What the Flux - podcast cover

What the Flux

Bite-sized business news. 5 minute breakdown of the top 3 Australian or global business stories of the day. Tailor made for busy humans. Hosted by Brett Joffe and Justin Joffe, co-founders of Flux.

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Episodes

Zip's brand gets zapped | Googles gaming partnership | Class action against Estée Lauder

The share price of Zip Co has fallen more than 6% after it lost a court case over its own name Google has teamed up with Roblox to launch new video ads to give traditional marketers a new way to reach Gen Z Estee Lauder faces a lawsuit from investors for allegedly hiding their reliance on ‘gray market’ sales in China _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStorel Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/fluxnewsletter...

Apr 03, 20257 min

RBA's pause for concern | Woolworths slashes prices | OpenAI's biggest capital raise... ever

The Reserve Bank of Australia has paused the cash rate at 4.10% because it doesn’t want to make any moves before Trump’s tariffs. Woolworths slashed the price of its groceries last month to close the gap on Aldi and deflect attention from ASIC and the election campaign. OpenAI has announced it closed the largest round of capital ever raised by a private tech company - pocketing a tasty $40 billion USD. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStorel Download the free app (Google...

Apr 01, 20257 min

Domain's improved acquisition offer | Musk's xAI acquires Musk's X | Virgin Australia hits the ground running

Domain has received a "best and final" acquisition offer from digital property giant CoStar.. And now the decision is in the hands of its major shareholder Elon Musk’s AI firm, xAI, has acquired his own social media platform X in a $33 billion USD deal Virgin Australia is kicking off its IPO roadshow this week as it looks likely to list on the ASX in 2025 _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStorel Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily ne...

Mar 30, 20257 min

The Reject Shop's whopping acquisition offers l | Jeanwest enters administration | AustralianSuper walks away from WiseTech

The Reject Shop has seen its share price skyrocket 110% after an acquisition offer from Canadian retail giant Dollarama. Jeanswest, the Australian clothing retailer, has entered administration with 90 stores to close and hundreds of jobs lost. AustralianSuper has sold its entire stake in tech giant WiseTech Global after serious concerns over the founder and Board’s conduct. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStorel Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/Fluxapp...

Mar 27, 20257 min

Federal Budget winners + losers | 23andMe to sell confidential data | James Hardie's botched acquisition

The Labor government dropped their 2025 budget last night…with some big investments and even bigger deficits… if they get re-elected 23andMe, the genetic testing company, has filed for bankruptcy in the US as it tries to sell its assets.. Including its highly confidential customer gene data James Hardie, the ASX-listed global building materials company, has seen its share price plummet after its $14 billion acquisition of a rival _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStorel D...

Mar 25, 20257 min

ACCC explores Coles & Woolies breakup | Nike tripping over its own laces | AppleTV+'s $1 billion burn

The ACCC has warned that Coles and Woolworths will not be broken up… But they will face a whole lot more scrutiny. Nike has seen its revenue fall by 9% in the last quarter and warned investors that there’s more pain to come. Apple TV+ is reportedly losing over $1 billion a year even after cutting back on its content spending and winning big at awards shows. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStorel Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily ...

Mar 23, 20257 min

Myer's 40% profit plummet | Google's biggest acquisition yet | KFC's new AI zinger

Myer has seen its profit tank by 40% in its most recent half as the new CEO focuses on resetting the business. Google has announced its largest acquisition in history - acquiring cybersecurity startup Wiz for $32 billion USD. KFC and Pizza Hut’s parent company, Yum Brands, is teaming up with tech giant, Nvidia, to implement AI ordering in drive-thru lanes. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily ne...

Mar 20, 20257 min

HBO's Max & Nine's new partnership | Bunnings' elderly opportunity | Guess shares skyrocket 30%

Warner Bros Discovery is launching its streaming platform Max in Australia this month and will use Nine Entertainment to sell the ads on its cheapest tier. Bunnings is launching a new assisted-living range to tap into Australia’s ageing population and the NDIS. Shares in retailer Guess have skyrocketed more than 30% after a plan to take the company private… But not everyone gets to cash out. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http...

Mar 18, 20257 min

Disney+ in a new battle with Foxtel | Pokemon Go's $3.5 billion fortune | Zara feeling the pain in the US

Disney is making a big play for a new demographic of customers in Australia as it adds ESPN to Disney+. The owner of Pokemon Go will sell its gaming division for $3.5 billion USD to video game developer Scopely. Zara’s owner has seen its revenue jump to over $12 billion USD for the last quarter… but it’s warned of a very uncertain future because of tariffs and US demand. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGoog...

Mar 16, 20257 min

AustralianSuper is in hot water | Spotify's billion dollar payout | Meta's plan to take on Nvidia

AustralianSuper has been sued by ASIC for knowingly delaying the payment of death benefit claims for over 5 years. Spotify paid $10 billion USD to the music industry in 2024, which was the largest payout eveeeer. Meta has begun testing its own AI chip as it tries to swoop in on Nvidia’s market. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/fluxnewsletter Flux on Instagram: http...

Mar 13, 20257 min

Suncorp's secret cyclone saviour | Unilever's plan to rebuild trust | Trump causes global markets to shake

The worst of Cyclone Alfred is officially over and now its time for insurers like Suncorp to count the costs of the insurance claims. Unilever, the consumer goods company behind Dove and Magnum, is completely shifting its marketing strategy to rebuild consumer trust. Global share markets, including the ASX have taken a major hit after Donald Trump warns that the US may go into recession. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://b...

Mar 11, 20257 min

Country Road (Group)...take me home! | Prada has its eyes on luxury | Gap pops 17%

Country Road Group has seen its earnings fall by more than 70% in the second half of 2025 after too many promotions and discounts Prada Group just strutted past its competitors with full-year revenue jump of 17%...and now it’s taking a look at a juicy acquisition target Gap has seen its share price pop more than 17% after it beat profit estimates… but tariffs are still a major concern _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit....

Mar 09, 20257 min

Freedom Furniture is ready for sale | Trump's latest crypto piggybank | Anthropic's $61 billion capital raise

Freedom Furniture is officially up for sale after its parent company looks to find a new owner after its big turnaround. Donald Trump has announced plans to build a strategic reserve of five cryptocurrencies - and no surprises here - cryptocurrencies saw a $300 billion USD rally. Anthropic, the AI competitor of ChatGPT, has raised a new round of capital that values the company at more than $61 billion USD. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Goo...

Mar 06, 20257 min

Amazon Australia's Prime position | Mars plans to sell sweet sweet bonds | Tesla becomes the new challenger to Uber

Amazon Australia has seen its revenue jump to $7.7 billion in the last financial year - up nearly 20% from the previous year. Mars Inc, the snack and sweets giant, is planning to sell $25-$30 billion USD worth of bonds next week to finance its takeover of Kellanova. Tesla is taking steps to launch a ride-sharing service that could compete directly with Uber, Lyft, and Waymo. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/Fluxapp...

Mar 04, 20257 min

Coles gives Woolworths a beating | Star's last roll of the dice | Nvidia's $500 billion decline

Coles has announced a jump in earnings to over $1.1 billion for the past six months and beats expectations. Star Entertainment Group is fighting a race against time to find new investors ASAP - or else - it may collapse. Nvidia suffered a nearly $500 billion USD fall in its market value after reporting better-than-expected results? _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/...

Mar 02, 20257 min

Woolies' profit struggles | Pointsbet major takeover bet | EY cuts jobs

Woolworths has suffered a 20% decline in its first-half net profit after it struggled with strikes and empty shelves late last year. Pointsbet, one of the largest bookmakers in Australia, has agreed to sell out to a Japan-based rival for $360 million… but it’s not without its controversy. EY Australia has announced it will be cutting 100 jobs from its advisory division after a pullback in client spending. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Goog...

Feb 27, 20257 min

WiseTech loses $10 billion | Nike's desperate collab with Kim Kardashian | Bybit bitten by $1.5 billion crypto heist

WiseTech has seen its shares plunge more than 24% after four independent board members stepped down this week. Nike has announced a new collaboration with Kim Kardashian’s Skims brand after struggling with declining sales. Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange, has allegedly been hacked for $1.5 billion, marking the largest cryptocurrency heist in history. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/Fluxap...

Feb 25, 20257 min

Domain's mega-takeover offer | GyG's international concerns | Apple's cheaper iPhone strategy

Domain, the digital property marketplace, has seen its share price skyrocket 37% after it received a takeover bid by a US giant. Guzman y Gomez, the biggest IPO listing of 2024, says its expecting to beat its prospectus forecasts this financial year…but its share price got whacked for one big reason. Apple released the new iPhone 16e last week as it struggles to compete in the smartphone market against cheaper competitors. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download ...

Feb 23, 20257 min

Telstra’s $1 billion turnaround | Bunnings & Kmart carry Wesfarmers (once again) | Nikola EV truck files for bankruptcy

Telstra has dialled up a net profit of just over $1 billion for the last six months after seeing growth in its mobile biz… and saying goodbye to Foxtel. Wesfarmers has seen its sales and earnings jump in the first half of the financial year thanks to its GOAT performers, Bunnings and Kmart. Nikola, the electric trucking startup, has filed for bankruptcy in the US after struggling to raise money… or find a buyer. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free ap...

Feb 20, 20257 min

RBA's big rate cut | Bendigo & Adelaide Bank run out of cheap money | The New York Times' AI backflip

The Reserve Bank of Australia has cut the cash rate for the first time since 2020. Bendigo & Adelaide Bank has seen its share price drop by more than 15% this week after it ran out of cheap money. The New York Times has given the all-clear for its staff to use AI tools to write social copy and even editorial ideas. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily newsletter: https://bit.ly/fluxnewslette...

Feb 18, 20257 min

Temple & Webster’s sofa upgrade | Seven West Media’s worst year yet | Treasury Wine no longer selling wines

Temple & Webster has seen its share price fly to an all-time high after its revenue jumped 24% off the back of bathroom fixtures and couches. Seven West Media has seen its worst-ever half year results as it tries to transition away from its free-to-air TV and newspapers. Treasury Wine Estates, the wine giant, has taken its lower-priced wine brands off the sale/divestment market after failing to find a buyer. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free ap...

Feb 16, 20257 min

Chemist Warehouse's Day 1 on the ASX | Federal government to save Rex airlines | Reddit struggles without Google

Chemist Warehouse officially launched on the ASX yesterday as its mega-merger with Sigma Healthcare went live. The federal government says it will acquire Rex airlines if there isn’t a buyer for the airline by the end of June. Reddit’s stock has taken a hit after its user growth missed expectations as it struggles to compete with Meta and Google. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePlay Daily newsletter: ...

Feb 13, 20257 min

JB-Hi Fi's sales up, share price down | Trump's tariff on Australian goods | Musk's godfather offer for OpenAI

JB-Hi Fi has announced better-than-expected sales growth for the past six months but its share price still fell 5%. Donald Trump has warned of a fresh set of tariffs - and this time, it could affect the Australian economy in a BIG way. A group of investors, led by Elon Musk, has made a $97.4 billion USD offer to buy the non-profit organisation that controls ChatGPT. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/FluxappGooglePla...

Feb 11, 20257 min

Victoria's new deal with the NFL | MCoBeauty's $1 billion valuation | Tinder swipes right to AI

The Victorian government is going on a sport-spending-spree after landing a mutli-year deal to host NFL games in Melbourne as well as the NBA. MCoBeauty, the Australian cosmetics and skincare company, has been sold in a deal that is understood to value the company at $1 billion. Tinder is hoping to turnaround its declining user base by pushing AI into its product to help discover new matches. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): htt...

Feb 09, 20257 min

REA's house boom | Estee Lauder profit smudge | Facebook Events has a new rival - Apple

REA Group has seen its profits jump over 26% in the last 6 months and straight after this announcement, CEO has dropped the mic with some other big news. Estee Lauder, the global cosmetics behemoth, will lay off nearly 11% of its workforce after its earnings did a full-180 in its second quarter. Apple has just crashed Facebook’s party after releasing a new app called Invites that helps users create and send calendar events. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download...

Feb 06, 20257 min

Coles' major cuts | Armaguard battle to keep cash around | Trump's tariffs upend markets

Coles is planning to aggressively reduce the number of products on its shelves to drive higher profits. Armaguard, the cash handling company, is in danger of collapsing once again - meaning coins and notes in Australia are under threat. Donald Trump has sent the share market into a spin after announcing the rollout of tariffs on goods from the US’ top three trading partners. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.ly/Fluxapp...

Feb 04, 20257 min

Lovisa faces class action lawsuit | Bunnings ramps up its media | Microsoft's mega AI spend

Lovisa, the jewellery chain, is facing a class action from its current and former employees after allegedly forcing staff to work for free outside rostered hours. Bunnings has begun rolling out 300 large in-store LED screens throughout its hardware stores to build a retail media behemoth. Microsoft has seen its profit jump by more than 10% from a year earlier - but not all is as good as meets the A-eye. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google...

Feb 02, 20257 min

Zip's share price plummets | Tesla goes lower and lower | Meta's $25m to Trump

Zip Co, the buy now pay later company, has seen its shares plummet more than 25% after its second quarter earnings fell short of investor expectations. Tesla’s revenue and profit fell short of expectations after major discounting of its cars… but they’re planning to get even cheaper. Meta will pay Donald Trump a $25 million settlement for shutting his accounts after the Jan. 6 riots. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play): http://bit.l...

Jan 30, 20256 min

AFL's battle with betting companies | DeepSeek shakes up stocks | ARN Media wants to change the law

The AFL is renegotiating its major contract with bookmakers as it tries to take a bigger slice of the betting pie. DeepSeek, a new Chinese AI model, has been released with rave reviews… And as a result, Nvidia’s stock price dropped by more than 17%. ARN Media, the owner of KIIS and Gold radio stations may want to buy Nine Entertainment’s talkback radio stations… but there’s a major obstacle ahead. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Google Play)...

Jan 28, 20257 min

Rivers shuts down | CNN's major pivot | OpenAI's new game-changing product

Rivers, the iconic clothing and footwear brand, will close all of its retail stores across Australia by mid-April after it failed to find a buyer. CNN is laying off 6% of its workforce after it has continued to struggle with low-ratings against more digitally focused news outlets. OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, has launched a brand new product called Operator that can perform tasks for you autonomously. _ Download the free app (App Store): http://bit.ly/FluxAppStore Download the free app (Googl...

Jan 26, 20257 min
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