News In Brief

Welcome to our ‘News In Brief’ column in which we digest all the news releases for you in no more than five paragraphs.
Below are snippets of all the media releases we received from April 13 till the end of the week.
This article updates throughout the week

Co-Living Rises

Sydney, April 13: About 4.1 million Australians have moved in with someone or stayed in a shared living arrangement over the past year to save money, according to new research from Finder.
A survey of 1,011 respondents found 19% had turned to co-living for financial reasons, with parents or grandparents the most common option at 10%, followed by siblings at 7%, friends at 4% and ex-partners at 3%.
Finder said the trend was most common among younger Australians and in Victoria, where 33% reported shacking up to cut accommodation costs. That compared with 16% in Queensland, 15% in NSW, 14% in WA and 11% in South Australia.
Taylor Blackburn, personal finance specialist at Finder, said more Australians were being forced into difficult trade-offs to maintain housing security.
“Between soaring rents, rising interest rates and general cost-of-living pressures, the ability to live alone is slipping out of reach for many.”
“Unconventional living arrangements are fast becoming the norm as financial pressures leave Australians with little choice but to prioritise affordability over comfort.”

Rally Safety Upgrade

Jakarta, April 13: TransTRACK has again supported the Indonesian Motor Association at the 2026 North Sumatra Sprint Rally, bringing its locally developed Rally Tracking System to improve real-time vehicle monitoring and on-track safety.
The system allows organisers to track rally cars every second and includes emergency buttons such as SOS, Fire and Blocked Road alerts to help speed up responses to incidents. TransTRACK first introduced the technology at the 2024 North Sumatra Rally and has continued developing it for motorsport use.
Anggia Meisesari, Founder and CEO of TransTRACK, said, “Since we first introduced this technology in 2024, we have continuously developed it to meet the increasingly complex needs of the motorsport industry. Our commitment is to provide technology-based solutions that not only increase efficiency but also ensure the safety of all participants is a top priority.”
Race leader Poedio Oetojo said the technology marked a significant step forward for rally safety in Indonesia.

ACCC Probes Black Friday

Perth, April 14: The ACCC is investigating several retailers over potentially misleading advertising during last year’s Black Friday sales, after a sweep found about half of 50 retailers reviewed had made concerning claims. Issues identified included inaccurate countdown timers, ‘sitewide’ sale claims with hidden exclusions, and fine-print disclaimers that may have misled shoppers.
“We are concerned that retailers appear to be increasingly relying on tactics that manipulate consumers by creating a false sense of urgency that they will miss out on a discount if they don’t buy the product now,” ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said.
The regulator said it had launched several investigations following the 2025 sales sweep and would take enforcement action where conduct was found to breach Australian Consumer Law.
The ACCC also noted it had already taken action after its 2024 sweep, with Michael Hill, MyHouse and Hairhouse Online paying penalties over misleading ‘sitewide’ sales claims.
“Retailers have an obligation under the Australian Consumer Law to not mislead consumers. We will continue to prioritise taking action against unlawful conduct that seeks to take advantage of consumers during sales events,” Lowe said.

Choco Up Secures Facility

Singapore, April 14: Choco Up has launched a US$30 million private credit facility from CHUAN to provide faster financing for small and medium-sized enterprises across the Asia Pacific, as businesses face tighter cash flow and growing funding pressure.
The company said the facility was designed to help SMEs access working capital more quickly, with approvals possible in as little as a few hours, compared with traditional lending timelines that can stretch to months. The first drawdown from the facility has already been completed.
“SMEs today don’t just need access to capital. They need financing that keeps pace with how their businesses operate,” said Percy Hung, CEO and Founder of Choco Up. “We’re excited to partner with CHUAN to provide disciplined, transparent, and carefully managed capital, helping businesses continue to grow and innovate even when traditional lending options are limited.”
CHUAN said the partnership would also give capital providers near real-time visibility into the performance of underlying assets, while improving access to diversified credit opportunities in the digital economy.
“This partnership is also central to CHUAN’s strategy of curating a network of proven tech partners, providing global investors with access to diversified credit assets with attractive yields that have largely been untapped by the capital markets,” added Lin Tun, Founding Partner and Chief Investment Officer of CHUAN. “By combining our tech-driven approach with Choco Up’s expertise in SME financing, we can deliver scalable, transparent, and responsible working capital solutions that create meaningful impact among SMEs regionally .”

APAC Leaders Confident On AI

Sydney, April 14: APAC leaders are confident in managing artificial intelligence and cybersecurity risks, but less assured about succession planning and governance readiness, according to a new survey by Heidrick & Struggles.
The 2026 CEO & Board Confidence Monitor found 44% of respondents identified artificial intelligence as a key issue for 2026, while 39% cited cybersecurity risk, higher than the 31% global average. Despite this, 50% said they were confident in managing AI and 55% expressed confidence in handling cybersecurity risks.
“The breadth of what is landing on leadership agendas across APAC right now is significant. The real test for leaders is carrying the weight of today’s volatility while simultaneously transforming for what comes next,” said Jiat-Hui Wu, Partner-in-Charge at Heidrick & Struggles Singapore. “Technology is reshaping organisations faster than governance structures can keep pace with. The leaders who will define this region’s next chapter are those who can steer through current pressures without losing sight of where they need to take their organisations tomorrow.”
However, only 54% of respondents said they were confident in CEO succession planning, highlighting gaps in governance structures as organisations prepare for future leadership transitions.