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(b) That's wrong. The threat in this case is of economic harm (financial damage to B's business) rather than physical harm. Such threats may constitute duress.

North Ocean Shipping Co Ltd v Hyundai Construction Co Ltd [1979] QB 705.

However, the courts distinguish carefully between illegitimate compulsion and behaviour falling within the accepted (often harsh) cut-and-thrust of normal business activity. The critical question is whether the threat was in some way unlawful. In the present case, the threat to wrongfully terminate the lease on a pretext is clearly unlawful and amounts to duress.

Suppose A had said: "If you don't agree to the increase, I won't renew your lease after it expires". Such a threat is not in itself unlawful and would not constitute duress.

Pao On v Lau Yiu Long [1980] AC 614.

Sometimes even a threat to do something that is lawful might constitute duress if, in the circumstances, making the threat amounts to unconscionable conduct, because unconscionable conduct is unlawful.

Cockerill v Westpac Banking Corporation (1996) 142 ALR 227.