Phillip Lasker
History may reveal silver lining to Obama's clouded economic legacy Analysis
Posted
While the recovery took longer than many hoped or expected, Barack Obama is leaving the US economy in much better shape than he found it eight years ago.
Topics: economic-trends, money-and-monetary-policy, us-elections, world-politics, government-and-politics, united-states
After 30-year bull run, global bond markets routed on Trump worries
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After a 30-year bull run, there is a rout on global bond markets since Donald Trump was declared President elect, with close to $US3 trillion flowing out of bonds across the globe.
Topics: markets, money-and-monetary-policy, business-economics-and-finance, australia
'Reasonably high' chance AAA rating will be lost before Christmas
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Australia has almost a one-in-two chance of being downgraded next week, following the Federal Government's mid-year budget update, according to a leading bond trader.
Topics: budget, federal-government, economic-trends, markets, money-and-monetary-policy, australia
Australian economy faces 2017 challenge with mining bust a long way from over
Posted
Some leading analysts are warning 2017 could be a tough year for Australia's economy as the housing boom peaks while the mining bust has a couple more years to run.
Topics: economic-trends, money-and-monetary-policy, housing-industry, mining-industry, australia
Interest rate cut at long odds but some economists back the roughy
Posted
Shortly before they are off and running in Melbourne for the Cup, the Reserve Bank board will be considering interest rates, contemplating something else that's off and running - the east coast housing market.
Topics: money-and-monetary-policy, economic-trends, banking, housing-industry, australia
Australian consumers 'worse off' because of big company dominance
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Big companies now have a market share about double what it was in the early 1990s, leaving consumers worse off, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, markets, takeovers, australia
Most Masters staff will get new jobs within Woolworths: CEO
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Woolworths offers hope to staff in its failed Masters hardware stores, to close before the end of the year, saying most of them can be redeployed across its other businesses.
Topics: retail, takeovers, company-news, australia
Banking royal commission likely as election empowers crossbench
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Australian banks are staring down the barrel of a royal commission and tougher regulation following the rise of a hostile crossbench at the federal election.
Topics: banking, federal-government, federal-parliament, federal-elections, australia
Low inflation 'an opportunity' for lower rates: RBA board member
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Reserve Bank board member John Edwards says ultra-low inflation means real interest rates are rising, hinting that more rate cuts may be needed.
Topics: money-and-monetary-policy, economic-trends, australia
Credit ratings caution Australia on financial vulnerabilities
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Credit ratings agencies say Australia is stable at its AAA rating but faces a number of vulnerabilities and cannot indefinitely delay budget repair.
Topics: economic-trends, budget, federal-government, australia
Oil price plunge not likely to end any time soon
Posted
OPEC members so desperately need the money from oil sales that they have been ignoring production targets set by the organisation, aimed at stabilising the global market and raising prices.
Topics: oil-and-gas, business-economics-and-finance, trade, community-and-society, australia
Nothing sweet about TPP for Australian sugar growers
Posted
A dispute over sugar is among the many stumbling blocks for the stalled Trans-Pacific Partnership, and Australian growers rankle at claims by powerful American lobby groups.
Topics: sugar, international-aid-and-trade, business-economics-and-finance, trade, australia, united-states
First time buyer investors surging on affordability concerns Feature
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More than a third of first time buyers nationally, and over half in Sydney, are buying as investors to get negative gearing tax breaks to help make housing more affordable.
Topics: housing-industry, economic-trends, youth, australia, sydney-2000, melbourne-3000
Property price surge generating policymaker headaches Feature
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Analysts say low interest rates and money printing have pushed asset prices higher, even though their fundamental value has not changed.
Topics: housing-industry, economic-trends, money-and-monetary-policy, budget, banking, australia
Australian banks' mortgage concentration worries analysts Feature
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Australian banks have around 60 per cent of their loan portfolios in housing, and that concentration is worrying analysts.
Topics: housing-industry, banking, economic-trends, money-and-monetary-policy, australia
Economists give Hockey stick over first budget, say second 'trickier' Analysis
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A number of leading economists say Joe Hockey's first budget missed the mark, making the second one even tougher.
Topics: budget, federal-government, tax, economic-trends, australia
Suspect dollar trading ahead of interest rates decisions under investigation
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The integrity of the local foreign exchange market is called into question as the corporate regulator launches an investigation into suspect trading in the Australian dollar ahead of interest rate decisions.
Topics: stockmarket, australia
Woolworths denies bullying suppliers over discounted products
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The Australian Food and Grocery Council says there is widespread concern about claims Woolworths is bullying suppliers, after receiving complaints that the retailer is demanding suppliers pay up to $1.5 million to make up for profit lost on discounted products.
Topics: food-and-beverage, industry, australia
MYEFO reveals a deficit of good news for the budget, consumers Analysis
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There won't be any cigars smoked by the Treasurer Joe Hockey this time.
Topics: budget, federal-government, economic-trends, australia
Falling oil prices are the Christmas gift that should be giving more Feature (video)
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Fuel prices have fallen, but not as much as oil prices have slumped, and airline surcharges are unchanged.
Topics: oil-and-gas, consumer-finance, economic-trends, australia
Business worried that free trade agreement will favour Chinese firms
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Almost a decade in the making, Australia's $150 billion trade with China is about to get a major boost through a free trade deal.
ATO to examine Luxembourg corporate tax dodge information
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G20 leaders calling for international tax reform have been given more ammunition.
Topics: tax, multinationals, luxembourg, australia
Saudi-US supply war slashes crude oil prices
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Australian motorists are benefitting from an oil supply war between Saudi Arabia and the US that is slashing crude prices.
Topics: oil-and-gas, economic-trends, saudi-arabia, united-states, australia
Banking regulator outlines likely response to housing investor surge (video)
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Investors remain in the firing line as regulators attempt to cool a hot property market.
Rapidly rising property prices in the big cities have forced the Reserve Bank and Australia's banking regulator APRA to confront a threat they denied existed for far longer than they should have - the threat of a property price bubble.
Now there is a strong expectation that intervention is on its way.
The banking regulator APRA has also given a fairly clear indication on what form that intervention will take.
Topics: housing-industry, banking, economic-trends, australia
Electricity prices did not fall as much as expected: economist (video)
Posted
Australia's economy may have its problems, but inflation is not one of them.
Topics: economic-trends, money-and-monetary-policy, electricity-energy-and-utilities, australia
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