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If productivity feels a little lighter today, the T20 Cricket World Cup in India might have something to do with it.
Pick & Scroll News
February 17, 2026
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Good morning. If productivity feels a little lighter today, the T20 Cricket World Cup in India might have something to do with it.
More than a billion people are tuning in globally, with over 14 million Aussies tuning in.
Judging by a few suspicious laptop angles, some of them may be in your office after Australia’s shock defeat to Zimbabwe.
All the headlines and more below...
AUSTRALIAN NEWS
Australia “is managing a soft landing” after years of global economic turmoil
Australia's economy is navigating a soft landing with 1.9% GDP growth in 2025 and expected 2.1% in 2026 as the IMF warns of rising inflation and state debt risks. LINK
Treasurer Jim Chalmers rejected the IMF’s push to raise the 10% GST as he focuses on income tax reform to protect economically vulnerable Australians. LINK
Australia may adopt a carbon border tax on imports like cement and ammonia, aiming to protect local industry and attract low-carbon investments. LINK
Banks are facing rising competition for $1.7T in household deposits as challengers like Macquarie offer higher-interest accounts benefitting proactive savers. LINK
COMPANY NEWS
Macquarie Asset Management is acquiring Qube for $11.7B
Macquarie Asset Management is acquiring Qube for $11.7B to delist it from the ASX and support long-term private infrastructure growth. LINK
Wesfarmers is transforming shopping at Kmart, Bunnings, Priceline and Officeworks through AI-powered personal assistants, partnering with Google and Microsoft to enhance customer experience and internal operations. LINK
oOh!media saw full-year net profit dive 54% to $16.9M due to a $28.6M impairment in New Zealand whilst revenues rose 8.8% on strong local contracts. LINK
ByteDance, TikTok’s parent company, has pledged to restrict its AI tool Seedance 2.0 after Disney threatened legal action over copyright violations involving Marvel and Star Wars characters. LINK
Cbus and Rest have lost over $2B to rivals amid increased member switching, pressuring the government to fast-track financial advice reforms. LINK
Treasury Wine Estates reported a $649M half-year loss, cut its dividend and is considering shedding underperforming brands due to weak global wine demand. LINK
Genki Global Dining acquired Australian sushi chain Sushi Sushi in a deal worth over $160M to drive international growth. LINK
ONE MORE SCROLL
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Odd Pick: UK Parliament revamp could cost ÂŁ40B and take 61 years.
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TRIVIA
In professional photography and advertisements for analog watches, the hands are almost always set to one specific time because it frames the brand logo and looks like a "smile." What is that time?
Answer below
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