Alan Kohler is one of Australia’s most experienced commentators and journalists. Alan is the founder of Eureka Report, Australia’s most successful investment newsletter, and Business Spectator, a 24-hour free business news and commentary website. He also hosts Inside Business, a half-hour Sunday programme on the ABC, is the finance presenter on the ABC News - and producer of the nightly graph (or two).
As global businesses lose confidence in Europe, the ripples are shifting requirements for Australian growth and even overhauling traditional management models.
Global stocks rallied after Fed leaders indicated US easing won't be tapered anytime soon, while commodities trended down.
Myer's sales have inched up but many analysts, although expecting a soft result, were disappointed with the numbers.
Analysts say weakness in mining services stocks could spread to other sectors, potentially causing the market to fall.
Lack of federal budget transparency has allowed profligacy on both sides of politics, and while the Coalition has a plan for reform its hopes for a revenue jump are shaky.
The Gonski education reforms are being tossed in the political wash, along with the premiers, as the Coalition seeks to unseat Labor's plan by focusing on the frugal front-end.
Microsoft's next generation gaming console feels like a carbon copy of its predecessor. But its features also reveal Microsoft’s new intent, the Xbox One aspires to be something far more important.
As the dust settles on Bitcoin’s flurry of rallies and crashes there is mounting speculation about its potential longevity. But whichever way you look at it, the virtual currency is being taken more seriously than ever.
Senator Xenophon is likely to hold the keys to repeal the carbon price. But in repealing it he could readily reconfigure Direct Action into an emissions trading scheme by stealth.
As its nuclear sector takes another blow, Japan's solar commitment could see it become the world's biggest solar market this year.
CEOs outline changing views on corporate spending and profits, their economic expectations and political dissatisfaction, including advice for Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott.
UK-based Zeebox wants to be the intermediary for all social media-television interactions. It will not only have to lure viewers, but the networks themselves.
Business Spectator is available on all of your devices so you can access the latest news and commentary where and how you like
Comments on this article
Comments PolicyExcellent as always. I found the link to your August 2011 article added an extra depth of intrigue and explanation as to why the future of the euro was the price for one Germany (Hallmarks of an EU power play, January 24).
I thought the European Union was brought about for one simple but lofty ideal: to end the disgraceful history of two thousand odd years of brutal inter-European war (Hallmarks of an EU power play, January 24). The economics of the region are a consequence of that Union. And it seems to me to be working so far. There's no war between euro members and more countries still lining up to join.
Once again it is very useful to dig deeper in the past to better explain the present. However, what is missing from the article is what the author expects to happen now and whether there is a solution (Hallmarks of an EU power play, January 24). From all accounts it is difficult to see the situation getting any better before it gets a lot worse. While there is unlikely to be any war between euro countries, increased hardship and poverty are likely to occur for many.