Business
The economy
Analysis
World markets
'More red ink than black gold': Oil industry making deals in fight for survival
The once mighty oil and gas industry is flailing, desperately trying to survive a pandemic that has sharply reduced demand for its products.
- by Clifford Krauss
Latest
Soft commodities
The $US100b chocolate industry's child labour problem is getting worse
A decade after the chocolate industry pledged to drastically cut child labour in the world's top cocoa producers, a report sponsored by the US government shows the problem is growing.
- by Leanne de Bassompierre, Isis Almeida and Marvin G. Perez
Analysis
US votes 2020
Biden's progressive new friends get ready to grip the US economy
The unseen battle to shape the economic course of the Biden administration that may be ushered is well underway.
- by Russell Lynch
Coronavirus pandemic
Dark deja vu for European economy as virus cases spike
Europe’s economy was only just catching its breath from what had been the sharpest recession in modern history. A resurgence in coronavirus cases has dealt it a brutal blow.
- by Carlo Piovano
Opinion
Federal budget
This one-year, fold-away budget won’t do the trick
The federal government's decision to turn the stimulus off early may yet prove to be a great error of political – and economic – judgment.
- by Ross Gittins
Opinion
Federal budget
No 'bang for buck': Budget is big on political correctness, weak on job creation
The budget spends a mint of money – which it should - but its measures have been chosen based on how well they fit the government's "core values", not on whether they’re likely to deliver "bang for buck".
- by Ross Gittins
Coronavirus pandemic
Tenth of COVID-19 stimulus money could help world reach climate targets
The world could get on track to avert catastrophic climate change by investing a tenth of a planned $16.9 trillion in pandemic recovery packages in reducing dependence on fossil fuels, climate scientists say.
- by Matthew Green
Coronavirus pandemic
'A crisis like no other': IMF warns global economy could be permanently scarred
IMF panel warns of permanent damage from the worst global downturn since the Great Depression of the 1930s unless countries are given further economic support.
- by Martin Crutsinger
Opinion
Coronavirus pandemic
We're looking at the glass-half-empty recovery
From less-dire global forecasts and earnings from banking giants, the corner appears to have been turned on a disastrous period of economic history. But the skid marks won't easily be scrubbed away.
- by Daniel Moss
Opinion
Childcare
Why it’s time for universal, free, taxpayer-funded childcare
Women have been tricked for too long. They can't do it all. But Australia can afford free childcare for all.
- by Jessica Irvine
Opinion
Global economy
China's five-year plan is a risk to the global economy
China's latest five-year plan could bring a lot more stress to a post-COVID-19 global economy attempting a recovery.
- by Anjani Trivedi