Ian Verrender is the ABC's business editor. A journalist for more than 30 years, Verrender spent 25 years at The Sydney Morning Herald in a variety of roles including senior writer and business editor. He joined Business Spectator and Eureka Report in 2012 and joined the ABC in 2014.
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| UpdatedLast week we saw the first real cracks in the veneer of calm that have become a staple for central bankers. But if you think negative interest rates and the market dive are signs of the return of the GFC, think again. The truth is, it never left us.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, markets, international-financial-crisis, international-financial-institutions
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| UpdatedNow that our Prime Minister has all but killed off a GST hike (although watch this space) he will need to look at everything from superannuation to capital gains to fix our budget problems.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, business-economics-and-finance, tax
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Eight years of pumping up markets has failed to deliver, so maybe it's time for central bankers from Beijing to Frankfurt to stop running the same failed experiment ad nauseam.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, government-and-politics, international-financial-crisis, international-financial-institutions
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| UpdatedAre hard times ahead? Or is the fact that everyone is so gloomy a sign that the worst has passed? Either way, economic forecasting is a mug's game.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance
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| UpdatedAnother solid rise in the last full day of trading for 2015 takes the local stock market to within a whisker of breaking even for the year.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, stockmarket, retail, oil-and-gas, markets, australia
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If global finance refuses to fund the project, Adani's failure to turn the Carmichael mine into reality may become the defining moment, marking the point when the world turned its back on coal.
Topics: government-and-politics, industry, coal, business-economics-and-finance, mining-industry
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The pre-Christmas cheer that began last week gathered momentum on the Australian stock market today, helping extend the rally to seven consecutive days.
Topics: markets, stockmarket, currency, australia
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A late December rally eases the pain for investors in the lead-up to Christmas with modest gains across most sectors.
Topics: banking, oil-and-gas, gold, stockmarket, mining-industry, business-economics-and-finance, australia
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| UpdatedEmbattled law firm Slater & Gordon is facing a shareholder class action being promoted by rival firm Maurice Blackburn.
Topics: company-news, judges-and-legal-profession, corporate-governance, australia
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| UpdatedAccording to our top tax man, 579 of the nation's biggest companies managed to pay absolutely no tax at all during 2013/14. So much for the spirit of giving.
Topics: government-and-politics, federal-government, tax, budget
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As sets of numbers go, they don't get much uglier. Not that you would have guessed from the Treasurer Scott Morrison's confident demeanour, full of good cheer for the Christmas break.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, budget, federal-government, scott-morrison
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The cafes were near empty and an uneasy silence hung over Cronulla on Saturday. Few wanted to remember the riots. But we can't forget, or allow those inciting hatred and fear to win.
Topics: community-and-society, race-relations, religion-and-beliefs, government-and-politics
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| UpdatedDon't expect much fanfare from Canberra around the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. The numbers will speak for themselves, and they won't be spreading the Christmas cheer.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, budget, government-and-politics, mining-industry, tax
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Coal is the elephant in the room at the Paris climate summit starting today, as economics, energy poverty and the mining lobby all combine to ensure the meeting will be both a triumph and a disappointment.
Topics: climate-change, environment, mining-industry, business-economics-and-finance, government-and-politics
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By simply tacking the word "reform" onto the end of their self-serving agendas, the business lobby is coming very close to what Orwell described as "defending the indefensible".
Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, federal-government, tax
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Australia's biggest supermarket chain Woolworths stuns investors with an admission that earnings in the first half of this financial year could plunge as much as 35 per cent.
Topics: business-economics-and-finance, food-and-beverage, retail, australia
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| UpdatedWhile the low official cash rate may indicate the Reserve Bank could hold off on a rate cut until just before Christmas, financial markets are betting on a Cup day cut, writes Ian Verrender.
Topics: banking, business-economics-and-finance, australia
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With the Paris climate summit nearing, will Malcolm Turnbull be able to bring a rational economic approach to climate policy? It is likely to be his greatest challenge as Prime Minister.
Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, climate-change, environment
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| UpdatedWestpac's decision to lift interest rates is just one piece of the real estate puzzle, and if history is any guide the east coast housing boom is right on the edge of a bust.
Topics: housing-industry, business-economics-and-finance, government-and-politics, banking
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| UpdatedThe Trans-Pacific Partnership isn't about trade and it's certainly not about free trade. It's about entrenching the interests of major corporations at the expense of ordinary citizens.
Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, trade
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Last week, for the first time in a quarter of a century, more was invested into cash than either stocks or bonds. The potential collapse of one of the world's major commodities traders has global investors spooked.
Topics: mining-industry, markets, business-economics-and-finance, international-financial-crisis, international-financial-institutions
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| UpdatedSwiss-based, London-listed mining giant Glencore is facing oblivion after its share price slumped nearly 30 per cent overnight, leaving it with debts twice as large as its market value.
Topics: mining-industry, stockmarket, australia, switzerland, united-kingdom
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Australia is a small and poorly maintained vessel adrift on a turbulent economic ocean. Thankfully, we now have a Prime Minister with an intimate understanding of global economics and our place in the world.
Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, markets
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| UpdatedThe recent volatility on the share markets is symptomatic of gnawing doubts about the broader health of China's economy - and this "new normal" doesn't bode well for Australia.
Topics: government-and-politics, business-economics-and-finance, trade, markets
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| UpdatedNine Network caps off a year of horror results for the media sector with a massive loss as the battle for ratings and relevance continues to ravage traditional outlets.
Topics: company-news, media, television-broadcasting, radio-broadcasting, australia