This week the Australian share market hit fresh records, while it pulled back slightly at the end of the week. The S&P/ASX 200 still added 1.7 per by the end of Friday. Reporting season also kicked off where company earnings are revealed and analysts pour through company books. Analysts expect company earnings to be soft this year, as Trump's chaotic tariff regime bites and consumer caution puts some businesses on the back foot. Economic futurist, Evan Lucas, says the gains are broad based, but the interest rate sensitive sectors and gold miners are doing the best. He questions whether fundamentals are a major consideration in this current upswing. It was a dreadful week for the market operator, the Australian Securities Exchange with it's virtual monopoly under threat, it also made an embarrassing mistake with TPG Telecom's shares. And at the end of the week it was revealed, the owners of Optus are being taken to court by the Australian Information Commissioner over the cyber attack on the telco in 2022. In Close of Business, we also look at $2.5 trillion wellness industry and how banks might look to recoup lower payment fees by hiking other charges or cutting back on reward programs. The program is presented by Alicia Barry.
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