Gurner to go global with plans for wellness clubs in the US, Dubai
Rich Lister Tim Gurner plans to take his brand of high-end health and wellness clubs to the United States and the United Arab Emirates by the end of this year, making it the first time the busy Melbourne-based developer has ventured into offshore markets.
'Sydney is a big focus for us at the moment, and Gold Coast and then global,' Gurner told The Australian Financial Review. ' We'll be in the US by the end of the year and the UAE, so Dubai.'
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Herald Sun
43 minutes ago
- Herald Sun
Defence shares are booming as Trump, Middle East fuel expectations for government spending
Investors who bought into defence-focused companies and exchange traded funds months before Donald Trump was elected US president are laughing all the way to the bank. As wars intensify and President Trump pressures allies to dramatically increase their defence budgets, hundreds of billions of extra dollars will soon be spent on countries' war machines – and a slice of that will flow to savvy investors. Several global defence stocks have doubled their share price in the past year, while many others have climbed three times more than overall markets in the US, Europe and Australia, which are up eight per cent to 10 per cent. Analysts say the outlook remains strong, with the Israel-Iran conflict the latest in a string of international crises. Unlike last year's AI boom, which largely focused on US companies, the defence boom spans many countries. However, some of the best-known US defence stocks Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin, have generated only meagre returns. This global theme, combined with the fact that Australia does not have a significant listed defence sector, means many investors are looking to exchange traded funds for global exposure, and they have been rewarded so far. Three ASX-listed defence ETFs debuted last year and have climbed between 55 and 74 per cent. The best performer is the VanEck Global Defence ETF. VanEck deputy head of investments and capital markets, Jamie Hannah, said flows into ASX-listed defence ETFs have surged since March as companies including Italy's Leonards SpA, Germany's Hensoldt AG and Britain's Babcock International enjoy 'triple-digit price growth in the last year'. Mr Hannah said government spending is increasing across Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific, providing long-term revenue for defence companies. 'We often hear the term 'arms race' used in everyday contexts, but the literal meaning of countries competing for military superiority essentially describes the current geopolitical predicament,' he said. 'The thing about an arms race is that there is no finish line and no one can ever actually win the race, yet countries, even those unwilling, are compelled to participate in order to maintain national security.' Mr Hannah said the VanEck ETF does not hold any Australian defence stocks, although clients have expressed interest in Droneshield, which is up 18 per cent in the past year. Another Australian stock with defence exposure is Perth-based Austal, which is up 164 per cent over the past year. Backed by the billionaire Forrest family, it's attracted interest from South Korea's Hanwha Group. Other local companies benefiting from defence spending include Codan, up 75 per cent, and Electro Optic Systems, up 109 per cent. Equity Trustees Asset Management head of equities Chris Haynes said Trump 'wants everyone to be more self-reliant'. Mr Haynes noted the June 5 decision by NATO Defence Ministers to strengthen the alliance's deterrence and defence capabilities, through a spending commitment of 5 per cent of GDP. 'In Europe, the NATO directive will require Germany to spend €40bn for a new infantry division,' he said. 'The political will has changed and the German chancellor says spending needs to go to 3-3.5 per cent of GDP. Rheinmetall Ag is a German company that will benefit as a result of this directly.' Investors can buy overseas defence stocks directly through brokers and platforms, but will achieve more diversification buying broader funds that allocate their money throughout the sector. Betashares senior investment strategist Cameron Gleeson said many global defence contractors, including Rheinmetall, BAE Systems and Palantir, have seen a significant increase in orders and new government contracts. 'Investors are seeking exposure to the earnings growth these companies are experiencing, as well as the long tail of innovation that increased defence spending often provides,' he said. 'However, while defence companies are showing strong performance, much of the growth is happening outside Australia. As a result, investors may wish to look beyond the ASX for exposure to more mature global players with diversified revenue streams and government-backed contracts.' Mr Gleeson said investors should not focus solely on defence. 'Consider this sector for a satellite allocation, complementing a well-diversified core portfolio of Australian and international equities,' he said. Stake markets analyst Samy Sriram said defence ETFs are benefiting from investments in Palantir Technologies, which provides AI-powered defence software and sensors and has surged more than 440 per cent in a year. 'Palantir is a major beneficiary of higher defence spending, as it relies on government contracts for revenue,' she said. 'It is the third most traded stock on Stake this year. Firms that are investing in AI will be seen as increasingly important to the defence sector.' Stockspot CEO Chris Brycki said the shift to higher military spending started before Trump's re-election but his victory 'has added fuel to the fire'. Mr Brycki said Germany's defence spending increase is a notable example after it 'broke from decades of fiscal restraint by lifting its post-WWII cap on military spending'. 'This was a major policy shift that signalled how seriously many countries are now taking security,' he said. Originally published as Defence shares boom as wars intensify, company revenues surge Read related topics: Donald Trump
News.com.au
2 hours ago
- News.com.au
Australian brand selling popular item every 2.5 seconds
A brand new item from a beloved 'better for you' confectionary company is selling every 2.5 seconds. Funday Natural Sweets was started by Daniel Kitay, having always loved a sweet treat eating habits, he cut out lollies and dropped 25kg — but he always felt like something was missing. And so, Funday Natural Sweets was born. Earlier this year, the brand launched its lollipop collection, with no added sugar, made with natural flavours and sweeteners. For the last four years, Funday had solely done gummy candy, releasing its own versions of a Party Mix, Peaches and Cream and Sour Cola Bottles to name a few. But they decided to branch out into lollipops, with fan favourite flavours such as pineapple, strawberry and cream, cola and sour apple. Since launch, the brand has sold a single lollipop every 2.5 seconds, stacking up to 35,000 pops a day. 'More and more Aussies are looking for treats and lollies they can feel good about, but they still want the fun that comes it and the flavour — but without all the artificial ingredients and the high sugar,' Mr Kitay told 'What Funday has been able to do is tap into another confectionary sub category and deliver that without all the sugar but still offering the same traditional taste. The interesting thing, when we go through the scoping of a potential product, we look at the traditional product in the market and we found that in a 12 gram lollipop each has 10.3 grams of sugar. 'For us, that was a wakeup moment.' Mr Kitay said he didn't think consumers were aware of the sugar content in a traditional lollipop, as it was such a quintessential part of Australian culture. It was the perfect moment for the brand to dive into the category. He said there were countless rounds of tests and trials to deliver the best possible guilt-free lollipop. 'We don't use any sugar to make our lollies, we use real food ingredients like tapioca starch and chicory root fibre that actually give a sweet flavour. We then add a touch of the all-natural stevia leaf to balance things out,' the Funday website explains. Since its release, the new product has been 'flying' off shelves, with Mr Kitay saying he has been hearing anecdotal feedback from customers, friends and family who are going into stores and being unable to find anything because they're selling out. 'It's the exact type of response we want when we launch a product. It clearly means we're talking to what the customer wants,' he said, adding it also presents a challenge for the brand to try to keep up stock levels so people don't miss out. 'Ultimately, it's one of those moments when we realise and we're onto a winner and we know it straight away.' It's no secret that Funday is a hit among consumers, regularly receiving letters from fans inviting the brand to their weddings, thank you cards, as well as Easter, Christmas and Eid cards. 'Everyone is blown away by how much people love what we're doing,' he said. Since launching four years ago, Funday can be found in 7000 stores across Australia — including Woolworths, The Chemist Warehouse, petrol stations and independent grocers. It's also launched in New Zealand, Singapore, the Middle East and Amazon in the US — and the response has been equally great. 'It's only been four years, so in the life cycle of a business we are so new and fresh so my view in running Funday from the outset has been big business mentality with how we operate — in terms of due process, hiring the right people, setting up the right culture and setting up things for the long term success,' Mr Kitay said. 'The tricky part that I spend a lot of my time on is how do we maintain a start-up mentality within a business that is growing really fast. What separates us from multinationals is the sheer smaller size and the ability to be agile, allows us to respond to market demands way faster than anyone else. It's our secret weapon.' Looking back, Mr Kitay said he set high goals at the outset and has done what he set out for Funday to do. But, for other people who doubted the proposition, the brand's success has been 'surprising'. 'I know there were a lot of doubters in the beginning saying that we'd never be able to do it, it takes years to work with retails — but all the negative doubts has fuelled me to make sure we double down and deliver. 'I am also equally aware of how big it's become.' Mr Kitay kept tight-lipped on what might come next, but did say the new drop of products over the next 12 months would be 'revolutionary' for the industry and building on the same principles of the iconic lollipop. He said a lot of the products would get customers back into enjoying confectionary, adding that the ultimate goal of the business was to help people enjoy lollies like a kid again.
News.com.au
3 hours ago
- News.com.au
How Afterpay and Zip are killing home loans
Thousands of Aussies are being quietly shut-out of the housing market not for bad credit, but because of Afterpay, brunch, and one too many online shopping sprees. Finance, real estate experts, and buyers' advocates have sounded the alarm on a hidden world of 'silent black-listing', where hopeful homebuyers are knocked back by banks with no explanation, despite strong incomes and even formal pre-approvals. And you might already be on the list. Ray White AKG principal Avi Khan said he's seen an alarming rise in finance knock-backs over issues buyers never saw coming. 'It's particularly affecting people using buy-now-pay-later services like Afterpay and Zip,' Mr Khan said. 'Any mispayment — even one missed $40 repayment — is enough to raise red flags with the banks. 'Most borrowers have no idea they're being monitored at that level.' While many buyers assume their credit score is all that matters, Mr Khan said banks are digging deeper, and judging harshly. 'People think if they pass the online mortgage calculator, they're good to go,' he said. 'But banks apply a strict stress test those calculators don't factor in. 'So they enter the market with false confidence, and when finance is declined, they're devastated.' Melbourne buyers' advocate and expert in buyer psychology Cate Bakos said she's heard of buyers penalised over spending that feels minor, but looks messy on paper. 'Those services can have a significant impact,' Ms Bakos said. 'And it's not just buy-now-pay-later platforms. If a lender sees cash being pulled out at a casino, that's not a good look. 'Even your subscriptions and payment services show up in your statements — and that can absolutely affect how the banks view you.' Ms Bakos said lenders are trained to spot risk, even if the borrower doesn't see it. 'You've got to think like an assessor. What do your statements say about you? That's what the bank is judging,' she said. Cohen Handler Victoria managing director Nicole Jacobs said even buyers with solid savings can be left reeling when banks reassess borrowing limits without warning. 'It can be absolutely devastating,' Ms Jacobs said. 'If you've been looking at properties in a certain price bracket, and then you're suddenly told your spending habits or credit conduct have precluded you from buying in that range, it feels like the rug has been pulled out from under you.' Ms Jacobs warned that lifestyle spending — even brunches or Afterpay splurges — can quietly erode borrowing power. 'Understand that borrowing isn't about how much you've saved — it's about what you can repay,' she said. 'Even with a great job, the background spending can hurt you. 'Being in a position to buy a home is far more valuable than another handbag or a few nice extras.' Finch Financial chief executive and mortgage expert Julian Finch said while there's no official blacklist, it doesn't mean you're not being flagged. 'If you've defaulted, had a loan declined, or behaved in a way that raises red flags, that information doesn't disappear,' Mr Finch said. 'It sits in the bank's internal systems and can stop you getting a loan — not just with them, but potentially with other lenders too.' Mr Finch said defaults, dishonoured payments, overdrawn accounts and too many applications in a short time can all quietly trigger a silent no, especially when banks are assessing repayment risk. 'Banks monitor conduct,' he said. 'Even if your credit score is intact, poor account behaviour can sabotage your application from inside the bank's risk systems.' The Finch Financial Finder said certain occupations — especially those with casual or unstable income — can also prompt concern, regardless of salary. Mr Finch urged buyers to get a proper credit-assessed pre-approval before shopping — and to avoid applying to multiple lenders in desperation. 'Work with a finance expert who understands how banks think,' he said. 'We can match you with lenders who are suited to your situation and help avoid unnecessary hits to your credit file.' 'I can't say too much just yet, but there's certainly more activity to come.'
