The green, amber and red of housing affordability

• 54 mins ago

State and federal governments are promising action to make property more affordable for first-home buyers. But what would be the best policies?

BlackRock tips emerging-market debt

• 1 hr ago

What's the latest frontier to be conquered by low-cost exchange-traded funds? Emerging-market debt.

Oil slips in thin trading

Crude oil prices slipped 1 per cent overnight in subdued trading, on news of rising US shale production and profit-taking

Showpo settles data 'theft' case against rival

Online retailers Showpo and Black Swallow have settled a dispute after a graphic designer was accused of stealing company contact lists.

Woolworths dives into data to build Amazon-proof fence

Behind Woolworths' revamped Rewards scheme is a data machines that's collecting and analysing buying patterns to deliver unique, digital catalogues to shoppers.

Need for 'national interest test' to head off gas shortage

Canberra should step into the gas market to head off a looming supply crunch

'This thing's gonna blow': Top economists' interest rate warning

An overcooked housing market and rising interest rates are poised to plunge thousands of Australian families into mortgage stress.

ATO commits to stop sharing workers' personal data

Tax Office admits some of its public servants "uncomfortable" with the supply of their employment data.

ACT economy riding high on housing boom and federal gridlock

ACT economy now among the fastest growing in Australia.

Beny Steinmetz lawsuit scorches George Soros

CBD is still blinking away the glare after reading the explosive writ filed over Easter by Israeli magnate Beny Steinmetz against hedge fund supremo George Soros.

How negative gearing made the poor worse off

• ANALYSIS

Australia's poorest people are taking on negatively geared property investments, despite their inability to manage the risks.

7-Eleven sparked reforms will bring franchising chaos

• COMMENT

Ambiguity could lead to real problems for franchisees and franchisors in assessing responsibility.

Disgraced rich lister arrested in midst of new development

Two weekends ago disgraced former rich lister Craig Gore appeared to be on top of the world.

Crude slips under $US53 as US drilling surge stokes output fears

There are fears America's surge in shale output this year will counter OPEC-led efforts to cut a global supply surplus.

Bain bets $1 billion on botox

Bain Capital agreed to invest about $US816 million ($A1.07) in Hugel Inc. to gain control of the South Korea-based maker of beauty products, including the botox anti-wrinkle treatment.

Home internet should be tax-exempt for employers that allow staff to work flexibly: Telstra

Home internet services should be treated as fringe benefits to take account of the fact that more Australians are working from home, telecommunications giant Telstra says.

Gold could 'sky-rocket' on global worries

Gold hit a five-month high on Monday as investors took refuge in safe-haven assets in the wake of rising geopolitical tensions over North Korea.

Surging China tries to tame credit

China's economy expanded faster than expected in the first quarter as higher government infrastructure spending and a gravity-defying property boom helped boost industrial output by the most in over two years.

Qantas warns against allowing foreign carriers to fly domestic routes

Qantas has told a parliamentary committee that overseas carriers should not be allowed to operate on domestic routes in Australia.

Pirates show path to investing success says manager of millions

The Australian sharemarket will be populated increasingly by pirates if one local investor gets his way

Geopolitical fear to keep ASX in check

Investors expect fear over geopolitical developments to dampen enthusiasm for equities this week.

How the world's biggest hotels are taking on Airbnb

• ANALYSIS

Two actions appeared unrelated, but one group quietly took credit for both.

Celebrity chef reimburses staff

Celebrity chef Adrian Richardson has failed to pay staff their correct entitlements.

Coles, Woolworths staying away from super

Retailers' ambitions for financial services have dimmed as competition in grocery grows.

Energy market rules 'stacked against consumers'

Essential Services Commission says energy market is rigged and the government should intervene.

NSA infiltrated Mideast banking, say hackers

Hacking group the Shadow Brokers says the NSA has infiltrated the backbone of the Middle East's banking infrastructure.

This man applied for 250 jobs after insurer said he could be a librarian

Former police officer Adam Watts applied for 250 jobs after his insurer told him he could get a job as a librarian.

My bias? Poor should rate above the powerful

• COMMENT

I have a lot of strong views, and I hope it isn't hard to detect an internal consistency in them, but they're not driven by loyalty to any party.

'Delighted' Ladbrokes brushes off Australian tax talk

Gaming giant Ladbrokes Coral has painted a rosy view of the prospects for its Australian business brushing off concerns about the prospect of new taxes.