Morrison's cash splash for oldies
The Morrison government is considering pre-election cash handouts to pensioners and families in an effort to make sure the entire electorate will have a reason to vote for the Coalition.
Sydney house prices could fall below $1m mark
Sydney's median house price is set to slip below $1 million in the next six months, if prices continue to fall.
How the battle for Village Roadshow could play out
The fight between two brothers over Village Roadshow could be worse than the family feuds waged inside the Murdoch, Fairfax and Packer dynasties.
What's dogging the Greencross deal?
There's one niggling issue dogging TPG's $675 million takeover of vet chain and petcare retailer Greencross.
$A to plunge 15pc this year
Capital Economics has turned "even more bearish" on the Aussie, resetting its 2019 forecast for the currency to US60¢.
Labor's ironic franking sugar hit
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen will no doubt see some irony that fund managers and self-managed super trustees are about to get a handy special dividend sugar hit from the Labor policy they hate.
Keep the faith, urge hedge fund stars
The first task facing some of Sydney's top hedge fund managers is explaining to their investors why they should keep the faith.
ACCC urges customers to demand refunds
The ACCC's efforts to hold telcos to account for misleadingly advertising broadband speeds appears to be failing after customers ignored offers of refunds.
Shippers back miners' move to drop iron ore vessels
Australia's high labour costs means it can't compete with foreign-owned cargo ships, shipping companies say.
Amcor cost cutters go to proven playbook
A blueprint first used by former Amcor chief Ken MacKenzie is being used to identify maximum cost savings in the looming $9 billion buyout of US-based Bemis Company.
API expects Sigma due diligence 'soon'
API chairman Mark Smith has defended the company's proposed $730 million cash and scrip offer for rival Sigma.
MLC doubles down on group insurance
Flat growth in the retail life insurance market has prompted MLC Life Insurance chief executive David Hackett to target the group insurance market.
Russia says oil price war with US would be too costly
Russia should not unleash an oil price war against the United States but rather stick with output cuts even at the cost of losing market share in the medium term, says top Russian official.
Challenger losses weigh down ASX
Australian shares ended Wednesday's session with small losses, although Challenger posted a much deeper decline.
Five reasons to be cheerful about the economy
One of our biggest national deficiencies is the inability to understand and protect our own success, writes Adam Boyton.
Jobs growth boosts consumer confidence
Thursday's ABS jobs data will be closely watched by the Reserve Bank, with the central bank hoping employment growth will continue to hold up consumer spending, economists say.
Now it's the consumers' turn to pay
Don't expect the bargains to continue: companies that absorbed input cost rises last year may pass them on to consumers now wage growth is higher.
Opinion
The tax man is coming to an Airbnb near you
The sharing economy is big and getting bigger. That means the Australian Taxation Office wants to claim its share of the money. Beware all Airbnb owners.
Keep the faith, urge hedge fund stars
The first task facing some of Sydney's top hedge fund managers is explaining to their investors why they should keep the faith.
What's dogging the Greencross deal?
There's one niggling issue dogging TPG's $675 million takeover of vet chain and petcare retailer Greencross.
Business must fight the battle for trust
An important measure of public opinion says business should be more confident of its role and purpose.
Power grid pushed to breaking point
The unexpected breakdown of a generating unit at AGL's brown coal power station in Victoria threatens to push the already stretched grid close to breaking point.
Brexit beef spat looms over trade talks
The European Union's plan to split its farm import quotas with Britain after Brexit could cast a pall over Australia's negotiations with Brussels for a free-trade agreement.
Jobs growth boosts consumer confidence
Thursday's ABS jobs data will be closely watched by the Reserve Bank, with the central bank hoping employment growth will continue to hold up consumer spending, economists say.
Bowen touts $200 billion tax hike 'buffer'
Labor must implement all its $200 billion-plus in pledged tax rises to arm the federal government with a bigger fiscal "buffer" to counteract any global downturn.
Bowen flags new APRA superannuation powers
Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen has flagged that APRA will be given stronger powers to shut down underperforming superannuation funds if Labor wins the federal election.
Fears of writer's arrest cloud Pyne visit
Defence Minister Christopher Pyne arrives in China on Thursday at a delicate time for Australia's relationship with its biggest trading partner.
Why Trump prefers memes
It's disorienting enough that the US President communicates using internet 'memes'. It's even stranger to consider that his policies may have the same origins.
US urges world to embrace Trumpism
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo used his intervention at the World Economic Forum in Davos to try to unsettle the global liberal establishment.
A day of mixed signals on US-China trade dispute
The Trump administration has launched a fresh broadside against China's trade practices amid renewed doubts a deal can be hammered out before the current truce expires.
Climate change risks planet, Attenborough warns Davos
Sir David Attenborough has warned world leaders in Davos that the planet has changed so rapidly and profoundly because of human-driven climate change that we risk destroying our earthly home.
Personal Finance
Not every fund needs a low fee
Vanguard's Jack Bogle showed how small savers could make money safely. But there is still a very big role for the hurly-burly of stock markets and active investors.
AMP, IOOF face $2b compo blowout
AMP's new chief executive will be keen to clear the decks, while IOOF is playing catch-up on customer repayments according to Macquarie analysts.
BKI pays dividend to beat Labor
BKI said it had been "overwhelmed by the level of angst" expressed by its investors about proposed changes to Labor's franking credit policy.
Tax officer was trying to avoid 'bad publicity'
Former deputy tax commissioner Michael Cranston claimed he was seeking to help the tax office avoid bad publicity when he allegedly helping his son's business associates.
Startups back sharing economy tax crackdown
Local startups believe the Treasury's plans for a new income reporting regime for sharing economy businesses are a sign the industry is maturing.
'Revolution' required to cope with automation
Australia remains woefully unprepared for the next 20 years of rising job automation, according to a former prime ministerial adviser, who says the nation must embark on an "education revolution".
Trump White House is 'absolutely out of control'
A new book, "Team of Vipers", depicts Donald Trump as raging out of control and insisting an aide with hair spray – extra hold – always be at the ready.
Lifestyle
What you might not be wearing this year
This month's menswear shows (London, Florence, Milan, Paris) wound down in the French capital on January 20. Here are some of the highlights from each.
