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Brad Banducci quits as Woolworths Australia CEO after TV blow-up

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Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci has revealed his decision to step down from his position, with Amanda Bardwell, head of loyalty and e-commerce, slated to succeed him as chief executive in September.

Bardwell’s appointment marks a historic moment as she becomes the first woman to lead the company in its nearly 100-year history.

Banducci’s departure comes at a critical juncture for Woolworths and its competitor, Coles, as they brace for an upcoming Senate inquiry led by the Greens.

The inquiry, scheduled for next month, is expected to scrutinise higher grocery costs, which Canberra has blamed for inflating supermarket profit margins at the expense of consumers.

Supermarket investigation

In addition to the Senate inquiry, Labor has urged the competition regulator to investigate the supermarkets, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese suggesting potential abuse of market power by the retailers.

Woolworths chairman Scott Perkins clarified that Banducci’s succession timeline was not accelerated in response to the scrutiny faced by the supermarket industry.

Perkins stated that interviews with potential candidates for the CEO position had been ongoing since the latter half of the previous year.

“There has been an ongoing dialogue with Brad,” Perkins told media. “There was no change to the timetable, no expedition at all.”

Importance of authenticity

Banducci acknowledged that he had considered delaying his departure but ultimately decided against it, citing the importance of authenticity. Despite the challenges facing the industry, he expressed confidence in Bardwell’s ability to lead Woolworths into the future.

Analysts reacted to the news with a mix of surprise and caution.

In financial terms, Woolworths’ food retail division reported a 5.2 percent increase in sales, or 6.6 percent excluding tobacco.

However, the company noted a moderation in prices, with average increases of 1.3 percent in the last three months of 2023.

Despite this, margins continued to improve, and earnings for the division rose by 8.2 percent.

Ahron Young is an award winning journalist who has covered major news events around the world. Ahron is the Managing Editor and Founder of TICKER NEWS.

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Dow rebounds 650 points, still worst week since 2023

Dow gains over 650 points in relief bounce but still faces worst weekly loss since 2023 amid ongoing tariff uncertainties.

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Dow gains over 650 points in relief bounce but still faces worst weekly loss since 2023 amid ongoing tariff uncertainties.

In Short

Stocks rebounded on Friday, with the Dow gaining 674.62 points, and the S&P 500 and Nasdaq experiencing their best day of 2025. Despite this, all major indices faced weekly losses due to ongoing trade policy concerns and declining consumer confidence.

Stocks rallied on Friday, reversing some losses from earlier in the week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 674.62 points, or 1.65%, closing at 41,488.19.

The S&P 500 climbed 2.13% to finish at 5,638.94, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.61% to settle at 17,754.09. This marked the best day for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq in 2025.

Big tech companies rebounded sharply, with Nvidia up over 5%, Tesla rising nearly 4%, and Meta Platforms gaining close to 3%.

Amazon and Apple also saw increases.

The market bounce was attributed to a lack of new tariff-related news from the White House, alleviating some investor concerns.

Following a drop on Thursday, the S&P 500 entered correction territory, having fallen more than 10% from its recent peak.

The Nasdaq slid deeper into correction, while the small-cap Russell 2000 neared a bear market. Uncertainty stemming from President Trump’s trade policies has contributed to heightened market volatility.

Despite Friday’s gains, the three major indices experienced weekly losses, with the Dow down about 3.1%—the worst week since March 2023. S&P 500 and Nasdaq both fell over 2% for their fourth straight weekly decline.

Consumer confidence also declined amid ongoing tariff concerns, with sentiment dropping to 57.9 in March.

Investors await an upcoming Federal Reserve policy meeting, where a majority expect interest rates to remain unchanged.

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S&P 500 correction worsens amid Trump’s tariff threats

S&P 500 enters correction as stocks plummet amid Trump’s tariff threats, marking a challenging week for Wall Street.

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S&P 500 enters correction as stocks plummet amid Trump’s tariff threats, marking a challenging week for Wall Street.

In Short

Stocks plunged on Thursday, with the S&P 500 down 1.39% and entering correction territory, while the Dow and Nasdaq also fell significantly. Market uncertainty continues due to President Trump’s tariff threats, leading to losses predicted for the week across major indices.

Stocks fell sharply on Thursday as the S&P 500 entered correction territory, dropping 1.39% to close at 5,521.52.

The decline marked a significant downturn where the index sits 10.1% below its record high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average also suffered, losing 537.36 points or 1.3%, closing at 40,813.57, marking its fourth consecutive day of losses. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.96%, with major players like Tesla and Apple being negatively affected.

Tariff threat

The market’s downward trend has been exacerbated by recent tariff threats from President Trump. He proposed 200% tariffs on EU alcoholic products in response to a 50% EU tariff on whisky, indicating a firm stance on expanding trade restrictions.

Investor confidence has been shaken by his unpredictable trade policies, contributing to a week where the S&P 500 and Nasdaq are projected to post losses of 4.3% and 4.9%, respectively. The Dow is on track for a 4.7% decline, potentially experiencing its worst week since June 2022.

Small-cap stocks are also suffering, with the Russell 2000 nearing bear market conditions, down approximately 19% from its peak. Portfolio managers express concern that ongoing tariff disputes continue to foster market uncertainty.

Despite some positive signs in inflation data, analysts doubt a significant market rebound is likely, as worries about Trump’s trade approach remain a critical concern for investors.

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Poll: 57% find Trump’s economic actions too erratic

57% of Americans view Trump’s economic actions as erratic, with concerns over tariffs raising prices, a poll reveals.

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57% of Americans view Trump’s economic actions as erratic, with concerns over tariffs raising prices, a poll reveals.

In Short

A recent poll shows 57% of Americans believe Trump’s economic actions are erratic, with 70% fearing rising tariffs will increase prices. Despite this, many Republicans still support his economic policies, believing they will benefit the economy in the long run.

A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll reveals that 57% of Americans view President Donald Trump’s actions regarding the economy as too erratic.

This sentiment follows his aggressive import taxation strategies, which have unsettled the stock market.

Approximately one third of respondents expressed that Trump’s actions are not overly erratic, while 11% were unsure or did not provide an answer.

Interestingly, about one in three Republicans also consider Trump’s actions erratic.

Despite this, 79% of Republicans in the poll agree with the notion that Trump’s economic strategies will be beneficial in the long term, indicating that while some may not resonate with his approach, they support the underlying policies.

Trump’s policies

Overall, 41% of all respondents, and only 5% of Democrats, believe Trump’s economic policies will yield positive results eventually.

Furthermore, 70% of survey participants anticipate that increasing tariffs will lead to higher prices for everyday items, including groceries.

Additionally, 61% of respondents stated that managing rising prices should be Trump’s primary focus.

The poll included 1,422 U.S. adults and has a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

This latest data offers insights into public sentiment surrounding Trump’s economic management, highlighting concerns over his erratic approach alongside a degree of support for his policies.

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