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).
This week China has outlined details of its first carbon trading scheme while its National Development and Reform Commission has recommended an absolute cap on emissions. The moves represent major signs of progress.
Both sides of politics have an interest in pretending Australian prosperity was their handiwork. But before long, global headwinds will reveal Australia’s true position.
Reports by the Parliamentary Budget Office and Treasury confirmed Labor has blown out a structural budget deficit that began under John Howard's government, and the next government has quite a job on its hands.
The political stoush about how much bandwidth Australians might need in the coming years threatens to stifle the conversation needed to deliver the services of the future.
This week China has outlined details of its first carbon trading scheme while its National Development and Reform Commission has recommended an absolute cap on emissions. The moves represent major signs of progress.
In theory, carbon capture would allow energy producers to continue to burn fossil fuels while meeting emissions targets. In practice, the technology is expensive and unproven.
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.
Ben Bernanke's testimony to Congress acknowledged the risk of keeping rates low for too long, but with unemployment and inflation well short of Fed targets it's still a case of 'wait and see'.
Recent economic forecasts can leave us optimistic about Australia's growth potential for the next few years. Jobs are being created, inflation is low and a gentle pick-up in activity can be expected.
Japan's radical policy approach to deflation appears to be paying off, with manufacturing activity positive for the first time in a year. European policy makers should be watching closely.
Phobia of government debt is becoming an unjustified epidemic in Australia. Our debt is being portrayed as a redback spider when it's really a daddy long legs at worst.
GDP in the eurozone has fallen for six straight quarters as the fiscal austerity agenda keeps it stuck in what looks increasingly like a perpetual recession.
Markets can be ruthless in assessing budget mistakes and the business as usual response coming from the numbers so far suggests investors are unperturbed by fiscal policy.
A new-found conservatism in Treasury estimates means the economy could grow faster than expected, especially if the Australian dollar continues to fall.
The US and China are continuing their sub-optimal trajectory – and the latest tranche of disappointing economic data suggests meaningful growth may be a way off.
Banks around the world are preferring to hold money for almost no return and businesses and customers are still spooked. But there are some signs furious rate cutting is starting to work.
Rising job figures in April have clipped the unemployment rate, giving policymakers more support as they chart the challenging path to non-mining sector growth.
The Australian dollar is still an overvalued safe-haven investment in a sea of high-level risk, but its fall over the last month may be a taste of things to come.
Those worried about a cash rate below GFC settings are missing a few key points. Fiscal policy and the Australian dollar are no longer the stimulatory factors they were then.
With soft Australian growth data coming in amid even more disappointing global figures, Europe is starting to holster austerity theory and the Reserve Bank should be doing the same.
A run of bleak data has pushed the Fed to consider ramping up its monthly bond purchasing, held last night at $US85 billion, as it settles in for the long haul.
