Today’s News

The Big Picture

• Aus Open a boon for Victoria. As the lights dim on Rod Laver arena the numbers are being crunched on the economic impact of the Australian Open tennis tournament. More than 1.2 million people passed through the gates and NAB estimate a $600 million boost to Melbourne’s economy, up 6% from $566m in 2025. (AFR)
  
  

• Bluey tops streaming charts for second year running. Americans watched 45.2 billion minutes of Australian children’s cartoon Bluey in 2025, making it the most-streamed show in the US. It is the second year in a row it has achieved that mark. (ABC)
  
  

• President Trump announces new Fed Chair. The President nominated Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell when his term ends in May. Warsh sat on the Fed board during the Global Financial Crisis and was a candidate for Chair when Powell was chosen in 2017. (BBC)
  
  

• Precious metals slump on Fed Chair news. Prices of gold and silver had been rising on the fear that Trump would nominate a Fed Chair that would blindly cut interest rates (and let inflation run riot). On the news Warsh would be nominated, silver dropped 30% and gold dropped 11%. (ABC)
  
  

• Bitcoin’s shocking run continues. The major cryptocurrency dropped below US$80,000 and is now down 11% so far in 2026. The last time Bitcoin was this low was in April last year, right after Trump announced his Liberation Day tariffs. (Forbes)
  
  

• Australia’s $25 billion hospital deal. The state premiers and Anthony Albanese have agreed to a 5 year deal that will inject $25 billion into state hospital systems. Between hospital funding, NDIS and aged care, state and federal health budgets haven’t been able to keep up with cost increases. (ABC)

  
  

• Trump gets a win on the Panama Canal. Since retaking office, Trump has been focused on removing Chinese influence from the Panama Canal. Last week, Panama’s Supreme Court revoked the contracts of CK Hutchinson, the Hong Kong company that has run ports at either ends of the canal since the 1990’s. (BBC)

Companies in the news

• Waymo reaches $110 billion valuation. Google’s self-driving car company is finalising a $16 billion funding round that will value it at $110bn. This more than doubles Waymo’s valuation as it notches 20 million trips completed in its self-driving robotaxis. (FT)
  
  

• Australian tech billionaire arrested. Laurence Escalante, founder and CEO of Virtual Gaming Worlds, was arrested and charged with family violence, drugs and burglary offences. The company confirmed Escalante would be taking a leave of absence. (AFR)
  
  

• Oil companies slump. Chevron and Exxon each reported their lowest annual profit in 5 years. Chevron’s profit was down 30% in 2025 while Exxon’s was down 15%. Despite that, both companies have had a great January, with shares up 14% and 15% respectively. (Bloomberg)
  
  

• Nine goes for less media, more advertising. Three transactions last week made that clear. Nine Entertainment, the company behind the Fairfax papers and Channel Nine, acquired digital billboard business QMS for $850 million while selling Nine Radio for $56 million and regional TV station NBN for $15 million. (Capital Brief)
  
  

• Apple’s brain drain. At least 4 of its senior AI researchers have left in recent weeks for Meta and Google, increasing criticism that Apple dropped the ball on AI. Reports suggest a recent decision to outsource AI to Google has frustrated staff within Apple. (Bloomberg)

What the…?

A computer chip in the brain “feels magical”. That was the feedback from Seb Gomez-Pena, a quadriplegic, who became one of the first people in the UK to have a computer chip implanted in their brain.

The computer chip, made by Elon Musk’s company Neuralink, allows Gomez-Pena to navigate a laptop with his brain, continue his studies and in his words, offers “a new piece of hope”. (Sky News)

Today’s Insight

Where to start with Life Insurance?

Community Question: I’m 21 and have absolutely no knowledge regarding insurance, where do I start?

We put this question to Phil Thompson, financial adviser and CEO of Skye Wealth.

Phil: Starting with insurance at 21 is a smart move! You can start by understanding the basics of the 4 main types of insurance:

1. Death cover: Death cover provides financial support to your family or dependents in the event of death or diagnosis of a terminal illness. The payment helps your family repay debts, cover funeral expenses and replace lost income.

2. Total & Permanent Disability (TPD) Cover: If you become totally and permanently disabled and can’t work, TPD cover helps you pay off debts and medical expenses, make modifications to your home, and replace lost income.

3. Trauma or Critical Illness cover: Trauma insurance is paid if you get a diagnosis of a serious illness like cancer, heart attack or stroke. Put the focus on recovery and getting well – an immediate payment helps meet your financial commitments and medical costs.

4. Income Protection (or salary continuance): This insurance protects one of your biggest assets – your income. If you’re unable to work due to illness or injury, you’ll still receive a regular income to meet your financial commitments and living expenses.

All four of these insurances fall under the "life insurance" category because they protect you financially in the event of your death. 

In your early 20s, it's a good idea to think about getting some type of personal insurance, like income protection. While you may not have any dependents yet, you do have financial responsibilities like rent and bills, however, your may not have any need for life insurance specifically if you do not have any debt or anyone depending on your financially. 

Want to talk to an adviser about insurance? Fill out the form on our website and we’ll match you with one of our hand-picked advisers.

A message from Viola Private Wealth

Wealth isn't one-size-fits-all. Your investment strategy needs to work for your life and not just the markets.

Viola Private Wealth manages over $2.5 billion for Australians with significant wealth, crafting tailored portfolios across public and private markets. With deep expertise and a client-first approach, Viola helps you focus on what matters: growing and protecting your capital with clarity and confidence.

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