Each morning we post a selection of our favourite news stories from the day’s news. These posts also give you a chance to see how we can summarise news for you.
Overall Australian unemployment and under-employment at 3.61 million in February; Real Unemployment at 1.72 million
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Mar-26
In February 2026, Australian ‘real’ unemployment fell 97,000 to 1,721,000 (10.6% of the workforce, down 0.6%), although under-employment surged 216,000 to a record high of 1,892,000 (up 1.3% to 11.6%). In total, 3.61 million Australians (22.2% of the workforce) were either unemployed or under-employed in February. Roy Morgan estimates the overall workforce size (which adds together the employed and unemployed) at a record high just above 16.2 million in February – 16,263,000 to be exact, up 51,000 on a month ago, and representing 69.8% of Australians aged 14+. Employment increased by 148,000 to 14,542,000; driving the increase was a rise in part-time employment (up 169,000 to 5,242,000), while full-time employment fell 21,000 to 9,300,000.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED
Pens poised to sign on stalled EU trade deal
Original article by Michael Read
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 18-Mar-26
There is growing expectation that Australia and the European Union will shortly finalise a much-anticipated free-trade deal. Trade Minister Don Farrell held online talks with his EU counterpart Maros Sefcovic overnight to discuss outstanding issues, and he has expressed confidence that a deal can be struck that is in Australia’s national interest. The European Commissio’s president Ursula von der Leyen is expected to travel to Australia as soon as next week to finalise the deal. Negotiations for a free-trade deal begin in 2018, but stalled in 2023.
CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE
Roy Morgan Business Confidence plunged 8.8pts to 88.6 in February – before the conflict in the Middle East even began
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Mar-26
IIn February 2026, Roy Morgan Business Confidence plunged 8.8pts to 88.6, its lowest level since September 2020 during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Business Confidence has now dropped by 16.4pts in the last two months, the largest two-month fall since August 2021. The result came after the Reserve Bank raised interest rates to 3.85% in early February, its first interest rate increase since November 2023. It is important to note that this result for Business Confidence came before the Israeli and US attacks on Iran which began on the final day of February and have already sent oil and gas prices soaring. Business Confidence is now 20pts below the long-term average of 109.6, and down 19.9 points from a year ago. Now 24.7% (down 2.5ppts) of respondents say their business is ‘better off’ financially than a year ago, while 41.3% (up 11.6ppts) say the business is ‘worse off’ (the highest figure for this indicator since September 2024). Just 37.1% (up 3.8ppts) of respondents expect the business to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 24.8% (up 0.4ppts) expect the business to be ‘worse off’. Meanwhile, 33.8% (down 1.1ppts) of respondents say the next 12 months will be a ‘good time to invest’ in growing the business, while 41% (up 4.1ppts) say the next 12 months will be a ‘bad time to invest’.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED
ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence down 4.9 points to 68.5 – lowest Consumer Confidence since start of pandemic
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Mar-26
ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence fell 4.9 points to 68.5 in the week to 15 March; it is now 15.3pts lower than a year ago (83.8), and 9.7pts below the 2026 weekly average of 78.2. The only occasion Consumer Confidence was lower was the weekend of 28-29 March 2020, at the very start of the COVID-19 pandemic when widespread lockdowns were first introduced. Analysis by State shows Consumer Confidence falling in most States, including New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Western Australia, but up slightly in Victoria. Now 15% of Australians (down 3ppts) say their families are ‘better off’ financially than this time last year, while 52% (up 5ppts) say their families are ‘worse off’ (this is the lowest net result for this indicator since December 2023). Looking forward, 21% (up 1ppt) of respondents expect their family to be ‘better off’ financially this time next year, while 43% (unchanged) expect to be ‘worse off’ (the highest figure for this indicator since August 1989). Only 5% (down 1ppt) of respondents expect ‘good times’ for the Australian economy over the next 12 months (the lowest figure for this indicator since June 2023), while 49% (up 7ppts) expect ‘bad times’ (the highest figure for this indicator since August 2020). Meanwhile, 16% (down 2ppts) of Australians say now is a ‘good time to buy’ major household items (the lowest figure for this indicator since April 2020), while 47% (up 4ppts) say now is a ‘bad time to buy’ (the highest figure for this indicator since January 2025).
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED,AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ
RBA delivers recession warning
Original article by Lea Jurkovic
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Mar-26
The latest official interest rate increase will put further on the federal government ahead of the budget in May. Treasurer Jim Chalmers says the Australian economy was already facing an inflation challenge, and the Iran war has made this harder. Reserve Bank of Australia governor Michele Bullock has warned that a recession is a possibility if inflation is not reined in; she has also emphasised the need to clamp down on inflation before it spreads across the economy. Bullock adds that inflation was already too high before the rise in petrol prices due to the war, and the cost of petrol was not the reason for the rate increase. The RBA’s monetary policy board voted 5-4 to increase the cash rate on Tuesday, and Bullock says the board’s split was in relation to the timing of a rate increase rather than the need for one.
CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA,AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY
‘We don’t need anyone’s help’: Trump lashes out at NATO allies, Australia over Iran war
Original article by Michael Koziol
The Age – Page: Online : 18-Mar-26
US President Donald Trump has previously asked other countries – including NATO allies – to deploy warships to the Strait of Hormuz to help ensure safe passage of oil tankers. However, Trump has now claimed via his Truth Social platform that due to America’s military success in the Iran war, it no longer wants or needs the assistance of NATO countries. Trump specifically mention Australia among a list of countries that the US no longer requires assistance from, although Transport Minister Catherine King has previously stated that the federal government did not receive any request from the Trump administration. Meanwhile, Joe Kent has resigned as the director of the National Counterterrorism Centre, saying he could not "in good conscience" support the war; he was appointed to the role by Trump, who says Kent was "very weak on security" and "it’s a good thing that he’s out".
CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT,NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANISATION,AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSPORT, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS
Crisis needs recall of national cabinet
Original article by Sarah Ison,Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 1 & 6 : 18-Mar-26
The federal government is under pressure to convene an emergency meeting of the national cabinet amid growing concern about fuel supply. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable says action is needed to ensure that fuel is available in regional areas; she notes that in addition to farmers, industries such as mining and fishing also need fuel. The Australian Trucking Association’s policy director Bill McKinley in turn says the average diesel price has increased by more than $0.80 per litre since the Iran war started, and trucking firms "cannot keep going the way they’re going". The Australian Institute of Petroleum has warned that oil companies are already seeking alternative countries from which to import fuel, which will cost a lot more.
CORPORATES
MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA,AUSTRALIAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATION LIMITED,AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PETROLEUM LIMITED
ACM staff pass vote of no confidence in Catalano after assault charges
Original article by Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 18-Mar-26
Australian Community Media held an all-company meeting yesterday afternoon, in the wake of assault charges against joint owner Antony Catalano. Sources have indicated that 30 employees voted in favour of a motion of ‘no confidence’ in Catalano, although only 49 people voted. ACM employees had attended a town hall meeting on Monday, with MD Tony Kendall stressing that Catalano has "almost no involvement" in the regional newspaper publisher’s day-to-day operations; he added that the allegations will not affect the company or force it to be sold. Catalano and Alex Waislitz bought ACM from Nine Entertainment Company in 2019 for $125m.
CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY MEDIA PTY LTD,NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC
Temu and Shein still the headline disruptors in 2025
Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Mar-26
New data from Roy Morgan shows that established mass retailers Bunnings, Kmart and Big W remain dominant and stable in 2025, with modest growth in shopper numbers year-on-year (2% for Bunnings, 3% for Kmart and 1% for Big W). Meanwhile, online marketplaces Temu, Shein and Amazon have registered strong shopper gains; Temu had 5 million Australian shoppers in 2025 (17% growth year-on-year), Shein had 2.9 million Australian shoppers (up 28%) and Amazon gained 500,000 shoppers (up 6%). In contrast, legacy online retailers like eBay and Kogan, as well as major department stores Myer and David Jones, are losing shoppers as they struggle to compete with value-focused retailers and online marketplaces, reflecting shifting consumer preferences toward lower prices and more convenient shopping experiences. Roy Morgan estimates that Amazon, Temu, and Shein collectively generated close to $12 billion in retail sales in 2025, reflecting an increase of over $2 billion compared to 2024.
CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED,BUNNINGS GROUP LIMITED,KMART AUSTRALIA LIMITED,BIG W DISCOUNT STORES,TEMU,SHEIN,AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED,EBAY AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND PTY LTD,KOGAN.COM LIMITED – ASX KGN,MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR,DAVID JONES LIMITED
Rio, BHP win opens land for US copper mine
Original article by Jessica Gardner
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 18-Mar-26
The Resolution Copper joint venture between Rio Tinto and BHP in Arizona has been stalled for more than a decade. However, hopes that the project will finally proceed have been boosted after a court rejected an application to block a transfer of land from the US Forest Service to the resources groups. The Forest Service subsequently completed the transfer of land, although opponents of the project have filed an appeal against the court ruling. The copper deposit was discovered in 1995, and Rio Tinto executive Katie Jackson says it could potentially supply up to 25 per cent of the US’s copper demand for many years.
CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO,BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP,RESOLUTION COPPER MINING LLC,UNITED STATES. FOREST SERVICE
ABIX 