If you were to believe world stock markets, the recession is drawing to a close, with the wisdom of government spending and global monetary easing spurring the world to another economic recovery. But the markets have long proven to be an unfaithful talisman.
Australia economy
Aussie dollar may hit $US1.10
RBA chief Glenn Stevens and St George Bank’s chief economist both say the Australian dollar may hit parity with US currency as economic growth continues apace.
Political economy: neoliberalism emerges triumphant
It is looking increasingly likely that the neoliberal (whatever that is) paradise that is Australia’s economy is powering through the Great Crash with hardly a lost beat, says Henry Thornton.
Making a bad situation worse
The RBA may have hiked up interest rates on the belief that the economy is returning to normal — but its view of “normal” is out of whack, says Debtwatch. Perhaps it’s time to take control of Australia’s monetary policy out of the RBA’s hands?
What price a cuppa?
Afternoon tea is about to get a whole lot more expensive, with milk, tea and sugar prices are all at or near multi-year highs.
Wood: Still plenty of recovery pains ahead
Australia’s positive recovery results indicate we’re in for a resources boom, but the demands for labour, investment and capital equipment will bring their own problems, says Alan Wood.
Rudd’s stimulus has nothing to do with the economy
The Australian economy has proven to be remarkably resilient — but it has very little to do with the Federal government’s stimulus package, writes Sinclair Davidson.
Recession? What recession?
The Reserve Bank now believes Australia will escape a recession, having lifted its 2009 growth rate from a contraction of 1% in the May Statement on Monetary Policy, to growth of 0.5%.
Park the Debt Truck! Household debt reaches 100% of GDP!
Don’t listen to the debt alarmists, study the facts, writes Sean Carmody.
That’s no green shoot, that’s Australia in full bloom: OECD
It’s clear that Australia will have the best performing economy among the major economies this year.
Slowdown continues to grip Oz economy
More signs of the slowdown continuing to grip the Australian economy, with another 4% fall in the value of imports in February, writes Glenn Dyer.
Grants distort lending in the housing market
It appears that the Federal Government has not headed the lessons of the US sub-prime debacle, which saw government intervention distort lending practices, writes Adam Schwab.
NAB: Oz recession happening as we speak
The current quarter will see Australia slide into an official recession, according to the latest business survey from the National Australia Bank, writes Glenn Dyer.
Keating: a chance to remake the global financial system
Until international monetary governance is democratised, or at least is more representative, no major developing country, creditor or otherwise, is going to put its head into the IMF cum US Treasury noose, writes Paul Keating.
Australia’s long-running property bubble has burst
Australia is on the threshold of a domestic credit crunch caused by falling collateral values, writes Gavin Putland.
Time for a high income super tax?
Regulation is easier said than done, writes Bernard Keane.
Kohler: Pacific a symbol of credit crunch, not recession
Watching interviews with crestfallen Pacific Brands workers on the TV news last night was heartbreaking, writes Alan Kohler.
Blokes make cars, women make clothes … guess who wins
Two industries, two vastly different amounts of protectionism, Bernard Keane reports.
Will the $12 billion Rudd handout save the Bligh Government?
It’s time we looked more closely at the mechanics of how the Rudd Government will potentially lift the national debt to $200 billion over the next four years, writes Stephen Mayne.
The coalition got it really, really wrong on the financial crisis
Looking at the Essential Report from yesterday — the magnitude of how wrong the Coalition not only got the stimulus package, but the broader GFC starts to become apparent, writes Possum Comitatus.
Sharp rise in unemployment rate: labour market’s turning sour
You have to look through today’s confusing Labour Force figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to get a true sense of the worsening state of the labour market, writes Glenn Dyer.
Consumer Confidence indexes and other exercises in branding
Regardless of their accuracy, Consumer Confidence indexes are marketing exercises designed to promote companies, peak organisations or research bodies, writes Bernard Keane.
A nation building and jobs plan for indigenous Australia
CDEP should never have been abolished, but this is even more the case given the predicted dire downturn in the Australian labour market in 2009 and beyond, writes Jon Altman.
Fielding the last man standing in stimulus fest
It’s hard to get excited about the unfolding drama of the Senate’s consideration of the stimulus package, writes Bernard Keane.
