The week in numbers to September 5
The big and small numbers that grabbed attention - or should have - in the business world over the past week.
Monday:
0.8 per cent - Company gross operating profits fell 6.9 per cent in the June quarter, but were up a meagre 0.8 per cent in the 12 months to June, official figures show. If that was your business and those were your figures, you'd shut shop.
Tuesday:
2.5 per cent - The Reserve Bank left the official interest rate at its record low of 2.5 per cent. Noted economist Shane Oliver believes more needs to be done to bring the Aussie dollar lower, and RBA should leave the door open to another rate cut, even if it doesn't follow through.
Wednesday:
448 - Coles is axing more than 400 jobs from its Melbourne head office in a cost-cutting exercise. The supermarket giant's earnings last financial year grew up nine per cent to $1.67 billion.
Thursday:
$328.4 million - Australia Post's profit for the last year, despite losses from its letter-delivery business blowing out to just under $30 million. Is the letterbox fast going the way of public phone boxes and newspaper classified ads?
Friday:
$19 million - Google has agreed to pay full refunds totalling at least $19 million to consumers who were charged for purchases that children made via apps without parental consent from the Google Play app store. Strange, I don't recall downloading the app game Kim kardashian: Hollywood.
