Inflation stories
A handful of US artificial intelligence megadeals pushed global venture capital investment to USD $330.9 billion in the first quarter, KPMG said.
Brands facing volatile participation can now cap promotion risk as Opia extends cover to protect budgets when redemptions run above forecast.
Inflation is forcing brands to ditch blanket discounts as shoppers scrutinise every purchase and demand clearer value.
Higher energy costs and supply chain disruption are set to force tougher trade-offs on cloud, AI and security spending across enterprises.
High inflation and widespread digital payments have made the country a prime test bed for dollar-linked tokens, a DeCard index found.
Inflation, tariffs and geopolitical risk will erode the value of a forecast 9.3% rise in Asia Pacific technology spending next year.
Middle-income households in Singapore are increasingly using cryptocurrency to diversify portfolios and buffer rising costs, a new survey shows.
Higher fuel and power costs are intensifying cash-flow strains for smaller firms, with CreditorWatch warning insolvencies may rise over 12 months.
Households and firms are facing renewed cost-of-living pressure, with petrol prices driving sentiment to levels last seen during the GFC and pandemic.
Almost half of surveyed employers are weighing shorter hours or fewer staff as higher fuel bills squeeze margins and weaken demand across NSW.
Consumer spending held up last month, with online sales values rising 11.4% year on year even as volumes slipped 0.5% from January.
Australian small businesses could trim fixed payments and software costs with Zeller's AUD $199 Terminal 1x, pitched against Square and Tyro.
Unused subscriptions may be draining UK SME budgets by as much as GBP £10,000 a year as software sprawl and price rises bite.
Businesses under pressure to prove loyalty returns will get new training on AI shopping tools, customer behaviour and program profitability.
Apartment approvals drove a February rebound in Australian homebuilding, but higher interest rates and energy costs now threaten builders' margins.
Shoppers are abandoning purchases and sending goods back as missing or inaccurate details undermine confidence, according to new Akeneo research.
Rising costs and policy uncertainty are squeezing small firms, with 63% of owners reporting lower revenue and confidence subdued across the sector.
Higher rates and softer confidence have not stopped smaller firms recruiting, with casual hiring outpacing full-time roles by a wide margin.
Some households could offset April’s bill hikes by switching broadband or mobile, but council tax and water will still add to the squeeze.
Millions of households can trim some of the blow as out-of-contract broadband and mobile users face the sharpest rises from April.
