Hayne pain for banks is lawyers' gain
The banking sector's Hayne pain has been the legal sector's gain, with The AFR law partnership survey revealing the commissioner to be the number-one boost for business in 2018.
Gary Helou's ultimate humiliation
There are a number of important lessons to be learnt from Gary Helou's outrageous behaviour when managing director of the Murray Goulburn Co-operative that this week resulted in him being fined $200,000 for false and misleading conduct under Australian Consumer Law.
Sanjeev Gupta's insatiable hunger for deal-making
Sanjeev Gupta's acquisition spree has created an industrial empire that has led to him being dubbed the man of steel. But can his ambitious expansion program be sustained?
PM fights for control amid chaos
Legislation enabling the forced divestment of energy company assets is all but dead amid a day of chaos in Parliament House.
Pot importer Althea caught in short attack
Medicinal marijuana importer Althea Group raised $20 million and listed less than three months ago. Now it is caught up in a short selling attack on Canada's Aphria.
BHP's in-house labour hire revolution
BHP's retreat from contract labour in Queensland coal is more cunning and revolutionary than a re-embrace of the traditional direct employment model.
Britain's FTSE hits two-year low
The FTSE 100 fell to its lowest level in two years as a broad based sell-off swept through European markets and investors reacted to the arrest of a top Huawei executive.
Retailers explore schemes to compete with Amazon
Retailers are looking at ways to offer free deliveries for online orders through loyalty schemes or subscription-based programs to match or counter Amazon Prime.
GrainCorp chairman says it's not just about price tag
GrainCorp chairman Graham Bradley says price will not be the only factor in any consideration of LTAP's $3.3 billion takeover offer.
ATO caves in on bank tax secrets
Tax commissioner Chris Jordan has been forced to back down on his attempt to withhold secret tax information about financial institutions.
Union bosses sue Boral executives
Union bosses John Setka and Shaun Reardon are suing Boral executives over evidence they gave in a failed blackmail case.
BHP's in-house labour hire revolution
BHP's retreat from contract labour in Queensland coal is more cunning and revolutionary than a re-embrace of the traditional direct employment model.
Debelle: Rate hike 'some way off'
The deputy governor of the Reserve Bank says the market's anticipated hike is "some way off", and if the economy deteriorates, they can always keep cutting.
US, Australian yield gap could widen further
This week's weaker-than-expected GDP reading may have disappointed most of the market but it has given bond traders something to smile about.
End nears for global rate tightening cycle
Disappointing economic data and a more dovish tone from the Bank of Canada may signal that the end of the global rate tightening cycle is approaching. And it may spill over into Australia.
Trade fears push ASX lower
Australian shares rallied from a near-two year low for the second day in a row on Thursday as trade fears and bond markets kept investors on edge.
Australia's October retail sales rise 0.3pc
Australian retail sales rose 0.3 per cent in October, meeting economists' expectations, Official retail sales data has soothed market fears around an Australian consumption drought, rising 0.3 per cent over the month.
Opinion
No come-from-behind miracle for Morrison
There's been a few dumb decisions made in politics this year. The government's decision to release a strong budget update smack bang in the middle of Labor's national conference is the latest.
Vicious political party games end the year
No expressions of goodwill Christmas sentiment could hide the vicious political party games ending the parliamentary year.
A dispiriting and dour end to the year in Parliament
For the Abbott-Turnbull-Morrison government, six years of policy under-achievement are now fading into a final six months of chronic insecurity on the floor of Parliament.
Talk of an RBA rate cut is premature
One quarter of soft economic activity does not make a trend, so chatter about the Reserve Bank of Australia being forced to switch its bias to interest rate cuts is premature.
Banks face billions in fines under Labor
Banks and other big companies would face unprecedented fines of billions of dollars rather than a capped $210 million for civil offences, under changes that Labor wants to make to a federal bill.
The 'big stick' energy bill explained
The Morrison government's big stick energy bill contains sweeping powers rarely if ever conferred on the government outside of war time.
'As bad as Huawei' encryption bill slammed
Australian tech industry insiders have lashed out at the government's encryption legislation, warning it could cripple international trade.
Whips keep MPs in Christmas cheer
Thursday's final sitting day for federal Parliament saw eerie quiet give way to Christmas cheer.
Australia to apply diplomatic pressure in trade wars
Australia has declared war on non-tariff trade barriers and will apply diplomatic pressure on countries, including some covered by free trade agreements.
Trump odd man out as presidents assemble for Bush
The front-row banter among Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and their spouses came to an uneasy end when President Donald Trump and wife Melania arrived.
'I love you, too': George W farewells his father
Former president George W Bush delivered a eulogy for his father, former president George HW Bush, during a state funeral at Washington National Cathedral. The following is a transcript of those remarks.
Why Italian populists are abandoning green energy
While Five Star entered government this year with pledges to shut down pollution-belching power plants and boost renewables, its latest green strategy caps incentives for some projects.
Populism: Why people take social order for granted
Social order is to some extent self-cancelling. The longer people have it, the more they take it for granted.
Forget OPEC. North America is awash with oil
OPEC decisions may get the headlines this week in Vienna, but North America's oil spigot turns a lot quicker.
Personal Finance
Macquarie Bank plans shake up for mortgage market
Macquarie Bank plans to stop underwriting new "home-branded" loans for several household-name lenders and focus on its own products.
APRA opens door to SME growth fund
A government-proposed fund for banks to inject equity into growing small businesses has received a boost, with the prudential regulator signalling it is willing to consider regulatory concessions to make the vehicle commercially viable.
Why the days of guessing expenses are numbered
Regional Australia Bank is using Basiq software to read two years of customer transactions before approving loans, a move the majors are likely to follow.
Why unis have right to reject donations
The new CEO of the $3b Paul Ramsay Foundation says universities should be able to reject philanthropic donations to protect their autonomy.
IR laws passed to simplify bargaining
The Morrison government has passed its first piece of industrial relations legislation, reducing strict requirements for enterprise agreements.
10 questions with Sanjeev Gupta
GFG Alliance boss Sanjeev Gupta has an unexpected question for those who want to work for him.
Mallesons people 'wouldn't like it here'
The leader of Australia's fastest-growing law firm, Juan Martinez of HWL Ebsworth, says "someone who likes Mallesons would not like this place".
Lifestyle
This Chopard watch has killer looks
Heaven forbid, Bani McSpedden writes. Chopard, normally a bastion of taste, has fallen for the skull watch.
