Corporate & institutional

Friday edition: analysis and forecasts for this week's key releases.

Key insights from the week that was.

It is still too early to detect any material shifts in the labour market stemming from the Middle East conflict or recent interest rate rises. The April Labour Force Survey (LFS) could still deliver a surprise of its own though, due to the timing of the survey completely overlapping the Easter holidays – something that has caused unexpected results in the past.

Escalating natural disasters are driving a new phase for sustainable finance in the real estate and healthcare sectors as investors look to adaptation and resilience.

Our Q1 2026 Sustainable Finance Market Update reviews global and Australian market activity amid continued issuance moderation. This edition explores trends across sustainable bonds and loans, highlights notable transactions from the quarter and examines developments shaping the role of sustainable finance in supporting Australia’s digital infrastructure transformation. You’ll also find the latest market news and insights from across the sustainable finance landscape.

From 1 October 2026, merchants will no longer be allowed to charge their customers a surcharge when they pay with a card. It’s part of a suite of retail payments reforms being introduced by the Reserve Bank of Australia.The changes present an opportunity for businesses to review what their own payment service provider is charging them to accept payments and ensure that they receive the full benefit of all the reforms, says Joel Lenhardt, Managing Director of Merchant Payments at Westpac.