SBS News In Depth Folgen

ASX soars to a four week high as investors eye Santa rally. SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves speaks with Marcus Bogdan from Blackmore Capital about what's driving the sharemarket and whether to expect the so-called Santa rally.

State and territory health ministers have unanimously rejected the Commonwealth's latest hospital funding offer, stating it fails to meet the commitment for increased federal contributions needed to handle Australia's growing and ageing patient population. This funding standoff has caused a critical bottleneck, leaving over 3,000 federally-funded aged care patients stranded in public hospitals and increasing pressure on state health services.

The United States has defended the seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker as a major US naval build-up in the region continues. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has described the seizure as illegal with the US also imposing further sanctions on relatives of Maduro and other targetted naval vessels.