All the top moves, shakes and red hot takes from Azzet's editorial team are right here in your weekly business wrap every Friday (25 July, 2025).
Investors everywhere are trying to make sense of a whirlwind of signals — from rising global tensions, to breakthroughs in tech that are reshaping entire industries.
Artificial intelligence is again at the forefront, with mining emerging as a key beneficiary.
In Canada, OpenAI faces a major lawsuit over alleged copyright violations, raising the stakes for generative AI and content licensing.
Columbia University’s “robot metabolism” project — where machines grow and repair themselves — has also sparked attention.
POWER AND THE GLORY
On the geopolitical front, former Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged the U.S. Congress to strengthen alliances and economic ties to counter China’s coercive trade tactics.
He highlighted Australia’s experience with punitive tariffs and called for deeper collaboration on rare earth supply chains, framing AUKUS as a strategic bulwark against Beijing’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.
Meanwhile, trade tensions escalated as United States President Donald Trump imposed a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, citing political grievances over Jair Bolsonaro’s prosecution.
In contrast, Trump struck major trade deals with Japan and the Philippines, securing $550 billion in Japanese investment and tariff concessions on autos and agriculture.
Trump also visited the Federal Reserve headquarters renovation site this week, amid continued tensions with Fed Chair Jerome Powell.
China is forging ahead with the world’s largest hydropower dam in Tibet, intensifying concerns in India and Bangladesh.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told Chinese leader Xi Jinping that China–EU relations are at “an inflection point” and must be “rebalanced”, amid rising trade tensions and concerns over Beijing’s support for Russia.
Japan’s ruling coalition looks shaky, complicating economic recovery efforts and potential monetary reforms.
EV sales have surged globally — especially in China and Europe — while the U.S. stalls ahead of tax credit changes.
WHERE THE MONEY IS
Super funds like Legal Super posted double-digit gains, and AMP turned around eight years of outflows.
Insignia Financial has accepted a $3.3 billion bid from CC Capital, hinting at deeper wealth management consolidation.
While the RBA holds rates steady, rising unemployment fans speculation about cuts by mid-2026.
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called for tighter Fed oversight, citing budget blowouts and blurred priorities.
Australia’s private equity market surged in Q2 2025, with global investors driving $11 billion in deal value, up from $5.3 billion the previous quarter.
The boom was fuelled by foreign capital targeting mid-market assets, particularly in B2B and IT sectors, while Merricks Capital’s liquidity manoeuvers in New Zealand underscored the growing appeal of private credit strategies.
Macquarie, however, posted a weaker quarterly update, citing softer performance in asset management and commodities, while Mercer Super scrambled to reassure members after a mail theft at Australia Post’s Melbourne GPO raised data security concerns.
EARNING THEIR KEEP
Retail trends were equally telling: Burberry rode a youth-driven sales bounce, Domino’s grew revenue despite an earnings miss, and Temu ramped up its ad spend in Australia as U.S. tariffs bit into its core market.
Stellantis, AstraZeneca, and Coca-Cola all responded to shifting tariff dynamics — Stellantis posted a record H1 loss, AstraZeneca pledged $80 billion in U.S. investment, and Coca-Cola announced a pivot to U.S.-sourced sugar amid surging earnings.
On the corporate front, Lindt reported an earnings miss as cocoa prices weighed on margins, while Alphabet’s Q2 results were buoyed by AI-driven revenue growth and increased capex.
Pinstripe has a new owner, signalling a shift in media monetisation, and retail super funds outperformed industry peers, flipping long-held performance narratives.
IBM’s Q2 earnings reflect strong AI-led growth across software and infrastructure segments, prompting a raised full-year outlook and free cash flow forecast of over $13.5 billion.
In contrast, Tesla reported a 13.5% year-over-year drop in vehicle deliveries, missing estimates and posting its largest revenue decline in over a decade.
Intel also reported an 81% increase in second-quarter FY25 losses, driven by restructuring costs and impairments.
Meanwhile, Philip Morris shares fell 7% after Q2 revenue missed forecasts, despite strong growth in smoke-free products like IQOS and ZYN.
And Ryanair rounded out the week with record passenger numbers, underscoring budget airlines' resilience and post-Covid demand.
PAYING THEIR DUES
The introduction of a new $250 visa fee for many U.S.-bound travellers has sparked confusion and criticism from trade and tourism advocates.
On the labour front, WNBA players protested at the All-Star Game over pay inequity, drawing wider support and setting the stage for tense collective bargaining agreement (CBA) talks.
Elsewhere, the upcoming auction of a Victoria Cross medal for a record sum spotlighted booming demand for military collectibles.
