After a successful career in the mining industry, Amanda Healy started Maxx Engineering, which she sold in 2015. She’s now focused on her next venture, the social enterprise Kirrikin. A woman in a man’s world For Amanda Healy a career in mining was a natural choice. “My father was a mining surveyor, so I grew up on mine sites around Australia,” she explains. “I loved the sense of fellowship you get in the smaller communities and I still have a great love for the characters that populate this industry.” She worked with blue chip mining companies including BHP, Rio Tinto, and the WMC group befor ..read more

Want to pay less to run your business?  Using this seven-step process could help cut your overall costs by 10-15 percent. If you could reverse the trend of rising costs and pay less to run your business, would you?  Brett Hay, a consultant with Expense Reduction Analysts, believes that most small business owners are overspending by as much as 20 percent. “That’s the average amount we save for our clients,” he says. “But, even without professional help, you might be able to cut your overall costs by 10 to 15 percent.” He recommends following this seven-step process. 1. Analyse your co ..read more

Todays podcast • Non-farm Payrolls +209k vs 230k expected • US front-end yields fall 4bp on Friday, but 10yr yields were higher to be up 23bp over the week • USD weaker, down 0.9% on the DXY • Larger-than-expected Canada jobs gains firm hike expectation for BoC on Wednesday • Today: China CPI/PPI, BoE’s Bailey, Fed Speakers • This Week: RBA’s Lowe, RBNZ (hold), BoC (hike 67% priced), US CPI, UK Jobs, CH CPI/PPI & Trade Events Round-up GE: Industrial production (m/m%), May: -0.2 vs. 0.0 exp. US: Nonfarm Payrolls (chg, k), Jun: 209 vs. 225 exp. US: Unemployment rate (%), Jun: 3.6 vs. 3.6 ex ..read more

Todays podcast Bond selloff extended overnight on strong US data Strong ADP Employment puts upside risk to Payrolls Risk assets fall (S&P500 -0.8%), as does the AUD (-0.6%) Coming up: ECB speakers, Payrolls “… Now I’m walking again; To the beat of a drum; And I’m counting the steps to the door of your heart”, Crowded House, 1986 The global bond selloff continued overnight with the US 10yr yield +10.8bps to 4.04% (overnight high 4.08%). Moves have been almost entirely reflected in real yields with the US 10yr TIP yield +8.9bps to 1.77%, while the 2/10s curve steepened by 6.2bps to ‑95.8b ..read more

Todays podcast FOMC minutes reveal division notwithstanding unanimous decision to pause in June UST curve bear steepens. 10y UST yields now at 3.93% US equities trade in and out of positive territory, closing lower in the end. S&P 500 -0.2% USD edges higher with AUD down 0.52% to 0.6655 Underwhelming China news not helpful. CNY -0.47% BoE rate hike expectations lift again. Markets sees 75% chance of a 6.5% terminal rate Coming Up: AU Trade, ISM Services, ADP, JOLT, Jobless Claims Events Round-Up CH: Caixin PMI services, Jun: 53.9 vs. 56.2 exp. A house divided against itself cannot stand ..read more

Todays podcast Very quiet offshore with US out for 4 July holiday RBA holds steady in April but ‘some further tightening of monetary policy may be required’ AUD reverses post-RBA losses to be +0.3% higher alongside stronger CNY RBA year-end pricing pared only 3bp to 4.51% Coming up: China Caixin Services PMI, FOMC Minutes The RBA met yesterday and held rates steady. Other than that, it was a very quiet 24 hours characterised by thin trading alongside the US 4 July holiday. The euro lost 0.3% against the dollar, while the dollar was lower against most of the G10. The aussie was higher on the ..read more

When you need new equipment to make your business more productive there is a lot to consider. New or second hand? Which brand is best? What about re-sale? Among the most important is the best way to finance the purchase. NAB Agribusiness General Manager Khan Horne says the bank is seeing a lot interest from customers looking to upgrade at least some of their equipment, and he is urging them to carefully consider all options available to finance the purchases. “We’ve seen a growing need to provide even more tailored products for farmers to meet their individual circumstances, given the cyclical ..read more

Ransomware is currently one of the most significant security threats to small businesses in Australia. Andrew Dell, Chief Information Security Officer for NAB, suggests simple steps you can take to avoid your data being held to ransom by cybercriminals. What is ransomware? Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware) that encrypts (or locks) the files on a computer, making them inaccessible. Once the malware has been downloaded on the victim’s computer, the victim receives a message on their computer screen from the criminal (the ransom note), advising them that their files have been l ..read more

Sue Ismiel is the founder and Global Brand Ambassador for the Nad’s brand, which is part of Sue Ismiel & Daughters Enterprises, a family-owned company run by Sue, her three daughters, Nadine, Natalie and Naomi and CEO Paul Paterson. Specialising in natural hair-removal products, its brands include Nad’s Hair Removal, NitWits and PuraSkin. Nad’s generated more than $40 million through retail partners globally last year. Formerly the CEO, Sue took on her new role in September last year. In her new role she remains the face of the brand, but has stepped away from the day-to-day running of the ..read more

“Success always starts with passion and an unrelenting drive to make it work,” according to leading workplace lawyer Fay Calderone, who is a Partner at DibbsBarker Sydney. Calderone first carved out a reputation at the Parramatta-based legal firm MatthewsFolbigg Lawyers, which she joined in 2007. Promoted to Director in 2010, she was offered an equity partnership in January 2012, making her one of the 10 owners. Her unique approach to growing revenue, managing people, clients and budgets at the time saw her recognised as ‘Emerging Leader in the Private Sector’ at the 2014 NAB Women’s Agenda ..read more