This Month
‘Darn sensible’ Labor states outcompete Victoria, says top Liberal
Shadow treasurer Brad Rowswell has been in Britain looking at how the state might get in on the AUKUS action, and ruing the salesmanship of rivals NSW and SA.
- Hans van Leeuwen
November
Blackstone, CPPIB close to securing FIRB nod for $24b AirTrunk deal
The Foreign Investment Review Board’s application is understood to be the last remaining item on the buyers’ to-do list, with client and Asian approvals already squared off.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
China’s enthusiasm for Australian housing cools
Home buyers from China are being squeezed between a slowing economy and high prices for Australian residential real estate.
- Nick Lenaghan
Global Lithium delays AGM over foreign influence fears
Minority shareholder Leon Zhu denies his push to join the board is a “Chinese-led conspiracy” as the WA Supreme Court gives the FIRB almost 3 months to probe claims.
- Mark Wembridge
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
How a year-long wait worsens the housing crisis
A near 12-month wait for a Thai property developer for approvals to buy housing estates could deter other foreign developers, warns adviser Joseph Gersh.
- John Kehoe
Global Lithium alleges Chinese investor wants to seize control
The Chris Ellison-backed explorer is trying to call off its annual meeting, and has appealed to FIRB. It says a minority shareholder is trying to take over.
- Mark Wembridge and Peter Ker
Foreign investment approvals speeding up
Nearly half of applications considered under Australia’s approval rules for overseas capital were processed within 30 days, Treasury data shows.
- Tom McIlroy
October
Local investors roped into British PM Starmer’s pitch to big business
Macquarie and IFM Investors highlighted their UK ambitions, as the new Labour government fought back against perceptions it is hostile to business.
- Hans van Leeuwen
Japan’s window to buy Australian home builders closing
There’s a transformation taking place in Australia’s home-building sector as Japan’s largest property companies expand. But there’s a time limit on it.
- Michael Bleby
- Updated
- Aviation
Qatar Airways to buy 25pc of Virgin Australia, funding big expansion
The deal with Bain Capital will allow the Gulf carrier to effectively bypass government approvals for more flights, creating a formidable rival for Qantas.
- Updated
- Ayesha de Kretser
What do we know about Qatar Airways?
The acquisitive operator started only two decades ago, and now flies to more countries than almost any other. But it has had its fair share of controversies.
- Ayesha de Kretser
September
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
M&A lessons from big players in this year’s Australian deals
Mergers and acquisitions are all about time, value and regulatory risks in 2024. But dig below the surface and there are interesting lessons from key players in this year’s deals.
- Anthony Macdonald
Trump will hit clean energy and any nation linked with Asia
If Donald Trump wins the White House, investors should be prepared for a drop in climate change investments and worse US relations with the world, his former adviser says.
- Hannah Wootton
Mormons join $1.1b American push into ‘undervalued’ Aussie farmland
The Mormon Church has purchased a Queensland cropping aggregation for over $300 million, while a NASDAQ-listed company has acquired the Bell family’s NSW farming empire.
- Larry Schlesinger
July
High-end property boom sweeps southern Europe
As the Continent faces a housing-supply crunch, Americans have become a key prospective buyer base in many cities.
- Charlotte Hughes-Morgan
‘Spurious’ delays deterring foreign investors from Australia
A slew of regulatory setbacks has South Korean investors for the first time viewing Australia as a destination with ‘sovereign risk’ to investment returns.
- Michael Read and Elouise Fowler
- Opinion
- Chanticleer
Santos cage rattling makes value impossible to ignore
Gas deals are getting extra scrutiny, even those that have nothing to do with keeping the lights on for Australians.
- Anthony Macdonald
June
- Exclusive
- Aviation
Qatar in talks to take up to 20pc stake in Virgin
The transaction, if successful, would hand the Qatari carrier up to 20 per cent of the private equity-owned airline and comes amid a stalled ASX float process.
- Ayesha de Kretser, Anthony Macdonald and Myriam Robin
Czech coal baron’s bid for control of ASX miner collapses
Pavel Tykac’s family office, Sev.en, agreed to buy 51 per cent of Coronado, but the deal will not proceed after failing to get past FIRB in time.
- Updated
- Elouise Fowler
