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August reveals Australians’ big appetite for weight-loss drugs, love for ‘dupe’ brands and an accelerating EV uptake

Reporting season shows how consumers are responding to cost of living pressures and how retailers are responding

Australians are buying less pizza but more weight-loss drugs. They love “dupes” but don’t enjoy writing letters.

Here are five key takeaways from the August reporting season that show what consumers are buying as cost of living pressures reignite, and how retailers are responding.

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© Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

© Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

© Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP

Carney Has Canadians’ Support on Trump. Now Comes the Hard Part.

29 August 2026 at 12:03
The U.S.-Canada trade war has galvanized Canadians behind their prime minister’s decision to walk away from negotiations. What happens when the time comes for talks to restart?

© Dave Chan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks at a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, after trade talks with the US collapsed earlier this month.

‘If it’s made in the US, I don’t buy it’: Canadians on boycotting Trump’s America

29 August 2026 at 15:02

Avoiding US goods and services – from tech to whisky to air travel – has forced many to find a new way of living

For William McDonald, 38, a diesel mechanic from Thunder Bay, Ontario, “Canadian is always the first choice,” even if it means his weekly bills are higher.

“As soon as Trump started putting those tariffs on in February [last year], I started boycotting US goods,” he said. “Avoiding American products has driven my costs up, and I’m still happy to do it.

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© Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters

© Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters

© Photograph: Chris Helgren/Reuters

Fed Chair Warsh not ruling out interest rate hike amid inflation concerns

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said there is still work to do on inflation. At the Fed's annual economic symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Warsh also said that although he is not committed to a rate hike, he is not ruling it out. Amna Nawaz discussed more with Nick Timiraos of The Wall Street Journal.

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