• COMMENT

When the big four banks are called to parliament to face their first public hearings on October 4, 5 and 6 it is worth remembering that financial misconduct isn’t unique to Australia.

• COMMENT

The first two weeks of spring have brought with them an ominous threat - that house property values are getting a second wind in the already blustery property market.

• COMMENT

On the anniversary of the Wall Street bank's collapse, it is worth recalling just how blatant some of the misdeeds were, and the surprising lack of prosecution for the bank's improprieties.

• COMMENT

I'm not so sure that we should be rushing around publicly pursuing this free trade deal with London.

• COMMENT

If all goes according to plan, Myer's sixth year of falling profits should be the last decline for the retailer, which is now 12 months into a much-heralded revival plan - which ironically involves shrinking its way to better performance.

• COMMENT

If you were hoping the superannuation proposals the government took to the election would provide certainty around super for years to come, you will be disappointed.

• COMMENT

History is beckoning: Cross the floor to bring on a parliamentary vote on marriage equality and achieve something your grandchildren will be proud off.

• COMMENT

Overlooked amid the latest market roiling is the best news for the global economy since China primed the capitalist pump.

• COMMENT

The $44 billion life insurance industry will face a powerful inquiry. It can't come soon enough

• COMMENT

The demise of retailer Dick Smith has helped pave the way for a new giant in home appliance and electronics retailing through the $870 million union of JB Hi-Fi and The Good Guys.

• COMMENT

Buying a car will be for many people the first major financial decision they make. And for a lot of them, it might also be their first financial mistake, according to a new ASIC report.

• COMMENT

The more than $30 billion plunge in the value of Australian equities on Monday will make a dent in all our investments and super funds and result in an understandable degree of panic.

• COMMENT

Living in Australia, there's a danger of taking James Morrison for granted. Glenn Stevens has become a bit like that too.

• COMMENT

If a company tricks their customers about the product they're selling, is that any less serious than colluding with the shop next door?

• COMMENT

The scorecard in the Dick Smith game of deception versus incompetence is a hard one to read.

• COMMENT

The alleged 'bullying' tactics waged against 7-Eleven franchisee Helen Ren by head office has sent chills through the convenience store giant’s franchise network.

• COMMENT

Just about everyone who doesn't look at the numbers - which is most people - is convinced the economy is 'slowing'.

• COMMENT

Nobody cares if banks are getting a good kicking from politicians because nobody cares about defending them.

• COMMENT

There's more than a little irony in at least some of the Australian dollar's latest gyrations being attributed to Glenn Stevens' exit interview remarks. He actually dissed monetary policy's exchange rate power.

• COMMENT

I question whether Australians should be having the days off that we do.

• COMMENT

The fallout from Sam Dastyari's entitlement and stupidity is considerably greater than his unimportant political career.

• COMMENT

What have we said about product strategy and trying not to alienate customers? I thought you'd learned your lesson after the iPhone 5c fiasco.

What do Australians that haven't seen a decent pay rise or whose wages are moving backwards spend their money on? It's turning traditional retail theory on its head.

There is a limitation to how far negative interest rates - that is, rates below zero - can go before it has an adverse impact on investor and consumer confidence.

• COMMENT

GDP data on Wednesday is tipped to confirm it's been 100 quarters since our last recession. Raise your bat, Australia – we're the second nation to ever score such a century.

• ANALYSIS

Just why would Dick Smith have acquired something from a supplier at 98¢ and sell the same thing back to the supplier at 78¢?

• COMMENT

It's time for government to acknowledge the obvious: electricity prices will have to rise if we're meaningfully to reduce carbon emissions.

Unlike many of my Fairfax colleagues, I'm ambivalent about holding a Royal Commission into financial markets in general and banking in particular.

Just as they say there's more than one way to skin a cat, so there are a lot of ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

• COMMENT

As the clock starts ticking on the introduction of a code of conduct for the scandal-ridden life insurance industry, the sector needs to think carefully about releasing a half baked code as calls for a royal commission get louder.