Money

Air New Zealand cancels over 1,000 flights to and from Australia

Published

4 years ago

November 23, 2021

20,000 travellers looking to cross the Tasman this holiday season have had their flights cancelled over growing uncertainty over quarantine-free flights between NZ and Australia

Auckland will come out of a three-and-a-half-month lockdown on December 3 at a time when New Zealand gives up on wiping out the Delta variant and instead starts to live COVID, officially ending its COVID-Zero strategy.

But with no sign of when quarantine-free travel would be resuming with Australia, Air New Zealand on Monday afternoon announced the cancellation of more than 1000 flights.

The flights between now and December 31 are the latest to be scrapped since New Zealand suspended the so-called travel bubble in July.

The border bubble suspension followed COVID Delta outbreaks in New South Wales and Victoria.

“This will be particularly tough news for families and friends who were hoping to catch up over Christmas…. But our hands are tied until border restrictions ease, and we receive further clarity from the New Zealand Government,” Air New Zealand chief customer and sales officer Leanne Geraghty said, in a statement.

Currently, fully vaccinated travellers can fly from New Zealand to Australia without going through quarantine by presenting a negative PCR test, but those travelling to NZ must undertake two weeks of hotel isolation.

Money

Australian Dollar surges: What $0.70 means for markets

Australian dollar surges 5% to $0.70, impacting importers, exporters, and big miners amid rising interest rates.

Published

2 days ago

February 18, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australian dollar surges 5% to $0.70, impacting importers, exporters, and big miners amid rising interest rates.

The Australian dollar has jumped more than 5 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, now trading around $0.70. This rapid rise has sparked mixed reactions for importers and exporters as Australia’s materials sector shows signs of bouncing back, despite concerns over rising interest rates.

Dale Gilham from Wealth Within breaks down the factors behind the AUD surge, the implications for commodities, and what it means for big miners like BHP. From profits to strategy, we explore how the market is reacting to this currency shift.

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#AustralianDollar #AUD #Forex #Investing #Commodities #BHP #Mining #Markets

Money

S&P 500 rises as financial stocks lead and tech slips

S&P 500 rises 0.4% thanks to financial stocks; software struggles amidst AI concerns. Subscribe for updates!

Published

2 days ago

February 18, 2026

Harvey Vargas

S&P 500 rises 0.4% thanks to financial stocks; software struggles amidst AI concerns. Subscribe for updates!

The S&P 500 climbed 0.4% on Tuesday, boosted by strong gains in financial stocks. Citigroup and JPMorgan led the rally, showing investors are rotating money into the sector as tech stocks faltered.

Meanwhile, software shares struggled, with ServiceNow, Autodesk, and Palo Alto Networks all seeing notable declines. Concerns around AI disruption continue to affect the software and financial sectors alike.

Market watchers are now turning their attention to upcoming inflation reports later this week, looking for signals that could shape the next moves in the market.

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Money

Australia’s GST debate heats up amid tax reform push

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Published

3 days ago

February 17, 2026

Harvey Vargas

Australia debates GST expansion amid aging population pressures and personal income tax concerns; expert insights from Dr. Steven Enticott.

Australia is facing a fierce debate over tax reform, with fresh calls to broaden the Goods and Services Tax as the government searches for more stable revenue streams. With an ageing population putting pressure on health, pensions and long-term spending, economists argue the current reliance on personal income tax may not be sustainable.

Dr Steven Enticott from CIA Tax joins Ticker to break down the real impact of expanding the GST, including how it could affect lower-income households, whether taxing unrealised gains would change investor behaviour, and what compensation mechanisms could soften the blow on essential goods. The political risks are high, but so are the fiscal stakes.

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