🦘 What Stores Are Open During Easter. Albo’s Ambitious Solar Panel Plan, Charter Hall’s $97 Million Move

G’day everyone!

Here’s what we’ve got in store for you today:

• What Stores Are Open During Easter

• Albo’s Ambitious Solar Panel Plan

• Charter Hall’s $97 Million Move

Let’s have a look at the market snapshot before jumping into the news:

Easter Store Shuffle: Know Where to Hop for Your Last-Minute Buys!

As Easter hops around the corner, brace yourselves for a merry-go-round of opening hours among Australia's retail giants!

If you're planning a shopping spree at Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Bunnings, or Big W this Easter, you might want to check Google before heading out!

The long weekend is turning most stores into elusive Easter eggs, with doors shut tight on Good Friday across the board—yeah, it's a ghost town with a few exceptions in South Australia.

But don't you worry! From Easter Saturday through Monday, these stores are springing back to action, albeit with a few tweaks in hours depending on your state.

While IGA plays the rebel with open doors in many locations, remember to double-check your local store's hours to avoid staring at closed doors.

Amidst the Easter egg hunts and chocolate binges, don't let the holiday hours catch you off guard.

Happy Easter shopping!

Australia's Solar Surge: Albanese's Bright $1 Billion Plan Lights Up the Future

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is turning the spotlight on Australia's solar scene with a dazzling $1 billion initiative aimed at manufacturing solar panels right in the heart of coal country, the NSW Hunter Valley.

With a dream to flip the script from coal to clean energy, the Liddell Power Station site is set for a sunny makeover into a state-of-the-art solar hub. 

This Solar SunShot program is the government's ambitious bet on boosting local solar panel production from a mere 1% to a shining beacon of Aussie ingenuity.

Lendlease, partnering with solar newbie SunDrive, is gearing up to transform the old coal site into a powerhouse of solar production.

This move is not just about greening the grid; it's about securing jobs for the coal community facing an energy transition.

With incentives and grants lined up, Australia's looking to bask in the global solar spotlight, cutting down on imports and firing up local innovation.

So, as Australia gears up for a renewable revolution, it's clear the future's looking bright—solar bright.

Charter Hall's Hotel Heist: A $97M Bargain or a Bold Bet?

In a move that's shaking up the Australian hotel landscape, Charter Hall just played a masterstroke by nabbing a 15% slice of Hotel Property Investments (HPI) from 360 Capital for a cool $97 million. 

This isn't just any deal; it's a strategic play in a game of real estate chess that's got everyone talking.

With HPI recently waving goodbye to four of its properties and the sad departure of CEO Don Smith, this buy couldn't be timelier.

Charter Hall's not just adding to its collection; it's now the big kahuna in HPI's world with a 17.9% stake.

They've shelled out a premium for this piece of the pie, showing they're serious about marrying convenience hotels with their hefty portfolio of retail goodies.

While 360 Capital parts ways with its stake for a bit less than it paid last year, it's walking away debt-free and ready to splurge on a share buyback.

Charter Hall, meanwhile, is eyeing a tasty annual yield and a discount on HPI's net tangible assets.

The deal's a win-win, setting the stage for a potentially lucrative union of pubs and property.

That’s All!

If you’ve read all the way up to here, we just wanted to let you know that you’re an absolute legend!

Time to go to work and show off how clued up you are about what’s going on in the business world 💪

Keep an eye out for tomorrow's newsletter. Until then, have an awesome day folks!