3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 8:40pmMarket snapshot
ASX 200 futures: +0.4% to 8,858 points
Australian dollar: +1.1% to 70.9 US cents
Dow Jones: +0.01% to 50,119 points
S&P 500: +0.5% to 6,964 points
Nasdaq: +0.9% to 23,235 points
FTSE: +0.2% to 10,386 points
EuroStoxx: +0.7% to 621 points
Spot gold: +2.3% to $US5,077/ounce
Brent crude: +1.2% to $US68.91/barrel
Iron ore: +0.5% to $US100.110/tonne
Bitcoin: +0.5% to $US70,638
Prices current around 7:45am AEDT.
Live updates on the major ASX indices:
Just nowMon 9 Feb 2026 at 11:59pm
What are the 40 jobs most vulnerable to AI replacement?
In Ian’s article, he noted a piece of research done by Microsoft about the jobs most likely to be done over by AI.
Here’s the list.
Table of 40 jobs vulnerable to replacement by AI (Microsoft Research: ‘Working with AI: Measuring the Applicability of Generative AI to Occupation’)
As the abstract of the research notes, it analysed the work activities people do with AI, “how successfully and broadly those activities are done, and combine that with data on what occupations do those activities”.
So it took 200,000 anonymised conversations between users and Microsoft’s AI agent Microsoft Bing Copilot. (This is a publicly available generative AI system people can use online).
The most common work activities that people are seeking AI help for “involve gathering information and writing”, while the most common activities that AI itself is performing are “providing information and assistance, writing, teaching, and advising”.
The research took those classifications, mixed in how successful it was at them and then calculated an “AI applicability score” for different occupations.
12m agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 11:47pm
AI powering more than just change
Great read from Ian Verrender about the chaos unleashed as questions fly around about the valuation of AI-powered stocks.
“In a world increasingly concerned about bloated stock market valuations, investors have now begun to question whether they’ll ever see a return on the stupendous amount of cash that’s being thrown at AI.”
And then there’s the unwinding of Bitcoin to contend with too.
Australian-based superannuation funds have bet big on AI.
In some parts, this gamble is beginning to unravel.
As ever, a great read: follow this link to learn more.
23m agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 11:35pm
Timber sector uncertainty threatens region
What happens when things change?
My colleague Madeleine Stuchbery has a fascinating read about timber town Swifts Creek in Victoria’s East Gippsland (near the High Country that hosts ski resorts like Mt Hotham and Falls Creek).
The long-mooted closure of the timber mill is forcing the town, and the area, to reassess what its future looks like.
There’s no shortage of ideas, and there seems to be government support for proposals (off the back of a state government decision to wind back native logging – so a direct market intervention with substantial consequences).
I grew up in beautiful East Gippsland so perhaps I’m more connected to the issue than most, but this is a detailed look pertinent to a lot of communities that are having change wrought upon them.
Great bakery in Swifts Creek too.
47m agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 11:12pm
Good note
Sorry Daniel , it’s the Australian ENERGY Regulator not Economic Regulator.
– Phillip
Yes! Thanks for the pick-up, Phillip.
We don’t, as far as I’m aware, have an Australian Economic Regulator, although I’m sure you have opinions about who or what might have that title as a proxy…
53m agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 11:05pm
ASX 200 up in early trade
As the starter’s gun goes off, the flagship ASX 200 is up 44 points or +0.5% to 8,913.60 points.
The index tracks the value of the 200 largest companies in the nation.
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 10:58pm
Kmart dragged to court over slavery concerns
Mega-retailer Kmart is facing a legal challenge filed by Australian Uyghurs that will be heard in the Federal Court of Australia today.
The Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association (AUTWA) is seeking documents to determine whether Kmart engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct related to the use of Uyghur forced labour by some of its clothing suppliers.
This is a long-running issue about slavery (in this case, potentially state-sponsored forced labour).
In August, AUTWA filed an application in the Federal Court to compel Kmart to produce documents demonstrating what it knows about two of its suppliers’ links to the Xinjiang Autonomous Uyghur Region of China.
A media release says the challenge was launched after Kmart’s repeated refusals to give AUTWA the information it had requested.
Here’s Ramila Chanisheff, the President of the Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association:
“This legal challenge is important for the Uyghur community. We’re demanding answers from Kmart so we know whether its actions live up to its words about addressing forced labour risks in its supply chain,” she says.
“Kmart and all companies must ensure they are not profiting from Uyghur forced labour in China. China’s mass imprisonment, repression and forced labour of Uyghur people is well-documented.Our community has lost family members, friends and loved ones because of China’s harsh treatment of Uyghur people.
“Kmart is a go-to store for Australians. If the company has profited in any way from this sort of systematic repression, I am sure Australians would be horrified.”
Maurice Blackburn principal lawyer Jennifer Kanis says the hearing is the first of its kind and is seeking to bring accountability to Australian retailers about the risk of forced labour by Uyghur people in supply chains.
“Kmart tells customers that it supports ethical sourcing and the protection of human rights, but we know there are credible links between two of its suppliers and the use of Uyghur forced labour in Xinjiang,” she says.
“Kmart holds the information needed for AUTWA to determine whether Kmart engaged in misleading and deceptive conduct about the use of Uyghur forced labour. Over a period of more than 12 months, Kmart repeatedly refused to provide AUTWA with any of the requested documents.
“Kmart must be transparent about its potential links with Uyghur forced labour, and today AUTWA is asking the Court to compel Kmart to hand over information about what due diligence it has conducted on suppliers with links to the Uyghur region.
“This Federal Court action is an important step in making Kmart deliver on its promises when it comes to its ethical sourcing claims.”
Kmart has been contacted for comment.
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 10:51pm
Marinus Link approved by Australian Energy Regulator
Big pipe news!
The Australian Economic Regulator has approved the first stage of Marinus Link and a connected transmission line.
The Marinus Project includes an undersea power cable linking Tasmania and Victoria and 240 kilometres of new or upgraded powerlines and other energy infrastructure.
The ABC’s wonderful Tasmania state political reporter Lucy MacDonald has the report about the $3.7 billion plan to link Tasmania to Victoria.
The cost of the North West Transmission Developments (NWTD) project will be shouldered by Tasmanians, while Marinus Link will be split between Victorians and Tasmanians.
More at this link:
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 10:30pm
Oil up more than 1% after US urges caution for vessels near Iran
Shipping news, as the US advises vessels in Strait of Hormuz stay away from Iran.
Oil prices have settled more than 1% higher on Monday after the US Department of Transportation issued an advisory to US-flagged vessels to stay as far as possible from Iranian territory while passing through the Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman.
Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 settled up 99 cents, or 1.5%, at US$69.04 a barrel. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 rose 81 cents, or 1.3%, to settle at US$64.36.
The agency advised US-flagged ships to stay close to Oman while eastbound in the Strait of Hormuz.
The move renewed concerns that tensions between the US and Iran could lead to oil supply disruptions. About a fifth of the oil consumed globally passes through the Strait of Hormuz between Oman and Iran.
What’s going to happen? Here’s oil trading adviser Ritterbusch and Associates:
“This week’s crude trade, and possibly the rest of this month, will have little to do with oil fundamentals but much to do with injection and rejection of risk premium related to Iran.”
Iran makes threats
Iran’s foreign minister said on Saturday that the country would strike US bases in the Middle East if attacked by US forces, which have built up their naval presence in the region.
“Extremely difficult to judge how it is evolving,” UBS oil analyst Giovanni Staunovo said.
“Watching day by day, now looking for a date to be set for round two of the talks”.
Investors were also monitoring Western efforts to curb Russia’s income from oil exports that support its war in Ukraine. The European Commission has proposed a sweeping ban on any services that support Russia’s seaborne crude oil exports.
Refiners in India, once the biggest buyer of this crude, are avoiding purchases for delivery in April, sources said. If India fully stopped Russian purchases “this would be a sustained bullish development,” said Sparta oil market analysts.
Meanwhile in Kazakhstan, the giant Chevron-led CVX.N Tengiz oil field has recovered to around 60% of peak production and aims to reach full output by February 23, sources said.
US crude oil stockpiles likely rose last week while gasoline and distillate stocks are expected to have decreased, according to a preliminary Reuters poll of market analysts on Monday.
– Reuters
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 10:15pm
2,000+ people move into ‘Help to Buy’ properties
The Help to Buy scheme from the federal government is marking some success, claiming that in the two months since it launched the scheme has conditionally or fully approved more than 2,356 places.
A press release breaks that down to 278 households buying homes through the scheme and more than 2,078 preparing to buy.
It’s a scheme with some controversy.
Designed to reduce the upfront cost of a deposit to make home ownership more accessible it uses a shared equity model.
The government contributes up to 40% of the purchase price for new homes and up to 30% for existing homes, significantly lowering the amount buyers need to borrow and reducing the deposit required.
1h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 10:06pm
MacBank dishes more detail
OK, so a little more than vibe in the third-quarter update from Macquarie Bank.
Its global asset arm, Macquarie Asset Management had $736.1 billion in assets under management as at December 31.
Group capital surplus was $7.5 billion at the same date.
The contributions to net profit from the asset management arm are up “substantially”.
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 9:56pm
MacBank 3Q update says $$$$
Australia’s Macquarie Group said on Tuesday that its third-quarter profit contribution was higher than a year earlier across all business divisions.
The country’s top investment bank, which does not disclose profit figures in quarterly updates, added that trading conditions remained satisfactory in the third quarter of 2026.
So … “vibe” is good.
– With Eikon
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 9:45pm
WFH poll finds broad support for idea
After the enforced lockdowns of COVID in 2020 we’ve seen a revolution in work from home – compressed to WFH – a truly astonishing change in work-life embraced at wild speed.
(To the extent that a quickly-dropped policy to wind it back is credited as one of the reasons for the spectacular wipeout of the Liberal Party at last year’s federal election).
As the case winds through the industrial umpire’s process, a poll commissioned by one of the key players has found that a significant majority of Australians believe working from home (WFH) is the new industrial standard.
The poll, paid for by the Australian Services Union (ASU). found that 9 in 10 workers (87%) support a formal right to remote work.
There has been a push by businesses and lobby groups to seek to trade away entitlements such as meal breaks and penalty rates in exchange for remote work rights.
The survey found 90% of respondents believe WFH to be a critical part of ensuring work-life balance.
Here’s ASU national secretary Emeline Gaske:
“Working from home has become a critical part of managing work, caring and other responsibilities for so many Australians,” she said.
“The fact that almost 9 in 10 of us support a right to work from home shows that the community has moved on, even if some employer groups are still stuck in the past.”
The ASU wants the right granted by default. The Fair Work Commission is essentially chewing that over, now.
Here’s some of the data:
60% believe remote work should be the default or presumed arrangement for any office job that can be done remotely60% of respondents agree that employers should not have the right to unilaterally end remote work arrangements and force staff back to the office32% reported that they, or someone they know, have had a request to work from home knocked back by their employer66% agree that working from home has fewer distractions than the office, making employees more productive.
“As our submission to Fair Work on Tuesday will show, these results prove that flexible work is a win-win for everyone,” Ms Gaske said.
Thoughts?
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 9:30pm
Legal decision on broad use of WFH looming
The final Fair Work Commission hearings into the Clerk-Private Sector Award kick off today. What the …?
Here’s a neater summary.
A legal case that could cement or collapse work from home (WFH) rights for employees is in its final days.
The challenge to the award — a broad agreement covering conditions for workers in certain fields — is essentially a test case of the limits of work from home rights.
They barely existed before 2020 and were largely the preserve of either extremely senior employees or those with particular needs.
We can expect a decision in the coming months.
Plenty of people are sweating on this one.
2h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 9:16pm
Big super news. Super big news
The government is planning to tighten the rules around managed investment schemes and give corporate watchdog ASIC more power to demand information.
Why? The collapse of major funds Shield Master Fund and First Guardian, and the ongoing stench, has troubled both market players and the millions of hardworking punters who see 12% of their income compulsorily shovelled into superannuation.
About 12,000 Australians poured $1.1 billion in retirement savings into the two funds, which collapsed in 2024 and 2025 amid what incoming ASIC chair Sarah Court has described as “industrial-scale misconduct“.
A cracking report by colleagues Ben Butler and Nassim Khadem runs through the planned crackdown.
The scandal has also thrown into the spotlight gaps in the regulation of parts of the financial services industry.
Proposals being examined by the government aim to plug some of the loopholes in the law that were allegedly exploited by Shield and First Guardian’s operators.
Here’s Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino:
“Thousands of Australians lost their superannuation savings in the collapses and there needs to be change to prevent this happening in the future.
“High-profile collapses erode confidence, making Australians understandably nervous about investing and reducing participation in legitimate, well-regulated products.”
More? Right here for you.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 8:58pm
Youth wages decision imminent
I had a big reaction to my report yesterday about the “youth wages” case.
Essentially, the industrial Fair Work Commission heard arguments last year because the SDA union, which represents people in retail, fast food and pharmacies, brought a case seeking to kill off “junior pay rates” for people aged 18 and older.
At the moment, for every year you’re younger than 21, a discount is applied. (So 20-year-olds get paid 90% of an “adult” wage, 19-year-olds get 80%, etc).
It’s contentious and business groups worry it will crush employment by removing an incentive to hire young and first-time workers.
But the biggest question I’ve been getting is: WHEN?
The Fair Work Commission has made its decision. Lawyers in the field tell me it is expected to reveal it in the coming weeks, but that’s as close as we can get to a date.
When we know, you’ll know.
3h agoMon 9 Feb 2026 at 8:35pmLet’s get cracking
Hello, I’m Daniel Ziffer from the ABC business team and I’ll be taking you through the morning on our business, finance and economics blog.
Overnight, Wall Street indices were marginally higher.
The blue-chip Dow Jones of 30 mega-companies like Boeing and Visa was +0.01% to 50,119 points — a record high.
The broader S&P 500, which covers 500 of the largest listed companies in theUS, was +0.5% to 6,964 points.
The tech-heavy Nasdaq was +0.9% to 23,235 points.
These numbers are live and trading is continuing. We’ll update you when there’s a firm closing price.
Our market is set to rise, with the ASX 200 futures index tipping a lift of +0.4% or 33 points to 8,858 points.
There’s lots to get to, all of it news, analysis and information and none of it financial advice.
Let’s get started!