Recent market volatility highlights how cheap financial credit is relative to almost all other asset classes.

How to capitalise on market chaos

Recent market volatility highlights how cheap financial credit is relative to almost all other asset classes, despite a big deleveraging of banks, writes Christopher Joye.

ASIC's governance questioned

ASIC chairman James Shipton has been questioned about who regulates the regulator, acknowledging an independent body would have positive effects. Here's how today unfolded.

ASIC's chairman James Shipton told the Hayne inquiry consumer credit insurance mis-selling has been a systemic issue.

ASIC weighs action against CBA, ClearView

The corporate regulator is investigating Commonwealth Bank's mis-selling of consumer credit insurance, which its chairman James Shipton said has been a systemic issue involving 11 institutions.

RCR Tomlinson chairman Roderick Brown.

RCR shows dark side of solar energy boom

All those involved in Australia's $8.7 billion renewables energy development boom ought to rethink their risk management following the voluntary administration of engineering contractor, RCR Tomlinson.

Opinion

ASIC's breathtaking Hayne admission

The sirens finally appear to be wailing for Australia's tough cop on the corporate beat. All year ASIC chairman James Shipton and his team have been talking tough and yet it's taken him all year to finally make a sweeping show of strength.

Laura Tingle

Two very different visions of Europe

Britain's Theresa May came to get out of the European Union. France's Emmanuel Macron was in town looking for ways to further integrate the remaining 27 economies in the union, writes Laura Tingle.

Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas claims the Victorian Liberal Party would sell the state's water assets if elected to ...

Andrews and Pallas at odds on new taxes

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has ruled out any new taxes to pay for their $80 billion-plus infrastructure agenda but Treasurer Tim Pallas has refused to do the same.

The Turnbull family quickly signed up to an instagram account dedicated to ending Tony Abbott's political career.

Turnbull's 'I buy Playboy for the articles' excuse

When Malcolm Turnbull and his family this week signed up to a new social media account dedicated to ending the political career of their nemesis, Tony Abbott, they were just looking out for interesting posts. Truly.

There is also a referendum on whether the country's Olympic team should compete under the name of "Taiwan" or "Chinese ...

Polls test pro-independence President

Shanghai | The Chinese-speaking world's equivalent of the Oscars became the stage for a political drama this week after an award-winning film maker used her acceptance speech to call for an "independent" Taiwan.

Theresa May and  Emmanuel Macron. Australia  has to reset its trade arrangements with  Britain and the EU in a ...

Two very different visions of Europe

Britain's Theresa May came to get out of the European Union. France's Emmanuel Macron was in town looking for ways to further integrate the remaining 27 economies in the union, writes Laura Tingle.

Crown Prince  Mohammed bin Salman had been overseeing a negotiation with the US to buy designs for nuclear power plants.

Saudi nuclear ambitions test US trust

Before Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was implicated by the CIA in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, US intelligence was trying to solve a separate mystery: was he laying the groundwork for building an atomic bomb?

Personal Finance

Afterpay is now expanding into the optometry sector.

Afterpay goes to the optometrist

Afterpay has expanded into optometry and one chain says it's led to a big spike in demand from stores near universities as Millennial customers embrace it/

Deloitte, EY and PwC have worked on multiple 'independent' roles involving the big banks.

ASIC outsources policing to Deloitte, EY, PwC

The corporate regulator is allowing consultancy firms Deloitte, EY and PwC to police its enforcement regime for the big banks while they are also paid millions for consulting work, raising conflict concerns.

Lifestyle