Real wages fall as inflation rises; NAB’s bumper profit; $14.2b bid for BlueScope

Thursday 19 February 2026

Real wages in Australia went backwards last year, challenging the view that the cost-of-living crisis is lessening. 

• NAB’s share price soars after a bumper quarterly profit
• Another, bigger bid for BlueScope Steel
• Santos to cut ten per cent of its workforce
• The countries where bank branches remain popular

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