Latest In finance
Buyers still spoilt for choice as prices rise
COURTNEY TODD DARWIN property values are up this quarter with the median home price sitting at a little over half a million dollars
Minister warns over house prices
Sophie Foster PARENTS may be cashing in on massive capital gains in the past 20 years, but many are freaking out over the possibility their children may not be able to get their foot in the door as a result.
Queen of style’s Coast apartment
Hannah Sbeghen ELIZABETH McMahon’s highrise pad overlooking the ocean could very well be the envy of all women.
Coast mansion fit for a movie star
Aleisha Pidgeon IF WALLS could talk there would be a story or two coming from this Isle of Capri mansion.
How to make the most of your house
ANTHONY KEANE USING your property wisely can have an affect on pension payments, but be careful not to get caught up chasing a few extra Centrelink dollars.
Something may not know about your super
Emma Blake IT’S never too soon to take charge of your superannuation so if you work for someone or are self-employed keep track of your super to make sure it is heading in the right direction.
Tax deductions for cars rev up
Anthony Keane TAXPAYERS are claiming larger work-related car expenses - but rule changes to be introduced this year are set to slow down many motorists.
When breaking up costs a bomb
Ellie Ross BREAKING up can be expensive — especially when your ex sues you for $85,000 over those repairs he made to your apartment.
World Economy
Chinese officers ‘arrest’ Ronald McDonald
CHINESE authorities weren’t lovin’ Ronald McDonald this week, hauling away a statue of the fast food mascot from a city store.
Arrium bombshell could cost 8000 jobs
THE Federal Government has asked banks to allow Arrium to trade out of insolvency, with thousands of jobs now at risk.
Mortgage borrower paid by bank
IT’S one of the more unusual side effects of negative interest rates — welcome to the country where the bank pays you for your mortgage.
Finance news you need to know today
CHINA’S technology regulator is playing hardball over proposed internet rules that could block access to foreign websites.
The city still reeling from the GFC
THOUSANDS of homes worth nothing, their broke owners left with heartache and mounting debt. But as people grow poorer, Wall Street is raking it in.
Finance news you need to know today
THE United States Supreme Court has stepped into the high-profile patent fight between the world’s two fiercest smartphone rivals, Apple and Samsung.
Why Donald Trump won’t eat Oreos
DONALD Trump is putting his money where his mouth is in his bid to shake up big business — he’s refusing to eat Oreos.
‘I bought a sex slave’s freedom for $400’
WHEN Kate Nicholl met a beautiful young woman enslaved to a brothel owner, she knew exactly what she had to do.
$8.8 billion deal dubbed ‘blackmail’
IT’S a one-time only offer to help solve one of the world’s most complex problems. Only many regard the $8 billion dollar deal on the table as highly illegal.
Why the party is officially over
PEOPLE don’t have as much fun as they used to. And it’s been confirmed in the most depressing way possible: by a statistics agency.
Merkel sticks to migrant course
ANGELA Merkel has vowed to continue Germany’s open-door policy despite heavy losses in state elections following the Cologne sex attacks.
Finance news you need to know today
LEAN Cuisine is among a range of packed foods being recalled in the United States over concerns they may contain small pieces of glass.
When a nation gets its first McDonald’s
CITIZENS of one of the world’s most obscure and poorly understood nations have just bitten into their first Big Macs.
Europe’s migrant rape epidemic
GERMANY, Sweden and other European countries are facing growing public unrest amid a wave of violent sexual assaults.
Finance news you need to know today
GOOGLE is fighting a battle on multiple fronts over its tax optimisation techniques, with both France and Britain pursuing the tech giant.
Australians get a say in crucial vote
IT’S billed as the “biggest choice in a generation” which could change the European Union forever. And eligible Australians can have a say in the process.
Big downfall coming for Putin
PUTIN may be making a lot of noise at the moment but it’s going to be a bumpy ride ahead for the Russian leader.
Meal that may have saved Europe
IT WAS supposed to be breakfast but the starters weren’t served until dinner time. Nevertheless, this very late meal may go down in European history.
Rich guy wants poor people removed
HE’S BEEN called ‘the millennial Donald Trump’. This rich white guy has not won any fans over his entitled outburst.
Julie Bishop’s cold welcome to China
JULIE Bishop has arrived in Beijing, but she hasn’t exactly been welcomed warmly. Instead, she’s provoked a terse reaction from her hosts.
Finance news you need to know today
Ikea is being investigated by European regulators over allegations the Swedish furniture giant avoided paying more than $1.5 billion in taxes.
‘It’s like day before World War I’
A LOOMING vote overseas is being compared to “dangerous moments” in history. It will have a huge impact on Australia.
One thing worse than another GFC
AS MARKETS plummet and debt piles up, it looks gloomy on the horizon. But there’s something worse we should worry about.
Finance news you need to know today
ANZ Bank has refused to comment on a report that it will face legal action by the corporate watchdog over alleged interest rate rigging.
How the world will look in 2025
THE world’s superpowers will be thrown into chaos and the war on IS will end. But there’s also bad news ahead.
Bizarre plan to keep criminals in check
WASHINGTON DC’s soaring crime has residents totally fed up. So they’re resorting to extreme measures.
Japan’s surprise move to fix slump
IN a move to boost the country’s stumbling economy, the Bank of Japan has implemented a negative interest rate policy for the first time.
‘So bad there is no answer’
THE world is facing an avalanche of catastrophic bankruptcies and defaults. Even worse, there might be no way to avoid disaster.
Stock market plunges around the world
BILLIONS of dollars have been wiped off the global stock market, bringing the market to its lowest level in nearly two years.
World warned of scary times ahead
THE International Monetary Fund said slower Chinese growth, a stronger US dollar, lower oil prices and political turmoil could all wreak more havoc on us.
A $22 billion tax on sports tickets
THE UN is calling for a tax on sports tickets, concerts, airline travel and other entertainment to fund its booming aid budget.
Scary graph explains nation’s fear
THINGS are getting ugly in Germany as backlash grows over alleged sex attacks by migrants. This depressing graph says it all.
Could China cause a second GFC?
BILLIONAIRE investor George Soros has issued a warning that we could be about to repeat the global financial crisis that caused havoc in 2008.
Muslim teenagers’ sick NYE rampage
A VIDEO of teenagers running wild on New Year’s Eve and lighting a petrol bomb under a Christmas tree while yelling “Allahu Akbar” has sparked outrage.
An entire country is on edge
AS THE world partied on New Year’s Eve, one nation was being warned of an “imminent” threat. But it has bigger problems.
Oil prices fall, everything else goes up
AN ENTIRE nation is in shock today, with a drop in the value of oil leading to higher prices for practically everything else, from petrol to cigarettes.
Saudi Arabia posts $135bn deficit
SAUDI Arabia has announced an eye-watering budget deficit of $135 billion as lower oil prices cut into government revenue.
Finance news you need to know
A DATABASE of Hello Kitty customers has reportedly been hacked, putting 3.3 million people’s personal data at risk.
What’s the big deal about bitcoins?
POLICE raids on a Sydney man have sparked rumours that he may be the mysterious creator of the online currency, bitcoin. But what is it, anyway?
Kiwis could face arrest if they fly home
THIS is not a drill. New Zealand has warned its Down Under defectors they could be arrested if they fly home for Christmas this year.
Why no one wants the Olympics
ARE the Olympic Games a worthwhile investment of money? A growing number of cities are saying ‘no’ — and that could spell trouble.
The city where businessmen are vanishing
IT READS like the synopsis of a crime novel. Chief executives are vanishing into thin air from this city, leaving people scratching their heads.
Why hitting IS wealth isn’t working
THE West has stepped up bombing of Islamic State’s oilfields along with trade sanctions. But taking them down requires far more work.
‘It’s a once in a generation choice’
EVERYONE thought it was going to be Greece that broke up the EU, but the UK could be the first to leave with a major decision looming that ‘cannot be undone’.
US opposes Pacific free-trade pact
DESPITE the US’s lack of support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, Trade Minister Andrew Robb says no congress can afford to stand in the way.
Finance news you need to know
AUSTRALIA’S biggest lender, the Commonwealth Bank, has lifted its quarterly cash profit four per cent to $2.4 billion.
Will the TPP save Oz after mining boom?
DETAILS of the long-awaited and contentious Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade deal have finally been released. But not everybody is happy.
China’s new policy sinks condom maker
SHARES of companies that make diapers, baby strollers and infant formula went up, but a popular brand of condoms wasn’t as impressed.
Cruel cost of the one-child policy
AS THE rapidly expanding China ditches its controversial one-child policy, the urban middle class say it has come at a price.
China’s bizarre propaganda video
IT’S LIKE watching Play School on acid. China’s bizarre propaganda video takes us on a psychedelic tour of the Communist Party’s inner workings.
Oil-rich kingdom could run out of cash
THIS desert empire relies on its immense oil wealth to keep it among the richest in the world. But that could all be about to evaporate.
China’s plan ‘verges on insane’
TODAY China is announcing an important, strategic nuclear deal in the West. It’s a game-changer, but experts are worried.
China growth hits six-year low
CHINA’S economic growth decelerated in the latest quarter but relatively robust spending by Chinese consumers helped to avert a deeper downturn.
Nobel Prize winner: ‘Is this a prank?’
“I’m just hoping it’s not a dream which I’m going to wake up from,” says the winner of the 2015 Nobel Prize for Economics, still pinching himself.
The $4 trillion debt time bomb
A TICKING time bomb of $4 trillion in debt is leaving the world economy in danger of a massive credit crunch, a new report has warned.
China’s scary people scoring system
CHINA’S latest scheme to maintain control over its people is terrifying. And there’s a chance it could spread around the world.
Why this deal makes us big winners
IT IS the historic deal that promises “enormous benefits” for all Australians. Here’s why we were big winners from the trade talks.
‘This is the biggest deal in 20 years’
AUSTRALIA is among 12 countries that have reached a US-led deal that will create the world’s largest free-trade area in the Pacific.
Leaders lock horns over cheaper drugs
IT’S been hailed as a groundbreaking deal that could boost global trade. But an argument between the United States and Australia could see it all scuttled.
China’s big challenge to Australia
IT’S your move, Malcolm Turnbull. China has made a huge statement on the environment that Australia would be foolish to ignore.
Why Pope Francis is ignoring the poor
THOSE who claim to speak for the poor and say that climate change is the world’s top priority are wrong. Their top priorities are health, education and jobs. OPINION.
Left-wingers return to power in Greece
A JUBILANT Alexis Tsipras vowed to continue fighting for his country’s pride after his left-wing Syriza party comfortably won the latest election.
Ikea’s crazy idea is paying off
FOR years Ikea has been doing a strange thing in China, letting people sleep in its stores. Weirdly enough, it could be the tool to save our economy.
Finance news you need to know
BUILDERS in the United States broke ground on fewer developments last month, a possible sign that the housing market may be plateauing.
Paid $30,000 for doing nothing
YOU wouldn’t expect this idea to work, because it makes a mockery of common sense. But it could change our society.
Finance news you need to know today
RUSSIA’S antitrust authority has found Google guilty of unfairly keeping rival services off mobile devices in a probe demanded by local search engine Yandex.
Refugees transform host countries
THERE are now more refugees worldwide than at any time since World War II. But what impact do refugees have on the countries that welcome them?
The filthy rich nations that won’t help
THE problem is right on their doorstep, and they could easily afford to help fix it, but instead these countries are doing absolutely nothing.
‘Dr Doom’ hits out at China fears
THE man who predicted the US housing market crash that preceded the GFC has hit out at “manic-depressive” investors panicking over China.
Luxury resort opens in war zone
THIS is a strange place in which to open a luxury resort. It’s expected to be completely “uninhabitable” within five years.
State that’s giving away free homes
IT SOUNDS too simple, and perhaps too expensive as well. But one American state has actually tried this, and the results are truly incredible.
New trend in big game hunting
IT’S the industry that bankrolls some of Africa’s most dangerous militia and terrorist groups. Now the government is getting in on this sickening business.
Finance news you need to know
CHINA’S central bank has cut its benchmark interest rates and the amount of cash banks must keep on hand.
The cure for Japan’s failing economy
JAPAN is notorious for a brutal corporate culture where people literally work themselves to death, yet the economy is in free fall. Here’s the PM’s radical solution.
Angry mob drags CEO from luxury hotel
DRAMATIC photos posted to social media show the moment the head of a Chinese company was dragged from his luxury hotel by a mob of angry investors.
Greek PM’s shock resignation
AFTER securing a third bailout with European creditors, Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tspiras has announced he is quitting and called an early election.
Finance news you need to know
GREEK politicians are preparing to vote on the terms of the country’s third international bailout since 2010, which have split the ruling radical left Syriza party.
Finland backs Greek bailout deal
FINLAND has given its approval for a third eurozone bailout package for indebted Greece, as long as dozens of preconditions outlined by creditors are met.
It’s time to worry about China
CHINA has just achieved something remarkable, but there are signs the golden run is about to end. Australia will feel the consequences.
Finance news you need to know
THE Commonwealth Bank has reported a five per cent rise in full-year net profit to a record $9.063 billion, while CBA shares went into a trading halt as it announced a $5 billion capital-raising.
China see slump in Aussie dollar
THE Aussie dollar has sunk to a new six-year low after Chinese authorities devalued its currency. We explain exactly what China did, and why.
Finance news you need to know
THE planned merger of travel booking sites Expedia and Orbitz has sparked monopoly fears among United States consumer advocates and hotel owners.
Hipsters create their own cash
WANT to buy a coffee here? Times are ch-ch-changing. Hope you brought your hipster banknotes.
Finance news you need to know
BILLIONAIRE investment guru Warren Buffett has suffered a blow to his massive fortune, with his company Berkshire Hathaway reporting a 37 per cent drop in its second-quarter profit.
Greece in ‘final stretch’ for deal
ALEXIS Tsipras says his government is nearing a deal with creditors on a mammoth bailout, as the hammering of the Athens Stock Exchange continues.
The world’s other financial disaster
WHILE attention focuses on Greece’s turmoil and China’s share market collapse, spare a thought for this place going through financial ruin.
Greek shares down 23 per cent
THE Athens stock exchange has plunged by 23 per cent on reopening this afternoon, as the world braces for more chaos in the debt-stricken nation.
Australia says ‘no deal’ in TPP negotiation
AUSTRALIA will not sign up to the $200 billion Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal after talks failed to resolve significant industry issues.
Vigilante king creates private police force
MEET the suave businessman who is taking policing the crime-ridden streets of his city into his own hands. He’s beating the cops at their own game.
Finance minister’s secret ‘Plan B’ leaked
LEAKED recordings show Greece’s ex-finance minister had a secret plan for a parallel banking system, as creditors begin work on a bailout package.
Mogul’s crazy idea to solve crisis
THEY are the world’s most desperate people — and no one knows what to do with them. Could this “harebrained” idea solve the crisis?
‘I suggest we take a cold shower’
KEVIN Rudd has hosed down fears of a regional conflict between the US and China kicking off in the South China Sea.
Greek bailout talks begin
GREECE’S creditors are set to kick off discussions about the third bailout package for the debt-ridden country.
Buried alive: Venezuela’s ‘tomb’ prison
AS VENEZUELA teeters on the brink of collapse, the government's crackdown on dissidents means that peaceful protesters are left languishing in a torturous underground jail.
‘They bring you to the point where you can’t pay’
GREECE’S former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis has defended the controversial bailout referendum, slamming European creditors as “terrorists”.
Welcome to the megalopolis
IT’S the size of 17 Sydneys and will be home to almost six times the population of Australia. But a lot of those people won’t be winners.
Greece’s banks reopen to mixed emotions
ACROSS Greece, locals formed orderly queues outside the nation’s banks that opened for business for the first time in three weeks but not everyone is happy.
ECB gives Greece breathing space
GREECE’S banks have been saved from collapse after MPs grudgingly passed a tough reform package demanded by creditors.
Why are Greeks spending crazily?
THEY’RE facing financial meltdown, but Greeks are splashing out on electronics and jewellery like never before. Why?
Streets of Greece turn very ugly
UPDATE: Greece has passed controversial new austerity measures - but its people definitely aren’t happy.
