Your Wikipedia pages of the day: List of foods named after places and List of drinks named after places.

Enjoy today’s newsletter, where we cover a European trade deal and the big business of mattresses.

If you need me, I’ll be here enjoying a breakfast of Eggs Florentine and Frankfurter sausage, with a side of sliced Fuji apple and Greek Yoghurt, sipping on a Café Touba.

Australia and the European Union (EU) signed a long-awaited free trade deal on Tuesday.

Under the deal, tariffs on almost all Australian goods being sold in Europe will be lifted, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said would boost Australia’s economy by $10 billion annually.

The deal will also make European products such as wine and biscuits cheaper.

With a population of more than 445 million, the EU is Australia’s third-largest trading partner. Total goods traded between the EU and Australia topped $77.7 billion (€47 billion) in 2025.

Australia and the EU have been discussing a new trade deal since 2018.

On Monday, EU President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Australia for a three-day visit to sign the long-awaited deal.

Most countries restrict what other countries can bring into their markets.

This commonly takes the form of ‘tariffs’ (taxes paid by the importer).

Tariffs are typically passed on to consumers, often making imported goods more expensive than domestic goods.

Under the new deal, tariffs on EU exports to Australia, and Australian exports to the EU, will largely be lifted.

The Government has said this would “make things like European wine, spirits, biscuits, chocolates and pasta cheaper at Aussie checkouts.” Some Australian farmers have raised concerns the extra competition will hurt local producers.

However, the Government has argued the deal will benefit Australian exporters by making their products cheaper for European customers.

Under the deal, there are new restrictions on the names of products made in Australia. This has been a longstanding issue for the EU, which has rules in place for product names such as champagne.

There will now be new restrictions on the names of ‘feta’ and ‘gruyere’, which will be phased out over time.

However, farmers will be able to continue selling Parmesan and Prosecco under those names in Australia.

Reporting by Lachlan Keller.

Australian mattress/furniture brand Koala is set to go public on the ASX later this month, netting millions for the childhood friends who started the company in Byron Bay over a decade ago.

As traditional retail continues to struggle, the online seller known for its social media marketing is bucking the trend.

Here’s what you need to know.

Co-founded by Dany Milham and Mitch Taylor in 2015, Koala positioned itself as somewhat of an industry disruptor. The brand differentiated itself from other retailers by selling vacuum-sealed, rolled mattresses online, without a brick-and-mortar presence.

In a 2019 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Taylor explained the business’ customer-centric approach, with a focus on convenience and removing traditional retail “pet peeves” from the furniture buying process.

“Our products have to be built to last, high quality and made from sustainable materials where possible,” he said.

Koala is a Certified B Corporation, meaning it has been verified as meeting standards for “social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability.”

According to the retailer, it has donated $23 million “in cash and product donations” to support various causes, including koala conservation initiatives.

Since launching, Koala has grown its range to include bedroom, living, and outdoor furniture as well as homewares, rugs, and bedding. The retailer has also expanded overseas, with operations in Japan, the U.S. and the UK.

With almost 90% of its products made in China, Koala delayed plans to go public in mid-2025 amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China.

A company is said to “go public” when it first lists shares on a stock market, such as the ASX. This is known as an initial public offering (IPO).

Founders and other employees at a company are often compensated with shares ahead of the IPO.

Once a company’s ownership is spread among many shareholders, it’s considered public.

Shareholders are entitled to vote on some company decisions with their vote weighted in accordance with the number of shares they own.

Every ASX-listed company has a unique identification code known as a ‘ticker’. Koala will list on the ASX under the ticker “KOA” on 31 March.

Before a company goes public, investors have a window to buy new shares at a fixed price, during what’s known as an IPO “offer period”. For Koala, this period ran from 23 to 24 March, when it offered 20 million shares at $3.40 each.

Prospective investors who missed this window will have to wait until 31 March to buy shares, which may be higher or lower than the fixed share price during the offer period.

Koala expects to raise $68 million through the listing, with an expected market capitalisation (the approximate value of its outstanding shares) of $305 million.

Co-founder Dany Milham's 20% stake is set to be worth over $63.3 million, though ASX escrow regulations – a legal arrangement restricting when shares can be sold – mean he won’t be able to sell for two years. Exact escrow terms can vary depending on a company’s circumstances.

Fellow co-founder Mitch Taylor is set to earn $54 million from his 16% stake.

Another well-known early investor in the company is Australian cricketer Steve Smith, who paid $100,000 for a 10% stake in 2015. While his share of the company has since been diluted through subsequent fundraising rounds, Smith stands to earn a significant payout from his holdings.

Some analysts have questioned Koala’s timing, as the war in the Middle East and oil supply shock continue to rattle markets.

However, Koala’s IPO is considered relatively modest compared to several other recent Australian IPOs.

New listings on the ASX increased by 37% last year, up from 67 in 2024 to 92 in 2025. Six of these had market capitalisations of more than $1 billion, compared to Koala’s expected $300 million.

With a valuation of roughly $60 billion, the speculated 2027 IPO of online design platform Canva is one of the most anticipated upcoming listings from an Australian company. However, Canva is expected to list on the U.S. NASDAQ, rather than the ASX.

Reporting by Lachlan Keller.

Why markets react so quickly to global conflict

When tensions rise overseas, financial markets move fast.

Conflict in the Middle East is influencing markets, with investors reacting to uncertainty and the risk of wider disruption. It’s a reminder that markets are often driven as much by expectations as by what’s actually happened.

So what exactly are investors watching right now – and why does it matter?

Radio host Kyle Sandilands is taking his former employer ARN Media to court after it terminated the remainder of his 10-year, $100 million contract.

ARN tore up the deal after an explosive on-air argument between Sandilands and co-host Jackie "O" Henderson ended the show which had been running for over 25 years.

Sandilands claims ARN’s decision was invalid as he believes he did not breach his obligations.

ARN disputes these claims and intends to fight them in court.

Reporting by Lachlan Keller.