Sun, 21st Apr 2024

In this week's finance roundup, there's worry over a potential 16% surge in Australian student loans under the Labor government, adding an immense $12.3 billion to students financial burden. Urgent policy reform is signaled by The Greens and Australian Universities Accord proposes solutions. In banking news, ANZ Bank is phasing out cheque books due to a 90% drop in use over the last decade, part of a move towards digitization. Financial analysts from ClearBridge Investments signal a recession risk downturn from high to moderate in light of Australia's strong post-pandemic recovery. They suggest investors to expand portfolios beyond tech. Lastly, Centuria Capital Group ratchets an additional 30% stake in Centuria Bass Credit, despite a drop in profit, aiming for better yields and shorter fund durations.