Medical Cannabis M&A: Curaleaf has tabled an unsolicited $272m bid for Aurora Cannabis, signalling faster consolidation in global medical cannabis and raising the question of whether Canopy Growth could be next. Health & Wellness Retail: Kirin’s Australian health unit says GLP-1 weight-loss uptake is lifting demand for vitamins, supplements and nutrition products, with side effects driving new buying. Energy Prices vs Reliability: Renewables and batteries are pushing wholesale power prices to multi-year lows, but energy chiefs warn the grid is still finely balanced as coal exits and replacement build-outs lag. EV Momentum: EVs hit 21.7% of new-car sales in July for a third straight month above one in five, with higher fuel costs and maturing tech cited. Payments Disruption: A scheduled Mastercard system update triggered declined card payments for some Australians (and New Zealanders), with banks advising workarounds while the issue was fixed. Housing Access Tech: A proptech firm is rolling out a “rent-to-deposit” style product aimed at renters who can afford weekly costs but can’t catch up on deposits. Consumer Collectibles: Woolworths’ Disney Ooshies craze is still causing supply chaos and collector frenzy, with demand outstripping expectations. Period Products in Schools: The ACT is installing free period product dispensers across public schools after a successful pilot, expanding access for students. Food Waste Push: A new push targets supermarket date-labelling reform as households are urged to cut edible food waste.