New Zealand's central bank is expected to join the Reserve Bank of Australia and cut interest rates for the sixth straight meeting on Wednesday. It comes after the RBNZ said last month it has scope to lower rates further as US tariffs created downside risks for both economic activity and inflation. Healthscope, one of the Australia's largest private health care providers, has entered administration, according to a statement Monday, with the Commonwealth Bank providing a A$100 million ($65 million) funding package to support the sale process and ensure normal patient care at its 37 medical facilities. China's ambassador to Australia has warned Canberra to be careful in its handling of the lease of the strategically important Port of Darwin, after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledged to bring it back into his country's hands during the recent election campaign. Liquified Natural Gas boat, the 'Pacific Notus' at the Port of Darwin. Photographer: Fairfax Media/Fairfax Media WiseTech announced its biggest ever acquisition on Monday, agreeing to buy E2open Parent Holdings in a deal that values the US firm at $2.1 billion. It is the shipping software company's first major move since founder Richard White assumed the role of executive chairman in February. While Australia has banned foreigners from buying some homes for two years, a cottage industry has spun up in Japan in the last few years offering abandoned houses, known as akiya, to foreigners, writes Bloomberg Opinion's Gearoid Reidy. |