The Edition

What was meant to be a pre-budget scene-setter for Anthony Albanese became a live response as Trump’s Iran remarks reignited oil fears and market nerves.

Anthropic’s Canberra roadshow was less about its AI model Claude than a far more important product: a close relationship with the Australian state.

The RBA has moved to kill surcharges and cut card fees, but its payments overhaul has kicked off a fresh fight over who ultimately wears the cost.

A rare outbreak of co-operation hit Canberra on Monday, as Anthony Albanese moved on fuel prices and supply ahead of the Easter long weekend.

Artificial intelligence, an oil crisis and political turmoil are colliding across markets and business. Some cashed-up investors see opportunity in the chaos.

More than a year after Capital Brief reported the plan, Westpac has begun moving 75,000 business customers from its sub-brands to the main bank.

With fuel shortages biting and inflation lingering, Jim Chalmers is trying to project calm as Labor faces a test of its economic credibility.

Australia’s trade deal with Europe lands amid tariff wars, defence worries and a broader warning that the global order is getting tougher.

Australia is confronting a deepening fuel shock as oil markets reel, panic buying spreads and governments weigh how far they may need to go.

As global turmoil collides with a chaotic information ecosystem, One Nation is emerging as the biggest political beneficiary, according to today’s Capital Brief/DemosAU poll.

A supply shock bigger than the Gulf War is hitting oil markets as the Middle East crisis continues, yet equities so far are reacting like it’s a routine wobble.

BHP’s new CEO wasn’t the obvious pick, but investors see Brandon Craig as a “safe pair of hands” to steer the miner from Pilbara iron ore towards copper and the Americas.

The RBA lifted rates as expected, but surging fuel costs and Middle East conflict are complicating the inflation fight and raising the stakes for Canberra.

Koala’s long-awaited ASX debut is notable not just for its timing, but for what it says about changing investor views on founders who have failed before.

AI anxiety is spreading through white-collar work as markets wobble, geopolitical risks rise and Australia debates how — or whether — to regulate big tech.

Atlassian is cutting 1,600 staff as it bets on AI, putting the spotlight on its unique and precarious exposure to the upheaval tearing through the software industry.

Anthropic is setting up shop in Sydney, turning months of quiet groundwork into a local office as Claude adoption climbs across Australia and New Zealand.

The fallout from the Iran conflict is rattling consumers and markets alike, putting fresh pressure on the Reserve Bank ahead of next week’s rate call.

The ASX slid sharply as oil prices jumped on fears of a widening conflict with Iran, leaving local investors guessing whether US President Donald Trump will hold firm or blink.

This week was a reminder that the artificial intelligence story is as much about power and leverage as it is about economics and finance.

Justice Michael Lee’s ruling in the Star carries a tough message for directors: stop complaining about information overload.

Jim Chalmers hoped a strong GDP print would dominate the day, but Iran conflict jitters rattled markets, pushed up oil and gold and revived rate hike fears.

As Australia sees early AI-linked redundancies, RBA governor Michele Bullock insists the bigger jobs impact is likely to unfold less dramatically.

Angus Taylor’s first question time as opposition leader was initially focused on national security. But it didn’t take long for the economy to rear its head.

In a week of AI anxiety, Block CEO Jack Dorsey announced cuts of almost half the workforce to chase its efficiency gains. The investor verdict so far: more, please.

AI loomed large over this earning season, as disruption fears smashed global software names but left Australia’s market looking oddly sheltered by its lack of exposure.

A gloomy AI memo went viral this week, briefly spooking markets. Whether true or not, two Australian tech stories today suggest the pressures it describes are real.

It would be easy to write off One Nation’s continuing surge in today’s Capital Brief/DemosAU poll as a protest spike. But Pauline Hanson has turned votes into seats before.

The ASX slipped after the US Supreme Court upended Trump’s tariff regime, with US-exposed Australian businesses warning uncertainty is worse than the duties themselves.

Eucalyptus’ $1.6 billion sale to Hims & Hers is a massive win for the company and Australian VC. But it’s another example of a homegrown startup story cashing out offshore.

While AI factory builder Firmus steals the headlines at home, local investors woke this morning to find rival upstart Sharon AI trading on the Nasdaq.

The big banks are riding a strong earnings run and a market high. But with valuations stretched, how long can the buzz last?

Firmus is speeding towards the ASX with its AI infrastructure pitch, but market nerves are jangling over governance and its shifting strategy.

In his first big speech as leader, Angus Taylor channelled John Howard on free markets and strong borders. But economic tensions are bubbling in his ranks.

In 2023, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor told Capital Brief he wasn’t necessarily chasing the top job. Now he‘s got it — and has to come up with a unifying agenda for a shattered party.

Angus Taylor’s move on the Liberal leadership is landing after weeks of chaos, leaving the Coalition looking smaller by the day as Labor watches delighted.

CBA boss Matt Comyn isn’t buying the AI doomsaying, arguing the tech is more likely to lift jobs and productivity than gut Australia’s white-collar sector.

The Australian investment titan has admitted it is exposed to two of the biggest forces shaping markets at the moment — AI and private credit. Just not in the way you might expect.

AI dominated the Super Bowl as rivals traded shots. Behind the scenes, a Sydneysider is helping push OpenAI and Anthropic towards unified agentic AI standards.