The trouble with kicking the can down the road is that you eventually encounter it again. That’s what’s happening to American fiscal policy at the end of this year.
US economy
A tale of two banks: RBA and Fed in state of confusion
The Reserve Bank of Australia and the US Federal Reserve are both exhibiting a clear sense of not being convinced about what is happening in the respective economies that oversee.
Swan’s budget surplus risks pushing us into recession
To avoid recession, Australia will have to have growth of 3% to 4% over the next 18 months — which is possible, but no certainty.
Australia-China currency swap really is a big deal
China has reached agreements on swaps with about 20 countries, but Australia is the biggest and most advanced economy to sign up.
Tales from inside the European crypt
The unthinkable has happened, countries have gone broke, but the euro has survived.
Maley: red lights flare for US shares
With the US sharemarket trading overnight at its highest level since May 2008, funds manager John Hussman argues that investors should be asking themselves one simple question: “Do I feel lucky?”
Maley: an end to the rising yuan?
Is China about to put an end to the yuan’s rise? That’s the speculation among foreign exchange traders after China reported a $31.5 billion trade deficit in February.
Maley: stimulating the economy without filling the tank
The US central bank is grappling with the thorny problem of how to apply an extra monetary stimulus to the US economy before the upcoming presidential election.
Kohler: debt’s pall over the Lucky Country
Can there ever have been a country in such good shape as ours that’s as miserable as Australia is?
Maley: prepare for a US house price washout
US investors heaved a sigh of relief overnight, as the Obama administration unveiled a $25 billion settlement with five major home lenders over foreclosure abuses.
Maley: a Greek writedown chain reaction?
Global equity markets have enjoyed the best start to the year since 1994, but their euphoric mood is about to be sorely tested.
Maley: Bernanke holds a housing ace
Investors face a nervous few months as they try to work out when US central bank boss Ben Bernanke will play his last remaining trump card — buying up long-term mortgage bonds in an effort to revive the ailing US housing market.
Kohler: did you hear the one about the bond market?
Up to January, the European Central Bank lent European private banks about €500 billion at 1% interest.
The economy of comedy: does less money = more laughs?
A stand-up comedy club entrepreneur in Chicago is using the American economic recession not to scale back his business but to expand it, writes Gary Strauss.
The year of the non-lessons of fiscal stimulus
In 2011 we all became monetarists again, despite the lessons of the GFC.
Maley: a taste of French ratings fear
Are France’s political leaders softening up voters for an imminent loss of the country’s precious triple-A rating? That was certainly the impression last week…
Maley: strapped in for a market meltdown
Global equity markets are set for precipitous declines mid-way through next year, according to a leading technical analyst.
Swan can cut, but the bad news from overseas won’t stop
While the mining boom continues to power the Australian economy, the news from offshore continues to worsen.
Maley: staring down US budget D-Day
For the past several weeks, investors have been obsessed by the continuing carnage in European bond markets. But a looming US deadline is about to remind the world that debt is not just a European issue.
Political snippets: Aussies have not stopped spending
Australians might be prudently paying down their credit cards a little (see yesterday’s chunky bits) but they have not completely stopped spending.
interactive 
Unemployment and pay rates by uni degrees
A fascinating document that shows how US college graduates compare based on their college major. For example Actuarial Science students have 0% unemployment, which contrasts to Architecture, where 10% of its graduates remain unemployed.
graph pr0n 
Why the Occupy Wall Street protesters are so damn angry
It may be a movement with no clear leadership or aims, but a look at these graphs — showing growing unemployment rates in the US compared to the growing level of corporate profits — and it’s no surprise why Americans are protesting.
Political snippets: At least it’s not getting worse.
That’s about the best that can be said of the September labour force figures released today.
Gottliebsen: Wall Street’s confidence trick
Wall Street’s high risk taking could be a key issue at the 2012 US election, writes Robert Gottliebsen of Business Spectator.
