Today
- Updated
- Retail
Freight collapse leaves Nick Scali furniture stranded, profits at risk
The failure of Lion Global Forwarding meant 200 containers were stuck at port, with the retailer warning for the second time in a month of an earnings hit.
- 1 hr ago
- Carrie LaFrenz
Former publisher Jimmy Lai testifies in HK national security trial
The founder of the now shut down Apple Daily pro-democracy newspaper was arrested in 2020 during a crackdown on mass protests that rocked Hong Kong.
- Kanis Leung
Chinese vessel spotted where Baltic Sea cables were severed
A Chinese-registered vessel on its way from the Russian port of Ust-Luga to Port Said in Egypt passed close to both the cables around the time each was cut.
- Richard Milne and Oliver Telling
Yesterday
- Opinion
- The AFR View
China should practise what it preaches on free trade
The best way Beijing can persuade the US it is playing fair is to open up its domestic market so America can share in its success.
- The AFR View
- Updated
- Hong Kong protests
Wong blasts Beijing over Hong Kong protest sentences
Australian Gordon Ng was among 45 dissidents who Hong Kong’s High Court on Tuesday sentenced to jail terms of up to 10 years.
- Updated
- Andrew Tillett, James Pomfret and Jessie Pang
Albanese lays out his red line after Xi demands more access for China
Xi Jinping has rekindled a key demand that Australia provide greater foreign investment access to Chinese interests in return for increased trade.
- Updated
- Phillip Coorey
- Opinion
- Trump's White House
Trump’s foreign enemies are about to get a significant boost
The president-elect is threatening to gut the institutions that make America great, which can only benefit Russia and China.
- Gideon Rachman
This Month
Goldman reveals the best commodities to buy for 2025
The broker is among a growing chorus of banks tipping iron ore to remain below $US100 a tonne next year. Meanwhile, copper and gold are poised to rally.
- Updated
- Alex Gluyas
Why even Toyota is falling behind in the EV race
Japan’s automotive giants are racing to develop solid-state batteries and forge foreign alliances to regain the edge in global sales as electric vehicle leaders BYD and Tesla take over.
- Jessica Sier
- Exclusive
- Venture capital
New $1b VC fund will back Aussie start-ups with Chinese money
A Melbourne-based fund manager for Chinese money is set to close the first part of a targeted $1 billion to back Australian start-ups that could expand into China.
- Jessica Sier
Albemarle says West cannot end reliance on China in critical minerals
CEO Kent Masters says “returns are not there” to pivot lithium supply, crucial for the EV industry, to the West because of low prices and high operating costs.
- Amanda Chu
Biden, Xi deliver messages seemingly intended for Trump
The US president seems to try to make the case for maintaining a relationship with Beijing, as Trump talks about imposing more punishing tariffs on China.
- Zolan Kanno-Youngs
China’s $2b Peru port faces obstacles from the Andes to the Amazon
While Chancay may rekindle an old dream of integrating South America’s Atlantic and Pacific coasts, there is no effective way to make it happen.
- Dayanne Sousa and Rachel Gamarski
- Opinion
- Trade wars
How Australia and Japan can keep global trade going
Middle powers can’t do much unilaterally but are large enough to mobilise coalitions for change to keep the world economy open and save the multilateral trading system.
- Shiro Armstrong
- Opinion
- Trump's White House
Why Trump could lose the looming trade war
With inflation-weary Americans desperately seeking some relief, the next White House might not have the leverage it expects in tariff negotiations.
- Jonathan Levin
- Opinion
- Lithium
Liontown survived the lithium carnage, but can it handle Donald Trump?
After taking a wild ride in lithium over the past year, Liontown Resources thinks it can also adapt to whatever the Trump administration produces.
- Jennifer Hewett
Cettire suffers from soft trade in luxury goods
CEO Dean Mintz says more of the online luxury platform’s margin has been passed on to consumers in hefty promotions.
- Carrie LaFrenz
When things went wrong for the cafe baron and the Chinese shoe king
The Federal Court has ordered that Faddy Zouky’s assets be frozen until he pays back nearly $9.6 million after a business deal turned sour.
- Updated
- Max Mason
The uni degree that set this household name on her career path
Journalist Cheng Lei is among the University of Queensland’s notable alumni. A degree in commerce was not her first choice, but she has zero regrets.
- Julie Hare
Prabowo pledges co-operation with Trump
Washington sees Indonesia, the most populous country in South-East Asia, as an important partner in a region where its rival Beijing has deep trade and investment ties.
- Stanley Widianto and Jeff Mason