- Opinion
- Housing slump
The worst of house price falls could be behind us
There are tentative signs that the pace of losses in Sydney and Melbourne property prices are slowing, and regulators should do more to help, writes Patrick Commins.
AusSuper yanks equities mandate from Fidelity
The sell orders have been flowing freely in some favourites of Fidelity International's Australian equities team.
- Opinion
- Specialist investments
Magellan: mitigate LIC mis-selling risks
With fund managers using LICs and LITs to circumvent conflict of interest rules, advisers are incentivised to move retail investors into riskier products, writes Christopher Joye.
- Live
- Election
Labor 'can't manage money, so they're coming after yours'
The Coalition is honing in on Labor's tax policies on day two of the campaign, both leaders are in western Sydney. Follow live here.
- Opinion
- Federal election
This is how the Coalition can win
Labor may win on the back of Coalition disunity. But don’t take it as a given, writes Alexander Downer.
- Live
- Markets Live
BGH's Navitas acquisition approved
Australian shares have risen firmly at the open, driven by the major banks while the FIRB has approved BGH's Navitas acquisition.
Campaign starts with tax attack
The Prime Minister releases Treasury costings of Labor policies in the first salvo of the campaign.
Business
Why industry super funds are demanding a seat at the table
It's hard to underestimate the power that the not-for-profit industry super funds have over Australian financial markets.
ACCC to take iSelect to court for 'deceptive' energy plan comparison
Competition czar Rod Sims says the "deceptive" behaviour adds further confusion to the complicated retail electricity and gas market.
BOQ may need to merge itself out of trouble: Citi
A leading analyst says BOQ will need to merge with Suncorp or Bendigo to lift investment for a digital future but its CEO is unsure scale is the answer.
Industry funds warn boards on exec pay
AustralianSuper's Andrew Gray warns boards against collapsing long and short-term incentives into so-called balanced scorecards which have been a flop with investors.
Possible Crown buyers also eye Japan
Investors are betting a Crown Resorts buyout is still on the cards, but they must factor in medium-term strategic shifts as Japan opens up to its first casinos.
- Exclusive
- Rare earths
Wesfarmers boss bites back at Lynas attacks
Rob Scott says Lynas kept talking to the WA conglomerate for weeks after it knew a joint-venture proposal had become a takeover bid.
- Exclusive
- Federal election
Carmichael approvals should take weeks: Adani
Adani Mining chief executive Lucas Dow said political candidates should pledge to support Queensland's multibillion-dollar coal industry.
Markets
What treasure will Labor inherit if it wins the election?
Unemployment is at an eight-year low and budget surpluses are locked in, but Chris Bowen will have to navigate falling house prices and slow wage growth to join Peter Costello in the budget surplus club.
What happened in markets before the bell
After struggling for direction earlier in the session, all three major US stock indexes had dipped into the red by midday and struggled to recover..
Reserve Bank defies the doves, bolstered by brighter data
The RBA has refused to bow to the market's fiercely dovish positioning, and the improved data has repaid its faith in patience.
BOQ, Qantas lead ASX lower
Australian shares closed firmly lower on Thursday with Qantas falling following the unexplained departure of the CEO of Qantas International.
- Opinion
- M&A
One last blow to the equity derivative
New guidance from the Takeovers Panel imperils "the sexier end of pre-bid planning and hedge fund strategies," M&A lawyers from King & Wood Mallesons write.
Opinion
This is how the Coalition can win
Labor may win on the back of Coalition disunity. But don’t take it as a given, writes Alexander Downer.
Columnist
The next five weeks will pull Morrison in all directions
Stark philosophical differences between the major parties will confront a nation more divided than it has been in a long while, writes Phillip Coorey.
Political Editor
A referendum on national prosperity
Bill Shorten's plan is quite at odds with the national economic successes of the last three decades.
Editorial
On a political wing and a prayer
Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten are going for broke. They have nothing to lose and everything to prove.
Columnist
Politics
Labor's negative gearing numbers in question again
More evidence shows Labor's view on how much negative gearing is going into existing property should be questioned.
Labor 'highest taxing government': Frydenberg
The Morrison government has latched on to Treasury analysis to claim that Labor would be the biggest-taxing government in history.
The key issues of the election
A quick guide to the key issues that will define the federal election.
Where the election will be decided
This year's poll looms as series of 151 byelections as Scott Morrison and Bill Shorten battle it out seat-by-seat for your vote.
The current electoral landscape
Explore our map to see the state of the seats ahead of the May 18 election.
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World
US seeks extradition for Julian Assange after arrest
After his dramatic arrest at the Ecuadorian embassy, the WikiLeaks founder now faces charges over massive leaks of US Defence Department documents in 2010.
One scandal, two actresses and two very different paths
Hollywood actresses Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin are the public faces of the college admissions bribery scheme but they are handling it very, very differently.
Rich women are increasingly calling the shots, wealth heads say
Women control about $US14 trillion in assets in the US, but they're under-served by financial advisers, say industry insiders.
Kim Kardashian is studying to be a lawyer
The reality TV star has begun a four-year apprenticeship with a San Francisco law firm, saying: "The reading is what really gets me. It's so time-consuming."
Indonesia's Jokowi makes final push in re-election bid
The polls have him well ahead but Indonesian President Jokowi needs an emphatic victory to blunt claims over his legitimacy.
Real Estate
5 of the most exclusive properties for sale this week
Take your pick from these executive homes in desirable locations.
Australians selling houses with crypto
Blockchain-powered Propy has closed its first two residential land sales in Asia-Pacific in Niseko, Japan, to Hong Kong investors.
There's no rush of pre-election house buyers in Sydney
Faster-than-expected declines in prices prompt lender to revise its forecasts.
Morgan Stanley warns Labor will hurt property market
Global investment bank warns no end in sight to property market slowdown.
Australia takes lion's share of capital for AsiaPac funds
The largest proportion of capital raised for unlisted funds in the Asia Pacific sector went into Australian vehicles.
Personal Finance
17 things millionaires do differently from everyone else
Millionaires tend to be frugal, conscientious, resilient and display many other similar traits that help amplify their wealth-building actions.
- Opinion
- Property market
Self help for first-home buyers
Want to help your children into the housing market? Here's how to do it with their money not yours.
We haven't given up on super: Spaceship
Spaceship will have another go at applying for a licence to operate its own super fund when 'time is right'.
Technology
- Opinion
- Innovation
Australia's love of city-dwelling could become an export strength
Artificial intelligence and automation are already shaping city planning and Australia is well placed to lead the way.
On day 1 but there's already a winner on social media
Bill Shorten won Twitter on the first day of the campaign while the Prime Minister did better on Facebook, which has an older demographic.
Crypto coin sales stage a revival
But beware; there may be a reason cryptocurrency IEOs are held mostly outside the reach of US regulators.
Leadership
- Exclusive
- Governance
Medcraft's mission to change the world
The OECD's Greg Medcraft on social contracts, the Hayne inquiry, and the danger of institutional amnesia.
Pay transparency to 'transform' the workplace
Seeing what your co-workers get paid is a top trend that will shape the future of work, according to a new survey of talent experts.
Lifestyle
Will the cars of the future still roar?
Lamborghini, Ferrari and co are pondering how to recreate the thrilling notes of a turbocharged petrol engine in the near-silent electric age.
Stay in the historic home of famed painter John Glover
Formerly a ruin, 19th-century Patterdale has been restored with the help of a much-loved painting by the colonial landscape artist.
Looking for love? Stop making lists
Gillian McCallum, CEO of the Britain's oldest introduction agency, says "Women are always drawing up inventories of what they require in a man and by the time they've finished you can't imagine anyone who'll qualify."
Move over, K-beauty – A-beauty is here
Exports of Australian beauty products rose to $536 million in 2018, led by a posse of self-made women who know what their customers want.
- Opinion
- Wine & spirits
Cheers to the roussanne renaissance
A growing number of producers are making and bottling this tricky to grow Rhône grape variety..
Most Viewed
Qantas refuses to explain abrupt departure of top executive
Housing boom 'well and truly over'
Labor's 49pc tax rate to hit middle-income earners
Flight attendant spills tray of drinks on airline's CEO
'Journalism of the worst kind': Geoffrey Rush wins defamation verdict
There's no rush of pre-election house buyers in Sydney