Inflation stories
Last-minute purchases are set to lift UK Father's Day spending to GBP £1.32 billion, with retailers bracing for a surge in courier demand.
A skills shortage and tight budgets are slowing gains as Australian builders boost weekly use of construction tech to 48 per cent.
Despite inflation and interest-rate pressure, most small firms are boosting marketing and AI use to win customers and protect revenue.
A prolonged Gulf energy crisis could wipe USD $93.7 billion from expected ad market growth as higher costs hit spending worldwide.
Restaurants can tap millions more diners as EatClub's offers move into CommBank's app, targeting quieter service periods.
Rising fares and disruption are pushing more travellers to dispute payments through banks, putting travel merchants under heavier refund pressure.
Winning nations have historically seen markets outperform around the tournament, though wider forces can easily outweigh any football-related lift.
Price remains the main driver for Prime Day shoppers, even as 43% now use AI tools to compare offers and spot discounts.
Households under cost-of-living strain may benefit as Occom's new broadband plans lock in monthly charges for up to 24 months.
New data show Kiwi small firms generating less per hour than peers in Australia and the UK, as rising costs squeeze margins.
The UK fulfilment group is seeing steady order flow despite weak consumer confidence, with volumes running 15% above its forecast.
Australian businesses face tighter cash flow as overdue invoices jump to a six-year high, reinforcing expectations the RBA will hold rates at 4.35%.
Cost pressures are pushing more Australians to hold onto broken devices until end-of-financial-year discounts arrive, Optus research shows.
Severe financial stress is changing household payment hierarchies, with mortgages now as likely as credit cards to fall behind first in some cases.
Worries over household budgets are driving UK shoppers towards discounts of up to 80% as summer spending comes under pressure.
Nearly half of Australian drivers now use AI tools for servicing decisions, as cost pressures push more motorists to keep older cars longer.
Higher borrowing and living costs have pushed household sentiment close to the survey's weakest level in 50 years.
Confidence among New Zealand firms is being driven more by productivity and investment than hopes of a return to pre-pandemic normality.
Cost-of-living pressure is pushing New Zealand households to protect power and water bills first, while telco debts are among the first to slip.
Shoppers feeling the squeeze are driving demand for discounted home, garden and tech items as 86% worry about living costs, AliExpress said.
