A gathering economic storm overseas may wreck Labor’s entire political strategy, write Bernard Keane and Glenn Dyer.
Federal Reserve
Ben Bernanke’s greatest gamble
Financial markets may be cheering on US Fed Reserve boss Ben Bernanke as he gets set to unleash a fresh round of monetary stimulus, but some are worried that his actions will further jeopardise the reputation of the US central bank, along with its future independence, writes Karen Maley of Business Spectator.
The Bank of Japan is firing blanks
Analysts were quick to point out that the Bank of Japan’s measure to allow domestic financial institutions even more money from the central bank at extremely low rates would do little to boost Japanese growth.
Bears bond with treasuries
Should we be worried that the US bond market has defied all the sceptics and has turned out to be the stellar performer of the year? asks Karen Maley.
Ben Bernanke is nervous … as well he should be
Ben Bernanke, the boss of the powerful US Federal Reserve, is getting anxious. And all indicators say he has cause, writes Karen Maley
Bernanke and Greece bailout: will it be enough?
The jury is still out as to what effect Ben Bernanke’s re-appointment and Europe’s willingness to bailout Greece will have on global markets.
A Christmas present from the RBA: third month of employment growth
As we close in on the end of 2009, the year that was almost the year from hell, a third month of solid employment growth has added to the flow of strongly positive data about the economy.
Bartholomeusz: Go west! Where Europe’s skies are blue
Europe is figuring out exit paths for all their emergency economic measures taken during the GFC. The US isn’t and they need to learn from Europe: less short term profits, more long term stability, writes Stephen Bartholomeuz.
Bernanke faces filibuster ahead of Fed confirmation vote
Will Ben Bernanke score a second term as chairman of the US Fed? The tenuous ties that bind Washington to Wall Street are being stretched to the breaking point, writes David Hirst.
Morning Market Report: Rates to stay on hold
The FOMC kept rates on hold as expected at 0-0.25%. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke had a cautious tone saying he would keep rates at these levels for an extended period of time.
An inconvenient truth sobers thinking on weak state of US banking
Markets are not known for their consistency. Last night, the US market went up 148 points very quickly, then slid back into the red, only to close up 76 points.
No surprises: Bernanke will be back
US President Barack Obama will renominate Ben Bernanke as the US Federal Reserve chief. The move comes a little early — Bernanke’s first term isn’t up for another five months — but it’s hardly a shock in such turbulent economic times, says Phil Izzo.
The end of financial globalisation
The end of footloose finance may be upon us, but the search for alternatives is yet to bear fruit. Though for many, the take home lesson of the GFC is the need for locally owned banking systems, says Floyd Norris.
The long, winding road to a US turnaround
If the US recession somehow peters out this year, it will be nothing short of a miracle, writes Irwin Kellner.
US relief program, a haven for white collar crime?
It sounds far fetched, but the Troubled Asset Relief Program could be in invitation for a new breed of trenchant corporate criminals.
Jobless threat makes mockery of US “rebound”
The latest so-called “Beige Book” from the US Federal Reserve is the most ‘cheery’ in months, despite the imminent threat provided by unemployment.
US Fed: we’re years away from a turnaround
The US central bank has sharply downgraded its economic outlook for 2009 and 2010, confounding analysts who had been predicting an uptick.
CreditWatch: ‘Green shoots’ in US economy turning brown
The US economy appears to be steadying but a turnaround is far from assured, writes Glenn Dyer.
Curing Greenspan’s expansion with expansion
Chairman of Australia’s Future Fund, David Murray AO, yesterday attacked central banks for their role in the global financial crisis, writes Adam Schwab.
Goldman Sachs’ 1% tax rort
Taxpayers may have funded Goldman Sachs’ bailout only to find the former investment banking giant paying hardly any tax, writes Glenn Dyer.
As polling day looms, US to get more economic bad news
With US voters poised to decide who will govern the economy for the next four years, a deluge of bad economic news this week will help focus their minds. By Glenn Dyer.
Kohler: Trigger-happy bankers
Central Banks in the US and Europe are planning, through policy, to impose 1930s-like conditions. We stand at an interesting crossroads in economic history, writes Alan Kohler.
Don’t bank on an end to recapitalisation yet
The growing list of banks recapitalising themselves shows no sign of stopping, writes Glenn Dyer.
US Fed and IMF add to doom and gloom
More gloomy talk overnight from the US Federal Reserve and the IMF, which sees total losses from the credit crunch ballooning past $A1 trillion, reports Glenn Dyer.
Investors continue to bask in the afterglow of Bear Stearns bailout
The US stockmarket has come off its worst quarter for five years with its best start to a second quarter for 70 years. But why? asks Glenn Dyer.
