Insights

While it's a given that economic forecasting is rarely accurate, recent research that shows expert estimates are consistently too optimistic deserves serious consideration from policymakers.

The Victorian government's fiscal discipline has busted state construction blowouts as well as flushing out Geoff Shaw at the party's expense. It's a reason for praise - not mistrust.

Small-cap investing has been in the news recently with a report in the Fairfax media drawing attention to the decision by Australia's most prominent small-cap investor, Paradice Investment Management, to return more than $800 million of its client's money.

Glenn Stevens had nothing to lose talking down the dollar. But we'd need to see a major consumer downturn for another rate cut.

As job and welfare benefit losses bite, areas with mortgage trouble will be further squeezed. That's likely to trigger changing patterns of habitation across the nation.

In this week's essential reading guide Kohler scrutinises the outsourcing of monetary policy to the US, Bartholomeusz ponders bank profitability and Gottliebsen counts the cost of currency carnage.

Germany's approach to stewardship of the eurozone may appear confusing, but it could prove an unlikely stepping stone towards a more perfect euro union.

Implementing Germany's 2003 reform agenda won't solve Italy's economic woes. Such a move is likely to increase already-high levels of public debt and compound the region's problems.

Buying in yield stocks boosts local market after RBA's rate cut hint yesterday.

The Middle East, China and the insatiable appetite for higher dividends are all looming dangers for investors.

The Wall Street pro shares the latest views of a mentor who sees a new breed of innovators emerging.

The Australian market has surged … following the US market's rally overnight. Not surprising, and there's reasons to celebrate.

The appointment of the chief executives of Air NZ, Etihad and Singapore Airlines to the Virgin board could enforce an uneasy truce between the big shareholders, but it could also create some very messy conflict.

Yesterday PUP's Jacqui Lambie said Clive Palmer had agreed with her to exclude Tasmania from the RET - a constitutional impossibility and contrary to his Al Gore promise to leave the scheme untouched. But the party's media spokesperson tells Climate Spectator something different.

CSL's solid pipeline of R&D is in line with a sanguine growth outlook, and the successful licencing of innovative products will diversify its earnings streams and enhance its position in the biotech industry.

After years of tinkering, applied mathematicians say their weather algorithms based on historical data are now better at forecasting than traditional meteorologists, who rely more on current patterns.