This Month
IMF warns Australia; Rich Lister charged; Families sell $180m hotel
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
I’ve seen Amazon’s drone delivery future. The public may hate it
A visit to the e-commerce giant’s overhauled delivery program in Arizona left me impressed but sceptical that the public will welcome the flying machines.
- Kevin Roose
‘Libel warfare’: ABC payout to Trump sends chill across US media
There are now fears that Trump, who has threatened libel lawsuits against news media for decades, could use presidential power to muzzle the press.
- Anna Nicolaou, Christopher Grimes and James Politi
Stuck for gift ideas? Here are 56 popular items this Christmas
Australian shoppers are spending with surprising gusto on gadgets, appliances, fashionable drink bottles, cosmetics gift sets and cult skincare products.
- Simon Evans and Carrie LaFrenz
Amazon to donate $1.6m to Trump fund as big tech curries favour
The move by Amazon owner Jeff Bezos follows Meta’s donation of the same amount to the fund this week.
- Karen Weise and Maggie Haberman
- Exclusive
- Retail
The Kmart wizard who wants to take Anko to the world
The discount store’s own brand was founded in 2019 and now sells more than a billion items every year. Ian Bailey is about to take it global.
- Carrie LaFrenz
Victoria’s asset sale; MinRes’ gag request; Wesfarmers’ rates alert
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Amazon’s Temu copycat to fuel mindless Australian consumerism
The e-tailing giant’s “Haul” shopfront – an answer to cheap marketplaces that’s now on a US trial – is feeding a growing subculture of over-shopping.
- Vanessa Friedman
Amazon is quietly turning into a major rival for Coles and Woolworths
Goldman Sachs estimates it is now the second-largest online retailer in Australia, but sales are still a fraction of the big supermarkets. Will that change?
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
Labor targets Meta, Apple, Amazon and Google with tough new rules
Global tech giants face tough new rules and hefty fines as the government moves to stop digital giants unfairly pushing their own products onto consumers.
- Tom McIlroy and Michael Read
November
Start-up stars: what’s happened to tech’s Class of 2021
VC firms that wrote huge cheques on very generous valuations in 2021 are now nervously watching Australia’s most heavily backed start-ups. How are they going now?
- Tess Bennett
Amazon invests an additional $6.2b in AI firm Anthropic
The funding deal includes provisions that the company will use Amazon Web Services data centres for some of its computing needs, as well as AWS-designed AI chips.
- Matt Day
- Updated
- Supermarket wars
Coles says focusing only on low prices sent customers away
Appearing at a competition inquiry, chief executive Leah Weckert says experience has shown shoppers want more than just cheap products.
- Updated
- Carrie LaFrenz
How these top female Amazon execs are conquering Australia
Women are running three of company’s big growth areas in Australia – the retail juggernaut’s turnover is estimated to reach $6.5 billion this year.
- Sally Patten
‘Anti-woke’ companies set to boom under Trump
Some in the president’s inner circle invest in the “parallel economy” of companies financing gun sales and a right-wing alternative to YouTube.
- Hannah Murphy, Stephen Gandel and Patrick Temple-West
Amazon CEO denies full in-office mandate is ‘backdoor lay-off’
The controversial plan mandating workers come to Amazon offices every day starting next year, up from three days now, has caused consternation among employees.
- Greg Bensinger
Return to office order is ‘dismissing our humanity’, say Amazon staff
Andy Jassy, Amazon’s chief executive, has said all the company’s white-collar staff would be expected at their desks from January 2.
- Matthew Field
The top five billionaire tech bros who are on the Trump train
From fawning phone calls to huge donations, here’s how the historically progressive bosses of Tesla, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Meta and OpenAI are preparing.
- Amelia McGuire
- Analysis
- The Breakdown
Why Amazon was the big tech AI winner this earnings season
Alphabet, Meta, Apple and Microsoft were sold off after their artificial intelligence-laden results calls, but the online retailer had a better story to tell.
- Paul Smith
October
Ebay struggle’s to stay relevant
It’s become just another online marketplace, as the auctions that once added to the thrill of the chase now make up a small fraction of transactions.
- Ben East