Corporate news, markets, and the economy
Oil prices have surged to four-year highs as Iran effectively closes a critical shipping lane. Australia faces fuel shortages at service stations and warnings of wider economic disruption.
Mitchell Tan 
Adobe will pay $75 million to the US Department of Justice and provide $75 million in free services to resolve allegations that it deliberately made subscriptions difficult to cancel and hid substantial termination fees.
Victoria Crawford 
The Performing Right Society claims Steam's distribution of games with music from its members requires a separate licence. The dispute highlights how digital rights frameworks are struggling to keep pace with technology.
Tom Whitfield 
Qantas and other major carriers are raising fares and fuel surcharges as the Iran crisis disrupts global oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, threatening to make summer travel far more expensive for Australian families.
Jake Nguyen 
Rivian has unveiled pricing and full specifications for its R2 electric SUV, revealing a calculated strategy to launch with expensive models first while deferring the promised $45,000 base model until late 2027. The move highlights the fiscal pressures facing the EV startup as it races toward profitability.
Mitchell Tan 
NBCUniversal is deploying an AI-generated version of Andy Cohen to guide viewers through Peacock's Bravo content this summer. The move reflects broader industry pressure to turn streaming services into daily habits rather than passive consumption.
Kate Morrison 
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on track for one of 2026's biggest theatrical launches, with box office analysts projecting a $160 million five-day opening as Nintendo expands its film empire.
Sophia Vargas 
Major copper foil supplier Mitsui Kinzoku has raised prices by 12%, joining other suppliers in passing along soaring commodity costs. The moves threaten entry-level PC markets and signal structural shifts in global supply chains.
Daniel Kovac 
Uber and Motional have begun commercial robotaxi operations in Las Vegas, marking a major step in the ride-hailing giant's strategy to integrate autonomous vehicles into its platform at scale.
Mitchell Tan 
Apple TV claimed viewership success for its first Formula 1 broadcast, surpassing ESPN's prior year numbers. However, the company's refusal to release specific data leaves scepticism about the actual size of its audience.
Sophia Vargas 
The Reserve Bank is poised to raise the cash rate to 4.10% on March 17, adding roughly $90 per month to a typical $600,000 mortgage. But economists disagree on whether the hike is necessary.
Andrew Marsh 
Apple has reduced its App Store commission rates in China from 30% to 25%, following pressure from Chinese regulators considering a formal investigation into the company's fees.
Darren Ong 
Qantas has agreed to a $105 million settlement with hundreds of thousands of customers who claim the airline wrongfully issued flight credits instead of refunds for cancelled COVID-era flights.
Meg Hadley Australians earn 3.4% more but inflation at 3.8% means real wages are down. With another RBA rate hike likely in May, mortgage stress is about to spread.
Andrew Marsh Australia's jobs market is booming with record employment, but new data reveals wage growth is falling behind inflation, squeezing household finances even as unemployment stays low.
Andrew Marsh 
Adobe announced Shantanu Narayen will step down as CEO once a successor is found, ending an 18-year tenure that reshaped the company from boxed software to a $26 billion subscription powerhouse.
Darren Ong 
Meta is testing clickable links in Instagram post captions, but only for paid subscribers. The move highlights a deeper strategy: turning fundamental creator tools into revenue streams.
Darren Ong Australians face a perfect storm of rising fuel and power costs as government energy subsidies expire and Middle East tensions push oil past $100 a barrel.
Andrew Marsh 
Oil prices have surged past $US100 per barrel for the first time since 2022 as the ongoing Iran conflict threatens global energy supplies, sending equity markets into decline worldwide including Australia's ASX.
Sophia Vargas 
Microsoft's head of Experiences and Devices is retiring after 35 years, triggering a significant reorganisation that eliminates a management layer between product leaders and the chief executive.
Sarah Cheng