1. Bad news for CBD businesses

Struggling CBD businesses missing office workers who were their main customers will have to wait years for a return to normal. Brisbane and Perth CBDs will see their employment numbers of 2019 back within two years because of their tough border policies. But Sydney and Melbourne will have to wait four long years for business normalcy, and Adelaide five years! These are the calculations of Deloitte Access Economics, which will be bad news for any CBD businesses currently hanging by a thread.

2. ScoMo & Josh talk $$$ to Gladys

The Morrison Government could have a federal rescue plan on the way for this country’s biggest state economy. The Australian newspaper reports the PM and Treasurer Josh Frydenberg had a weekend phone hook up with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian to discuss a financial assistance package for business. Details of the package, which will also include help for households and workers who have lost income, will be thrashed out today and announcement should come soon.

3. Will our stock market rise or fall?

Despite the extension of the Sydney lockdown and the likelihood of another extension, the stock market looks unrattled. The local futures say our stock market is set to start up just over 1% or 72 points but that optimism comes from the positive lead from Wall Street over the weekend. Economists say this Sydney lockdown could cost the economy $7 billion and turn the current quarter into a negative for NSW’s economic growth, which should be bad news for stocks.

4. Richard Branson wins billionaire space race

Sir Richard Branson rocketed ahead of fellow billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk into space overnight, reaching 85km above earth on Virgin Galactic's Unity 22 mission. Bezos is set to fly aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard on July 20, while Musk has yet to announce when he will head to space with his company SpaceX.

5. US stocks ended the week higher

The Nasdaq was the top performer of the major US indexes on a weekly basis, moving up 0.43% to 14,701.92, while the S&P 500 rose by 0.40% to 4,369.55 and the Dow Jones gained 0.24% to 34,870.16. The S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.48% for the week to 7,273.30.