Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Source: GlobalData

25 August 2026

Google's reported plan to shift all Pixel device manufacturing out of China by 2027 has sparked significant discussion among influencers on X, following a Nikkei Asia report stating that the company has told suppliers it will relocate production of Pixel smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds primarily to India and Vietnam. The surge in discussion was driven by expectations that Vietnam will consolidate its role in high-end electronics production due to its established supplier ecosystem, while India could use the opportunity to move beyond assembly into higher-value component and sub-assembly manufacturing, says GlobalData, a leading intelligence and productivity platform.

Shreyasee Majumder, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Influencers widely pointed to Vietnam's immediate advantage, citing its more mature supply chain, deeper component ecosystem, and established strength in high-end Pixel development. However, a large share of the conversation focused on India's longer-term upside. Influencers argued that India has already established itself as a scalable assembly base, and that the real strategic win now lies in moving up the value chain into areas such as HDI PCBs, camera and display modules, lithium-ion cells, and other critical sub-assemblies. The broader sentiment was that the shift would benefit both countries strategically, as global manufacturers increasingly seek resilient, diversified production networks outside China.”

Below are a few popular influencer opinions captured by GlobalData's Social Media Analytics Platform:

• Muthukrishnan Dhandapani, Mutual Fund Distributor:

“….Google has told suppliers it will move production of Pixel smartphones, smartwatches, and wireless earbuds out of China to primarily Vietnam and India. Since 2024, Google has already been manufacturing budget friendly Pixel devices in Chennai through partners such as Foxconn. Just as Tamil Nadu secured the entire Apple ecosystem, this is an opportunity to create an entire Google ecosystem….”

• Sanjay Srivastava, Strategic Advisor:

“Google's complete exit from China by 2027 changes the game. The era of “China+1” is over. It's time to build “India+Better” at the component layer. Assembly was Step 1. The real battle moves to component manufacturing depth now. 1. The Context: Supply Chain Re-Architecture * Google is shifting Pixel production out of China by 2027 to diversify its global supply chain. * India and Vietnam have emerged as primary beneficiaries, with partners like Foxconn and Dixon Technologies driving domestic scale since 2024….”

• The Wealth Wizard, Legal Expert and Trader:

“Google $GOOGL is preparing to move ALL Pixel smartphone, watch and earbud production out of China by 2027, shifting manufacturing primarily to India and Vietnam This is bigger than Google The global supply chain is slowly being rewired away from China Companies are diversifying production, bringing critical manufacturing closer to home and reducing exposure to geopolitical and trade risk….”

• The Cloaked Gaze, Financial Expert:

“India Eyes Component and Sub-Assembly Opportunity as Google Plans to Shift Pixel Production Out of China by 2027 The Google Pixel Shift — What's Happening Google plans to move Pixel smartphone production out of China by 2027 Part of broader efforts to diversify its supply chain Company already expanding manufacturing in both India and Vietnam taking on high-end Pixel development and production Vietnam poses strong competition — has a deeper and more established electronics supply chain…”

• Jeff Ooi, Business Advisor at DSS-LF:

“…Google has been aggressively expanding capacity in Vietnam and India to lower its dependency on China in recent years, though a significant portion of its production remains in the country. The development and production of high-end Pixel phones in Vietnam this year is said to have been successful…”

Notes

• Quotes provided by Shreyasee Majumder, Social Media Analyst at GlobalData.

• Information based on GlobalData's Social Media Database, “Social Media Analytics Platform”.

About GlobalData

GlobalData Plc (LSE:DATA) operates an intelligence platform that empowers leaders to act decisively in a world of complexity and change. By uniting proprietary data, human expertise, and purpose-built AI into a single, connected platform, we help organizations see what is coming, move faster, and lead with confidence. Our solutions are used by over 5,000 organizations across the world's largest industries, providing tailored intelligence that supports strategic planning, innovation, risk management, and sustainable growth.

Source: deVere Group

August 24 2026

The US $40 trillion debt spiral is now mathematically self-feeding and investors around the world are underpricing its huge far-reaching consequences, warns the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organisations.

Nigel Green of deVere Group's warning comes as the US national debt broke through $40 trillion this month, after adding $1 trillion in just five months, the fastest pace on record, according to Treasury data.

The debt is now growing by roughly $91,000 a second, close to $8 billion a day, and the burden already works out at $295,000 for every US household, up more than $21,000 in the past year alone.

Annual interest costs have climbed past $1.2 trillion, overtaking the entire US defence budget for the first time and nearly tripling since 2020.

The milestone landed as the 30-year Treasury yield touched its highest level since 2007, with 10-year auctions clearing at levels not seen in almost two decades, driven by persistent inflation pressure, stalled ceasefire talks tied to the Strait of Hormuz, uncertainty around new Federal Reserve leadership, and a surge in corporate borrowing to fund AI infrastructure competing for the same pool of buyers.

The Congressional Budget Office already expects the trajectory to worsen on autopilot. Debt held by the public sits near the size of the entire US economy today and is projected to reach 120% of GDP by 2036, with the annual deficit climbing past $3 trillion within a decade and $24 trillion added to the pile over that period alone.

Nigel Green says: “None of this now requires a recession, a war or a policy mistake to happen. It's what current law already produces.

“This is arithmetic, not sentiment. Interest is compounding faster than the economy generating the revenue to pay it, so every dollar borrowed to cover last year's interest bill creates a larger interest bill this year, regardless of who sits in the White House or what the Federal Reserve decides next.”

For US investors, the transmission is direct and already visible. The average 30-year mortgage rate sits at 6.66%, more than double the 2.65% low struck in January 2021, and every move higher in the 10-year Treasury yield, the benchmark it tracks, tightens what buyers can afford and discourages refinancing.

Corporations now pay that yield plus a credit spread on every new bond, a cost landing hardest on capital-intensive sectors such as the data centre buildout financing the AI boom, and higher yields compress the value markets place on future earnings, the same mechanic behind the sharpest swings in growth and semiconductor stocks this year.

The government's own average interest rate on its debt has climbed to 3.44%, up from 3.40% a year ago, a small-looking shift that adds tens of billions in cost once applied across $40 trillion.

The exposure runs well beyond US borders. Foreign investors hold roughly $9.4 trillion of US government debt, close to a quarter of the total, led by Japan at over $1.1 trillion, the United Kingdom near $950 billion, and China at $659 billion, a figure well below its 2013 peak of $1.3 trillion as Beijing continues to diversify its reserves.

A sustained rise in US yields tends to pull global capital toward dollar assets, strengthening the dollar and tightening financial conditions well outside America, raising borrowing costs for European corporate issuers and emerging-market governments priced off the same benchmark curve.

The bond selloff is not confined to the US. Japan's 10-year yield has climbed to 2.95%, its highest since 1996, as the Bank of Japan moves toward a rate rise as early as September, unwinding a carry trade that has funnelled Japanese capital into US and European debt for years.

UK 10-year gilts have held above 5% for the longest stretch in almost two decades, and German bund yields sit at their highest since 2011.

AI infrastructure companies alone issued roughly $1.5 trillion in corporate bonds this year, pulling investor capital away from government debt and forcing sovereigns everywhere to offer higher yields to attract the same pool of buyers.

Equity markets are already pricing the strain. The Nasdaq Composite fell 1.33% and the S&P 500 0.69% in a single session this month as the 30-year Treasury yield hit its 2007 high, with tech the worst-performing of the S&P's 11 sectors.

Semiconductor and storage names bore the brunt, while healthcare and consumer staples outperformed as investors rotated into defensive positioning.

The pattern is consistent with the mechanics of higher discount rates: the further out a company's earnings sit, the harder its valuation gets hit when long-dated yields move.

Currency markets are sending an unusual signal. Textbook logic says higher yields should attract capital and strengthen the dollar, yet the US Dollar Index has fallen 2.51% over the past month even as Treasury yields climbed to multi-decade highs, a divergence that points to investors pricing credit and fiscal risk into the currency itself rather than treating it as an automatic safe haven.

This shift coincided with the Treasury's own move to expand bond buyback operations in an attempt to manage borrowing costs, a policy response markets appear to be reading as confirmation of the problem rather than a fix for it.

He warns: “Portfolios built for low, stable yields are now carrying risk most investors have not repriced.

“Duration exposure that looked harmless two years ago could very well be one of the most dangerous things quietly embedded in a balanced portfolio, in the US and internationally, and markets have treated $40 trillion as background noise for far too long.

“This is a debt spiral that is now dangerously feeding itself, and the only real question left is how many investors understand that before the market forces everyone to.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Source: deVere Group

August 24 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent tapping the $1 trillion Treasury General Account, as just announced, to fund bond buybacks is a major red flag for investors, warns the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organisations.

Nigel Green of deVere Group's comments come as the US national debt punches through $40 trillion, arriving roughly two years ahead of official government forecasts, and the Treasury doubles the size of its bond buyback programme in an attempt to steady a market where 30 year yields had climbed to levels not seen since 2007.

He says: “When a government has to step into the market and start buying back its own debt, it tells you the usual buyers didn't show up in the volume Washington needed, and officials had to find another lever to pull.

“What we're looking at is a band aid fix, not a solution. It smooths the surface without touching the pressure building underneath it.

“Buybacks can quiet a single trading session, and that's exactly what happened this week. Yields dropped sharply within minutes of the announcement landing.

“But a borrowing position that has just crossed $40 trillion cannot be talked down or bought down in an afternoon.

“Investors reached that conclusion almost as fast as the announcement itself moved through the wires, and the rally reversed within a day, erasing the initial drop in yields entirely.

“It's a textbook pattern of a market testing an intervention and finding it wanting once the shock wears off. The first move was reflex. The second move, the following day, was the market doing its arithmetic.

“Layer on the reported plan to draw close to $1 trillion out of the Treasury General Account, cash built from ordinary tax receipts, to help fund further buybacks, and you have a government dipping into its own operating reserves to prop up demand for its own paper. That is not a borrower firmly in control of its financing.

“It's a borrower running short of easy options.”

Takeaway for investors is not panic, it's repositioning.

“Spreading exposure across regions, currencies and asset classes stops being a nice to have and becomes essential. Investors should be looking well beyond their biases, toward equities, alternative assets and currencies that are not tethered to a single sovereign balance sheet under this kind of strain.”

Gold and other assets that hold up well against inflation could deserve a fresh look too. When a government is signalling, however indirectly, that it needs to manage demand for its own bonds, that is precisely the environment in which real assets tend to outperform paper promises.

Nigel Green concludes: “The clearest message from this week appears to be that Washington is buying time, not fixing the problem.

“Investors who treat this as a passing headline rather than a structural warning will be the ones most exposed if or when the next, bigger test of confidence lands.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients. It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Source: Zén

24th Aug, 2026 – Tomorrow marks a new chapter for three Michelin-starred Zén, as the restaurant reopens its doors after an extensive, three-month-long refurbishment and renewal.

While staying true to the DNA that has made it one of Asia's most acclaimed culinary destinations, Zén has returned in a more contemporary, intimate form, where architecture, hospitality, and storytelling come together once again in a renewed expression.

Guests now begin each dining experience around a newly installed, intimately lit 16-seat counter served directly by Zén’s chefs. Offering a series of seven canapés, each inspired bite is the prelude to the six courses that follow and can be accompanied by a pairing of sake and wine, non-alcoholic or a mixture of both.

From there, the meal continues on the second floor for the main courses of the experience. Guests will enjoy dishes such as Crudo: shima aji, artichoke bariguole, quince & nasturtium; Chawanmushi, abalone, coriander, shiitake & beef broth and Wagyu, oxtail pressé, morel & fermented kampot pepper. All ingredients for this island city-state are imported, and at Zén, they are meticulously sourced from a select list of trusted regional suppliers and delivered from Japan four times per week, all of the finest quality. Menus are constantly evolving as produce moves through the seasons, with full changes three to four times per year. Each visit concludes on the third floor lounge, with desserts, petit fours and a selection of the finest digestifs.

The award-winning team's creative vision has been realised in a bold reimagining of the interior, refining the space and elevating every aspect of the guest experience. This results from a close collaboration between the Frantzén Group and JOYN, an interior architectural studio based in Stockholm. The design considers how layout, texture, and colour blend with changes in lighting, sound, and materials to shape how guests and staff alike interact and communicate as they move through the space.

Shades, touchpoints, and elements in earthy brown tones now draw guests in and up through the building. Paler colours of biscuit and hazelnut, calming and neutral, represent a fresh simplicity, while richer tones of cinnamon and chocolate represent luxury, affection and of course, delicious food.

The background lighting is soft and ambient, highlighting both the drinks and ingredients, as well as the pine-block wood stairwells and ornamental displays. Shelves display ferments and pickles, while the artwork, selected by the Frantzén Group, features an eclectic mix of Scandinavian pieces and carefully curated items that showcase heritage and design, telling the story of Sweden. This collection includes the traditional Dala horse, which is now regarded as a symbol of good luck, strength, and hospitality.

The papery, light texture of raffia in wall coverings contrasts with the smooth, fossilised, matt stone found in countertops, as does the clay-like surface of dark limestone stucco with the sheen of Kit Kat Japanese tiles. Textile blinds in ethereal sheer cotton, linen, and silk diffuse the strong tropical daylight.

In the main dining room, a dramatic chandelier made of the famous Snowball candle holders, designed by Ann Wolff for Kosta Boda, casts water-like reflections off the copper shade and high-gloss ceiling above. The calming elegance of the minimal colour palette, textures, and materials seamlessly melds a Swedish design aesthetic with its Japanese and SE Asian counterparts.

From the moment they arrive at Zén, guests are immersed in a world of familial relaxation. Now with three of the island’s most skilled Singaporean-born leaders at the fore: Head Chef, Kelvin Ng, General Manager Rachel Ezekiel and Head of Beverage Warren Estrop, the team continue to build on the prestigious Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award they collected during the ceremony at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2023.

About The Frantzén Group

The Frantzén Group is a collection of restaurants, bars, and gastronomic experiences founded by Björn Frantzén, with establishments in Sweden and internationally. The Group holds a total of 9 Michelin stars, including the 3-star Restaurant Frantzén – ranked 38 on the 50 Best Restaurants list – 3-star Zén in Singapore, and 3-star FZN in Dubai.

Official website: https://www.restaurantzen.com/

Source: Equinor ASA

24 August 2026 13:30 (CEST)

Equinor, Aker BP and Vår Energi are establishing a strategic exploration collaboration to pursue some of the largest remaining opportunities on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS). The aim is to increase the chances of major discoveries that can support new standalone field developments and long-term value creation.

The companies have agreed to combine expertise, data, technology and exploration capacity to pursue selected high impact exploration opportunities. Over the next four to five years, the companies plan to mature and test a portfolio of approximately 20–25 exploration opportunities, with an ambition to drill around five high impact exploration wells annually.

In recent years, most discoveries have been made close to existing infrastructure. Developing these resources through subsea tiebacks is important for maintaining production from existing fields and facilities. Near-field exploration will remain crucial, but larger discoveries will also be needed to provide the resource base for new standalone field developments.

The companies see continued potential for such discoveries. However, some of the largest remaining opportunities come with higher geological uncertainty, greater complexity and larger investment requirements. This has made it increasingly challenging to establish partnerships around high-impact prospects. By sharing risk and combining capabilities, the companies can pursue and test more of these opportunities than they would individually.

Major new discoveries could support future energy supplies and value creation, while helping sustain activity and expertise in the Norwegian supplier industry. They could also contribute to maintaining reliable energy supplies from the NCS to Europe as production is expected to decline after 2035 without new discoveries and developments.

Quotes

Kjetil Hove, executive vice president for Exploration & Production Norway, Equinor:

“By combining our expertise and exploration portfolios, we can high-grade the best opportunities, move faster and do more. This allows us to focus our efforts where the potential is greatest and will increase our chances of finding the fields of the future. Near-field exploration remains crucial, but we also need to pursue the bigger opportunities to sustain activity and value creation beyond 2035.”

Karl Johnny Hersvik, CEO, Aker BP:

“The NCS still holds substantial undiscovered resources. By bringing together three strong exploration organisations, we can pursue more of the most promising opportunities and increase the chances of significant new discoveries. New technologies could open new, significant plays. This is about putting our combined expertise to work where it can make the biggest difference, securing reliable energy for society, and value for our stakeholders.”

Nick Walker, CEO, Vår Energi:

“The NCS remains highly attractive. Exploration is a cornerstone of Vår Energi's growth strategy and a driver of long-term value creation. This collaboration is a transformative step for the future exploration of high-impact opportunities on the NCS. It has the potential to unlock access to material new discoveries that can support long-term production, create value for our stakeholders and contribute to maintaining Norway's position as a secure and responsible supplier of energy to Europe.”

About the collaboration

• Equinor, Aker BP and Vår Energi are establishing a strategic collaboration targeting selected high impact exploration opportunities on the NCS.
• The companies will share risk and combine expertise, data, technology and exploration capacity.
• The collaboration will target approximately 20–25 exploration opportunities over the next four to five years, with an ambition to drill around five exploration wells annually.
• The aim is to increase the chances of major discoveries that can ensure high energy production longer support new field developments and long-term value creation.

Official release: https://www.equinor.com/news/20260824-equinor-aker-bp-and-var-energi-join-forces

Source: Invest Moldova Agency

The Republic of Moldova has unveiled its first national ranking of leading exporters, recognising 25 companies from 12 economic sectors for their performance on international markets, innovation and contribution to strengthening the country's economic profile abroad.

The companies selected under the Top Exporters from Moldova programme reach 50 international markets, reflecting the growing diversification of Moldova's export economy beyond traditional agri-food products to technology, engineering, healthcare, financial services, professional services, education and creative industries.

Implemented by Invest Moldova Agency, the programme is designed to identify and promote companies with strong international performance and increase the visibility of Moldova as a competitive source of products, services and business expertise.

Food and beverages represent the largest category, with seven companies included in the ranking. The Top 25 also includes three companies in industrial manufacturing and engineering, three in technology, electronics and telecommunications, two in textiles and fashion, two in pharmaceuticals and healthcare, and two in media, entertainment and creative industries. Agriculture, financial services, cosmetics, education, tourism and professional services are also represented.

The selection process began with an analysis of more than 1,300 exporting companies, based on data from the Customs Service of the Republic of Moldova, the National Bureau of Statistics, and other relevant public sources. Following the preliminary assessment, 115 companies qualified for the next stage, while the final applications were reviewed by an independent Selection Committee representing 12 public institutions and business organisations.

The 25 companies selected for the inaugural ranking are:

ADD-PRODUCTION SRL; ALFA-NISTRU SA; ALLERT & CO SRL; BAA GLADEI ȘI PARTENERII; BC MAIB SA; CRICOVA SA; DJOFRA-M SRL; FANI SRL; FARMAPRIM SRL; ICS HEALTH FOREVER INTERNATIONAL SRL; IM TATRA-BIS SRL; INFORMBUSINESS SRL; ÎM VINĂRIA PURCARI SRL; MOLDABELA TRADE SRL; MOLINART GRUP SRL; MONICOL SRL; NAZAR DRUMS SRL; ORHEI-VIT SRL; SANDRILIONA SRL; UNITECH ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS SRL; STATE UNIVERSITY OF MEDICINE AND PHARMACY “NICOLAE TESTEMIȚANU” OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA; VERSUS ARTIST SRL; VIORICA-COSMETIC SA; VMBSV GROUP SRL; and VINĂRIA DIN VALE SRL.

Irina Tolstousov, Deputy Director of Invest Moldova Agency, said:

“Through the Top Exporters from Moldova programme, we recognise companies that naturally become ambassadors of Moldova's export offering. These are businesses that not only achieve strong results on international markets, but also contribute to strengthening Moldova's image and building confidence in our country brand.

Their products and services reach 50 international markets, demonstrating the competitiveness and potential of Moldova's economy. At the same time, their success creates new opportunities for other Moldovan companies by facilitating access to markets where Moldova's business capabilities are already recognised.”

The selected companies will benefit from a national and international promotion programme, including visibility through the Top Exporters from Moldova platform, the Exporters Book, editorial and video content, and other promotional activities coordinated by Invest Moldova Agency.

The 25 companies will be officially recognised at the Export Forum on 1 October 2026, organised as part of Moldova Business Week 2026, the country's flagship international business and investment event.

Top Exporters from Moldova is a biennial programme implemented by Invest Moldova Agency to identify and promote companies that demonstrate strong international performance and contribute to Moldova's reputation as a source of competitive products and services.

More information: https://topexporters.invest.gov.md

Source: Equinor ASA

24 August 2026 08:15 (CEST)

Equinor and the energy company Uniper have signed a 15-year agreement for supplies of natural gas to Germany. Under the agreement, Equinor will deliver more than 30 TWh (ca. 2.8 billion cubic metres) of natural gas per year to Uniper.

Supplies under the new agreement will be from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2041 with the gas delivered at Trading Hub Europe, the German gas market area. Pricing will reflect market terms, while other commercial details are confidential between the parties.

“We are pleased to extend our long-standing partnership with Uniper. This agreement demonstrates the strong demand for reliable, long-term gas supplies from the Norwegian continental shelf, which delivers energy and industrial feedstock with a lower carbon footprint than alternative gas supply. It further strengthens Equinor’s role as a trusted long-term energy partner to Europe, says Anders Opedal, president and CEO of Equinor.

Michael Lewis, CEO of Uniper says: “This long-term agreement is a strong signal for the future of Europe’s energy system. Reliable long-term partnerships remain essential for secure and competitive energy markets, and this agreement strengthens Germany’s gas supply for years to come. At the same time, we see significant potential to work together with Equinor on advancing proven lower-emissions gas solutions for customers in Germany. Norway is a cornerstone of Europe’s energy security, and Equinor is a trusted partner with deep expertise and a strong commitment to the European market.”

Germany is Equinor’s largest market for natural gas and has been an anchor market for Norwegian gas since exports started in 1977. Deliveries under the new agreement will start on 1 January 2027, the same year Norway and Equinor mark 50 years of gas exports to Germany.

“For five decades, Norwegian gas has heated German homes, fuelled German industry and contributed to Germany’s energy security. This new agreement with Uniper builds on that history and extends our commercial relationship well into the 2040s. It is a reminder of the importance of long-term partnerships in a period with changing energy markets.” says Opedal.

Equinor and Uniper have also signed a non-binding letter of intent to explore possible sales from Equinor to Uniper of sustainability-related attributes linked to supplies under the new gas sales agreement. These attributes refer to documented data on the origin of the gas and its greenhouse gas intensity and other sustainability characteristics of Equinor’s gas production, which is third-party verified and made available through the Attributes digital platform.

Natural gas is expected to remain a key part of Europe’s future energy mix, supporting security of supply, industrial activity and flexibility in the energy system as more renewable power and low-carbon gases are developed.

About Uniper

Düsseldorf-based Uniper is a European energy company with global reach. With around 7,000 employees, the company plays a central role in ensuring a secure energy supply in Europe – particularly in its core markets of Germany, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and the Netherlands.

With 18.5 gigawatts of power generation capacity, Uniper is the backbone of reliable electricity production. As a leading gas trader and one of Northwestern Europe’s most important LNG importers, Uniper strengthens supply security with a broad procurement portfolio.

Through investments in renewable energy, hydrogen, and other low-carbon energy carriers, Uniper is also driving the transformation of the energy system.

In its home market, Germany, Uniper supplies around 1,000 municipalities and industrial companies with energy and services. In addition, Uniper is Germany’s largest operator of gas storage facilities and hydropower plants.

Official release

Source: Commonwealth Bank of Australia

New behavioural science research from CommBank, released for Scams Awareness Week 2026, suggests Australians' tendency to deal with suspicious situations on their own may be creating opportunities for scammers.

24 August 2026

Key points

• New research from CommBank’s Behavioural Science Centre of Excellence shows Australians often try to deal with scams alone, potentially leaving them more vulnerable to scams.
• Of the scam victims who never spoke to anyone, the research shows:
  • Almost one in three (31 per cent) believed they could handle the situation themselves¹;
  • One in three (33 per cent) didn’t think it was necessary to speak with someone¹; and
  • More than one in three (34 per cent)¹ said embarrassment had stopped them talking about it with someone else.
• Yet 84 per cent of those surveyed think it’s worthwhile to talk to a loved one about scams.¹

New research from CommBank’s Behavioural Science Centre of Excellence has found that Australians often default to trying to deal with scams independently rather than checking with someone they trust like a family member or colleague – both at home and work.

CommBank’s latest campaign with actor and comedian Jimmy Rees, encourages Aussies to have a conversation to help stop scams.

Jimmy was nearly scammed when he was selling his car, but after a chat with his dad, realised the ‘buyer’ was likely trying to scam him.

“I was nearly scammed, but a simple conversation helped stop the scammer in their tracks. So don’t be shy and talk to those closest to you when something feels off. Talking about it can help protect others too,” Jimmy said.

Talking to a colleague can help prevent a scam

Nearly three in four employees (72 per cent)¹ who were scammed said they did not discuss the situation with a colleague before realising it was a scam.

Meanwhile, more than six in ten business owners (63 per cent) said there are barriers to talking to customers or others about scams, including concerns about alarming customers and suppliers, limited time and believing it isn’t their role.

CommBank’s Executive General Manager, Fraud and Scams, James Roberts, said scammers increasingly rely on people making decisions in isolation.

“One of the biggest myths about scams is that people fall victim because they don’t know enough. What we’re seeing is something much more human – when something unexpected happens, many of us believe we can work it out ourselves.”

“When you don’t pause to sense-check with someone you know and trust, you are more likely to overlook any signs, even if you have already spotted them. This is because scammers use tactics like urgency, pressure and familiarity to influence your decision making.

Mr Roberts said creating a habit of checking with someone else like a family member or colleague should become as routine as checking a payment amount before transferring money.

CommBank Behavioural Scientist Caitlin Court said the findings highlight a well-known behavioural tendency: people often rely too heavily on their own judgement.

Ms Court said talking about near misses represents one of Australia’s most underused scam prevention tools.

“Near misses are one of our most underused sources of scam prevention. Every suspicious text you delete, fake invoice you question or phone call you hang up on is a learning opportunity. Sharing those experiences can help someone else recognise the same tactic so they can help protect themselves,” she said.

Mr Roberts added, “The strongest defence isn’t being the smartest person in the room. It’s creating families, workplaces and communities where people feel comfortable asking, ‘Does this look right to you?’”

For support when talking to others, including video content and a downloadable conversation guide, visit commbank.com.au/talk-scams.

¹ Based on findings from two nationally representative studies conducted in January and April 2026, involving a combined sample of 6,221 Australians.

Research highlights

Consumer behaviours

• The main reasons scam victims didn’t talk to someone about the scam were that they felt embarrassed (34%), they didn’t think it was necessary (33%), and they felt they could handle it personally (31%).
• Of 395 participants, more than 8 in 10 think it is worthwhile to talk to a loved one about being scammed.

Business behaviours

• Of 203 employees surveyed, nearly three in four (72%) who were scammed did not discuss the situation with a colleague before responding.
• Six in ten business owners (total of 101 business owners, equating to 63% of those surveyed) report barriers to talking to others about scams.
• Among the 305 employees who experienced a scam near miss, discussing it with colleagues and workplace education was a key factor in avoiding the scam.

About the research

Research was conducted by CommBank's Behavioural Science Centre of Excellence across two studies in January and April 2026 involving 6,221 participants, including 2,349 Australian employees, managers and business owners.

The research combined nationally representative surveys with behavioural experiments to examine how Australians identify and respond to scams, including the factors that influence decision-making in the moment and what encourages or discourages people from discussing scam attempts with others.

Official release

Commonwealth Bank of Australia | 248/2026