also with a touch of drama and controversy.
John McDuling
Editor-in-chief
John McDuling is the editor-in-chief of Capital Brief. He was previously the national business editor at the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age and has also worked for the Financial Review and US publication Quartz.
Contact John via email.
Australian markets have matched their US counterparts in reaching record highs — even though the factors behind Wall Street's remarkable rally don't apply here.
President Biden's press conference will do little to assuage concerns about his ability to take on Donald Trump — or that there are deep problems within the US political system.
Rather than just producing the news, Australia's legacy media companies can't seem to stop making headlines about their own troubles.
The Nasdaq hit a record high, Nvidia's market cap crossed US$3 trillion, and in Australia CBA also touched a fresh record. Yet even as scepticism grows, there are few signs the equities bull run is under threat.
Bill Ackman's sale of a 10% stake in his funds management business Pershing Square for a whopping price continues his stellar run — but can it last?
While the world's attention was focused on the conviction of Donald Trump, another New Yorker pushed forward with what will be one of the most closely watched IPO's in Australia for years.
It was the hedge fund to watch in Australian finance circles. But like many managers before it, VGI Partners' enviable growth would eventually lead to its fall.
As debate continues over whether private credit is a bubble destined to burst, JPMorgan and ASX-listed HMC Capital are betting that the boom is just getting started.
News Corp's mega-deal with OpenAI is a watershed moment for the media giant, but the long-term benefits and risks for the company and the wider news industry remain unclear.
Prime ministers don't do long-form interviews very often anymore. Which is why Anthony Albanese's first interview with Capital Brief was so illuminating.
Some of Australia's biggest companies put on TV-worthy performances as they fronted investors at this week's Macquarie Australia Conference.
Perpetual's management team were interrogated by analysts today over their $2.2 billion deal with private equity firm KKR.
Revelations by Capital Brief that the government distributed a secret manual to avoid Senate questions add to the political and economic headaches facing the government.
The big Australian is going after the London listed diversified miner Anglo American in what would be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, corporate deal in its 139 year history.
A major expansion of Qantas' frequent flyer program helps put the airline's reputation en route to recovery.
Canva's milestone moment and more on what's happening in the new Australian economy.
The strength of the performance of equity markets this year has surprised many. Some of the exuberance may be justified, but you don't have to look far to find irrational behaviour.
A feud between Hostplus and Sydney startup Employment Hero displays the growing power of Australia's mega super funds.
Today the ASX hit a record high, following Wall Street's lead as AI hype continues to boost markets. There was less good news for some of the local market's biggest news publishers.
The key to success this reporting season seems to be cutting costs effectively.
The corporate dealmaking community was hoping for a better year after a difficult 2023. An early M&A flurry suggests that optimism may not be misplaced.
Two Australian tech companies, and two wildly different stories, have lessons for us all. Including for Capital Brief.
The deal represents one of the largest all cash cross-border transactions in ASX history.
Amid growing warnings of American decline and pessimism about this year's presidential election, the Super Bowl is a reminder that the US is still an economic and cultural powerhouse.
The media industry is among the first to face a real threat from the generative AI boom. News Corp and The New York Times are taking very different approaches to the problem.
Equity markets are flying globally, but is the exuberance justified?
If death and taxes are the only two certainties in life, then broken promises in politics surely runs a close third.
Debate about the performance of private companies is healthy and a sign of maturity. But it relies on access to data.
The nation's biggest supermarket chains are an easy target for those seeking to score political points during the depths of summer.
A battle between the titans of media and AI over copyright could have a significant impact on the future of both sectors.
As the year comes to a close, our editor in chief reflects on what it's been like to launch Capital Brief — and what lies ahead in 2024.
The retail giant's patient, long-term approach and 100-year vision will be tested when it lands on the ASX via an $8.8 billion reverse merger with Sigma Pharmaceuticals.
Nvidia's soaring success this year shows the potential — and profitability — of deep tech. Can Australia take advantage?
The abrupt removal — and possible return — of the OpenAI CEO leaves more questions than answers. But one thing seems clear: Microsoft has more at stake from it than anyone else.
There is a deeper philosophical question to ask about Optus that goes beyond the future of Kelly Bayer Rosmarin.
Generative AI is expected to become a trillion-dollar industry, and the media industry and other content creators are determined to get their share.
Richard Goyder and Hamish McLennan, members of Australia's cosy directors club, are both facing backlash from their failure to read the room.
AustralianSuper's decision not to back Brookfield's sweetened takeover offer for Origin Energy is bad news for the Canadian asset manager, the M&A community and investment banker bonuses.
