Australia Briefing
Good morning, it’s Amy in Melbourne with the news you need heading into the weekend. It appears Aussie super funds can breathe easy over the
Bloomberg

Good morning, it’s Amy in Melbourne with the news you need heading into the weekend. It appears Aussie super funds can breathe easy over the so-called US “revenge tax” that’s been bothering them lately, but first...

Today’s must-reads:
• Australia’s big drug problem 
• Sports nutrition firm owners mull sale 
• Virgin Australia podcast  

What's happening now

A UN report shows Australians and New Zealanders are the biggest users of cocaine globally. The relative wealth of Australia, and the price that users in the country are willing to pay for drugs, has long made it an attractive market for criminals. The report paints a bleak picture of the worldwide battle against illegal drugs.

Virgin Australia is back on the ASX after a five-year absence, marking the biggest IPO so far this year. Once grounded by the pandemic, the airline is now making money again and flying under new leadership. This week on the podcast, Rebecca Jones talks to Angus Whitley about the airline’s financial reboot, its rivalry with Qantas, and whether this new Virgin can deliver for both investors and travelers. 

Staying on aviation, the only bearish Qantas analyst has finally caved in. Morningstar’s Angus Hewitt has upgraded his rating on the airline’s shares to hold, after maintaining a sell recommendation for the past nine months.

The owners of Vitaco Holdings are considering selling the health food, sports nutrition and supplements maker, said people familiar with the matter, in news broken by our colleagues in Hong Kong last night. The Australasian business owns brands such as Musashi, Aussie Bodies, Nutralife and Healtheries, its website shows.

The renewable energy industry could play a key role in helping the electricity grid combat its biggest challenge in decades, writes Bloomberg Opinion’s Liam Denning.

Workers install solar panels on the rooftop of a home in Poway, California, US, on  Photographer: Sandy Huffaker/Bloomberg
 

What happened overnight

Here’s what my colleague, market strategist Mike “Willo” Wilson says happened while we were sleeping…

The S&P 500 flirted with record highs again, driven by hopes of Federal Reserve rate cuts and a de-escalation of Middle East tensions, with big tech and banks leading gains. There’s talk of late money piling in, with a net $3.2 billion of stocks purchased in a five-day period. That’s against a backdrop of falling Treasury yields which has weighed the dollar all week. Conversely, the Aussie and kiwi dollars both posted a fourth day of gains. Today’s local slate is clear so focus may divert to China headlines, the latest of which says that a trade deal with the US was signed two days ago. The lack of detail however explains the indifferent reaction by the Aussie and kiwi. Australian shares are set to open strongly, taking cues from their US peers.

The Treasury Department announced a deal with G-7 allies to exclude US companies from some taxes imposed by other countries in exchange for removing the Section 899 “revenge tax”. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he had asked the Senate and House “to remove the measure from consideration in the One, Big, Beautiful Bill.” Australia’s super funds were among those set to be impacted.  

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claimed victory in the war with Israel. In his first comments since the ceasefire earlier this week, Khamenei said the US's intervention achieved nothing. There are conflicting assessments about the effectiveness of the US strikes.

What to watch

• Nothing major scheduled 
 

One more thing...

 A plush, pointy-eared, serrated-tooth monster called a Labubu is driving some of China’s biggest retail profit margins. What began as a niche toy obsession among young Chinese has exploded worldwide. Fans have queued for hours outside Pop Mart stores from Sydney to Los Angeles ahead of new releases. It’s certainly a unique looking toy! Have a great weekend. 

A Labubu doll on display at a Pop Mart International Group Ltd. store in Shanghai. Photographer: Raul Ariano/Bloomberg
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