Enjoy this email? We’d love you to forward it to someone else who may enjoy it.

Forwarded this email? You can sign up here. 

Here’s what you need to know today

• On Sunday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese accused Israel of breaking international law. In his strongest words to date on the Gaza conflict, he told the ABC Insiders program, “Quite clearly, it is a breach of international law to stop food being delivered, which was a decision that Israel made in March.” (AFR)
  
  

• China may have reached peak carbon emissions. That was the conclusion of a report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air after China’s year-on-year emissions fell 1.6% in May. This was notable as the first time emissions fell outside of COVID or economic downturns. China has a long way to go, as the world’s largest emitter accounting for 30% of global carbon emissions. (ABC News)
  
  

• The drop in China’s emissions is a result of its huge investments in renewable energy. In May alone, China built out 90 gigawatts of solar capacity, which translates to roughly 100 solar panels per second. While China is still opening new coal-fired power plants, coal’s share of power is now just over 50%, its lowest share since 2016. (ABC News)
  
  

• Australia’s Network Ten has a new owner, after US regulators approved the sale of Paramount Global to Skydance Media. This approval came weeks after Paramount settled a lawsuit with President Trump. Alongside one of Australia’s 3 free-to-air TV networks, Paramount owns a film studio, a streaming service, America’s CBS Network, UK’s Channel 5 and a number of cable channels including Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and MTV. (Capital Brief)
  
  

• “This update is arguably one of the worst in the past five years, and possibly in tech history”. That was just one of the many comments directed to Australian software giant Atlassian after it rolled out its updated to project management tool Trello. Atlassian investors seemed unbothered, however, with the stock up 2% on the day. (AFR)
  
  

• US President Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen met on Sunday in Scotland to discuss a trade deal. A draft version of the deal has the tariff on European exports to the US dropping from 30% to 15%. (Reuters)
  
  

• Volkswagen announced US tariffs cost them US$1.5 billion in the first half of 2025. In response, VW has said it will make "huge investments” in the US and hopes to explore a company-level trade deal with the US to minimise tariffs. (NY Times)
  
  

• The weekend saw an escalating conflict between Thailand and Cambodia kill more than 30 people and displace more than 130,000. However, on Sunday, President Trump spoke to leaders of both countries, who then agreed to hold ceasefire talks. (ABC News)
  
  

• Britain’s new age verification rules for social media companies have come into force. Under the law, tech companies are responsible for ensuring under-18’s do not see adult or ‘harmful’ content on their platforms. If they do, they could be fined up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, whichever is greater. (BBC)
  
  

• Elon Musk’s satellite internet offering, Starlink, experienced a 2.5 hour outage over the weekend. The company reported it was due to an internal software issue. (ABC News)

What the…?

Amazon has announced it will acquire Bee, the company behind an AI wearable that records and analyses your every conversation. Looking much like a FitBit, the Bee device is worn on your wrist and will listen throughout the day, creating to-do lists and reminders. It will also analyse how you interact with other people and suggest improvements. (CNBC)

Investing is a lifelong journey

Here’s what you can learn today.

A long-term view on inflation & interest rates

This is an excerpt from our interview with Roger Montgomery, CIO of Montgomery Investment Management, on Equity Mates Investing (Apple | Spotify | YouTube)

Question: How do you see the role of inflation and interest rates impacting investment decisions in the coming years?

Roger: In the coming years, I foresee disinflation persisting, particularly due to the impact of AI and automation on the workforce, which will likely put downward pressure on wages and, consequently, inflation.

While short-term interest rate movements might cause market volatility, the long-term trend is what matters more for investors. If interest rates stabilise or decline gradually, it creates a favourable environment for growth stocks, especially those with pricing power and innovative capabilities.

The key is to maintain a long-term perspective and focus on businesses that can thrive irrespective of short-term macroeconomic fluctuations. Companies with robust growth prospects, high margins, and little or manageable debt are well-positioned to do well even if the economic environment changes.

Hence, understanding the broader macro trends—such as technological advancements and evolving consumer behaviours—will be more beneficial than trying to predict each move in interest rates.

Want to check out the full conversation with Roger? Check it out on the Equity Mates YouTube channel:

A message from PocketSmith

Where does your money really go?

Ever feel like your paycheck disappears faster than you’d expect? With PocketSmith, you can track every dollar, spot spending patterns, and make smarter choices — whether it's groceries, dining out, or that unexpected splurge.

✔️ See exactly where your money is going each month
✔️ Get real-time insights into your spending habits
✔️ Plan ahead and stay on top of your budget

Right now, get 50% off the first 2 months of a Foundation Plan and start tracking your money with confidence.

Want more Equity Mates?