Demand for Facebook stock has been so strong that its promoters have raised the price range for the IPO from levels that already had sophisticated technology investors scratching their heads.
Articles by Stephen Bartholomeusz 
Bartholomeusz: NBN may go down to the wire
Once the $11 billion-plus deal between NBN Co, Telstra and the federal government was cleared, the path was clear for the acceleration of the national broadband network.
Bartholomeusz: NAB’s British balancing act
For Cameron Clyne, and his colleagues at National Australia Bank conducting its strategic review of its UK banks, Wednesday’s UK budget would have made depressing reading.
Bartholomeusz: Gerry Harvey’s missing data link
It is obvious from his weekend comments that Gerry Harvey doesn’t “get it”. Non-food retailers have to ensure that as online penetration grows they at least grow with it rather than being cannibalised by it.
Bartholomeusz: bank rate hikes, job cuts not black and white
The furore developing around bank interest rates and job losses ought to be seen in at least two dimensions: the state of the banking sector itself and what it says about the wider economy.
Bartholomeusz: will the market ‘like’ Facebook?
With Facebook apparently set to launch an initial public offering this week, valuing it at $US75 billion-$US100 billion, the market’s willingness to capitalise the optimism around social networking businesses is about to be tested.
Bartholomeusz: guns drawn in a Spotless stand-off
Pacific Equity Partners’ attempt to pressure Spotless group into embracing a takeover is at an impasse, with only three obvious mechanisms for resolving it.
Bartholomeusz: strong hands for Pacific Brands
The confirmation from Pacific Brands that it has been approached by KKR raises the very real possibility that for the second time in less than a decade the consumer brands group could find itself in private equity hands.
Bartholomeusz: banks rattle the rates cage
Having had a week to think about ANZ’s bold move to distance itself from future Reserve Bank rate decisions, two of its peers have passed up the opportunity provided by their AGMs this week to announce they would emulate it.
Bartholomeusz: penning a Telstra succession plan?
Yesterday, Andrew Penn emerged with one of the most interesting and challenging roles in corporate Australia, with Telstra announcing his appointment as chief financial officer. Is succession in the wind?
Bartholomeusz: guiding Centro to a possible success
Until former auditor PricewaterhouseCoopers finally withdrew its threat of litigation on Friday against the scheme of arrangement that stapled all the old Centro entities together to form the new aggregated structure, the fate of Centro Retail remained unsure.
Bartholomeusz: making sense of a Murchison success
When former AGL chief executive Greg Martin accepted the role of Murchison Metals chief executive mid-year, he made no bones about what his role was.
Bartholomeusz: NAB keeps five to stay alive
Wayne Swan’s attack on National Australia Bank, labelling it “greedy” for “only” passing onto home loan borrowers 20 basis points of the Reserve Bank’s 25 basis point reduction in official interest rates, is churlish and betrays a poor memory.
Bartholomeusz: banks battening down for funding freeze
According to Australian Prudential Regulation Authority chairman John Laker, bank funding markets are already demonstrating some crisis-like features.
Bartholomeusz: Optus’ NBN collateral damage
On the same day that Telstra and NBN co-signed their deal, NBN Co announced it would pay Optus $800 million to shut down its cable network.
Bartholomeusz: Telstra’s calm and collected separation
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission caused a minor convulsion in the market for Telstra shares yesterday when it released its preliminary views on the group’s structural separation undertakings.
Bartholomeusz: BHP’s unique boom bonanza
It would be tempting to look at the massive $US23.6 billion ($A22.5 billion) profit BHP Billiton announced yesterday and see, as some do, those earnings as easy windfall gains from the China-inspired boom in commodities.
