1. Aussies need to do the right thing

With talk that Melbourne’s lockdown will be extended by another two weeks and Sydney possibly to October, bosses want mandatory jabs for employees. Jabs for jobs is the prevailing argument from the country’s top employers but now they’re also saying they have a “duty of care” to insist on it. The CEO of Flight Centre, Graeme Turner, compares mandatory vaccinations for employees to compulsory seatbelt laws, while the ex-ASX boss, Elmer Funke, pointed to France, where vaccinations are compulsory.

2. Will our stock market succumb to negativity?

The stock market is tipped to be a little negative at the start of trading week, with great earnings confronting growing virus concerns here and worldwide. They’re getting great company profit results in the US as well as taking their stock markets to record highs like ours, but rising Delta strain virus cases in low vaccinated US states took consumer sentiment to a low not seen since 2011, after the GFC. Our consumer confidence also fell last week. While better vaccination rates will help confidence rebound, the stock market here could soon give into negativity, as lockdowns are extended.

3. BHP & Woodside in serious talks

BHP is in talks with Woodside to get out of its oil and gas assets for a cool $20 billion. Both companies report this week, and the negotiations are well down the track and they would cement Woodside as the country’s biggest oil and gas business, at a time when its rivals, Santos and Oil Search, are in merger talks. The sale would not only make BHP more dependent on its iron ore business, it would become more attractive to fund managers, who won’t invest in fossil fuel companies for ethical investor reasons.

4. JB Hi-Fi reports 67% increase in net profit

JB Hi-Fi has reported a 67.4% increase in net profit after tax and a 12.6% increase in total sales for the 12 months ending June 30. The company declared a final dividend of 107 cents per share, increasings its total dividend by 51.9% to $2.87. "Our continued focus on the customer, combined with the strength and competitive advantage of our multichannel offer, be it in-store, online or over the phone, has enabled us to seamlessly meet our customers' increased demand," said incoming CEO Terry Smart.

5. Dow Jones ends the week up more than 0.8%

The Dow Jones was the best performing index of the major three in the US last week, rising by 0.87% from a week earlier to 35,515.38. The S&P 500 was close behind with a weekly rise of 0.71% to 4,468.00, while the Nasdaq was down 0.09% for the week to 14,822.90.