1. Mining super-cycle tipped that should see dividends bonanza

Experts on our mining exports we sell overseas say we’re heading for a super-cycle that could see shareholders pocket huge dividends, with the AFR telling us record payouts from big mining companies such as BHP, Rio and Fortescue are coming. Investment house UBS speculates that BHP alone could deliver $76 billion worth of dividends between now and the end of 2023-24, which looks like good news for shareholders and the miners’ share prices.

2. Morrison Government picked a fight with Google and media companies are the winners

Treasurer Frydenberg called this deal with Google an “historic moment and a world first”, with the digital giants such as Google being forced to enter into negotiations and agreements with Australian news media businesses for original content. The Treasurer says “None of these deals would be happening if we didn’t have the legislation before the Parliament”. Nine Entertainment that owns the Nine Network and Fairfax newspapers and more, will be paid over $30 million in cash annually by Google for five years for the use of its content. This is a world first and other governments will be using this to pressure the digital giants to pay up for content they use.

3. Get ready! Domino’s to open 5 pizza stores a week this year

The Coronavirus and working-from-home have helped the pizza business, with Domino’s net profit beating the $100 million mark for the first time in the second-half of 2020. That was a 41% rise in profit as the pandemic drove strong demand for home-delivered pizzas. The company’s shares have risen 78% over the last 12 months to more than $100. And its CEO, Don Meij, now plans to open 260 new stores this year or five a week! That said, the Australian division of Domino’s own shops in Japan and Europe as well as here. ‘Fatter’ Aussies look highly likely in 2021!

4. 155kg crocodile undergoes surgery to remove shoe

A team at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine has successfully removed a shoe from the stomach of a 3.2 metre, 155kg Nile crocodile named Anuket. The shoe had fallen off a zipliner at a Florida alligator farm and fallen into the croc's enclosure.

5. Dow hits another record close

The Dow Jones closed at another record close on Wednesday, rising 90.27 points or 0.29% to 31,613.02. Like yesterday's session, both the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq headed in the opposite direction. The S&P fell by 1.26 points or 0.03% to 3,931.33 and the Nasdaq lost 82.00 points or 0.58% to close at 13,965.50.