Spectators
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MARKETS SPECTATOR: Downer EDI's overdue upper
Rating agency Fitch has upgraded Downer EDI’s long-term issuer default rating, saying the mining services company has plenty of work in the pipeline. -
Taking on an infrastructure ideas bottleneck
The NSW government has outlined an innovative model for infrastructure funding but, given Australia's history on the issue, it may be a long time before we see its full effects. -
MARKETS SPECTATOR: Wonderland investing
The US Fed's monthly $US85 billion bond-buying program has created absurdity in the markets that has spread to Australia. -
MARKETS SPECTATOR: Sam’s sales dilemma
Rio Tinto's chief executive, eager for some extra cash flow, is finding the sale of unwanted businesses hard going. -
Pugnacious PacBrands opts to expand its battleground
Facing declining revenues, retailer Pacific Brands will stick to its strategy of investing in key brands and direct sale channels – while also doubling down via overseas incursions. -
INSIDE INVESTOR: The quiet revolution in property investment
Investors chasing yield have a short-term window to generate strong returns on an investment property. -
Wind power faces a formidable opponent
Wind power is being subject to an effective scare campaign similar to that executed against the carbon tax. Even though the people involved represent a small minority they are influential. -
MARKETS SPECTATOR: Small-cap mining specials
Citigroup names two small-cap stocks in the energy and mining space that are trading at massive discounts. -
GREEN DEALS: Yallourn's rain check
Heavy rain has once again impacted the Yallourn coal mine, the first CEFC investment may have been identified, Waterloo gets the expansion go-ahead, a new solar farm is planned for Queensland and Siemens makes a final move out of solar. -
The dark side of e-books
The rise of e-books potentially spells doom for physical books but are we ready to pay the price for that transition? -
Google’s loony moonshots
Google's pilot program to offer internet access through a network of balloons isn't as crazy as it sounds. In fact it's another example of how combining out-of-the-box thinking with a big budget can lead to interesting innovation. -
How much does your printer really cost?
The price tag of the ubiquitous printer is only a small portion of the total costs incurred by the device over its useful lifetime. Staying on top of all the expenses is easier said than done. -
The iTunes value conundrum
Apple recently announced that iTunes has 575 million accounts. However, each of the current accounts generates about half the revenue of the 100 million accounts of 2009. So what's driving the decline? -
MARKETS SPECTATOR: Breathless over Ben
Australian investors are holding their collective breath ahead of Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke's testimony as bank stocks continue to rise. -
Will China's renminbi back the Asian Century?
Euro worries have dampened Asia's desire to rationalise currency arrangements, but China has an opportunity to unite the region through further liberalisation of the renminbi. -
China's ETS takes off
China's first pilot carbon trading scheme is likely to launch today. While it is far from perfect it seems even communists can appreciate the limitations of direct regulatory actions. -
Updating the state of Australia's climate
One quarter of the way through the Critical Decade how far have we come? -
The Mad Hatter's loose in Parliament House
The way the media and independents are calling it, the Coalition is late for a very important date – running the country. -
Obama's climate change-fighting tool left on the shelf
Barack Obama may have a hostile Congress ready to fight back against climate policies he may introduce, but there is a useful tool he can use that bypasses Congress. He just hasn't yet. -
Is solar thermal the Holy Grail?
Concentrating solar power may be the key to unlock our clean energy future but there's a few regulatory, technological, and financial hurdles standing in the way.
