Insights

Political posturing over energy and carbon abatement is distracting policymakers from achieving a balance between job creation, prices and investment. But vested interests are making it difficult.

For Southern Europe to climb out of its Great Depression, Brussels needs to admit defeat and finally abandon its foolish policy of trying to eliminate government deficits at any cost.

Australian stocks are tipped to rise modestly ahead of new home sales figures, while tomorrow's RBA rate decision will also give investors plenty to ponder.

The UK's move to limit the potential fallout from a housing downturn comes after New Zealand and Canada introduced similar measures. In contrast, Australia's financial regulator seems content to sit back and do nothing.

Australia's booming self-managed super fund industry is an untapped well for funding essential areas such as infrastructure, but the big institutions are not exactly willing to play ball.

Macquarie Group pays top dollar for ANZ Terminals, while Roc Oil's mystery bidder could soon emerge from the shadows.

The biggest concern for the Reserve Bank ahead of this week's rates decision will be the cautious consumer, but it may only be a matter of time before the 'wealth effect' kicks in.

Few institutions inspire hysteria quite like the ABC, with the political right continually attacking its funding while the left cries wolf about its desecration. Both sides need a reality check.

Credit is the grease that helps the economy function, but rising levels of nonperforming loans have burdened balance sheets, making it harder to encourage new lending and stifling economic growth.

In this week's essential reading guide, Kohler looks at John Edwards' take on the mining boom, Bartholomeusz eyes the future crisis at Australia Post, and Burgess asks if the 'religious left' pose a threat to Tony Abbott.

Key local data releases on private sector credit and international trade will usher in the new financial year, while all eyes will be watching employment figures in the US.

Coca-Cola Amatil chief executive Alison Watkins believes carbonated soft drink will continue to fuel the company's growth and is buoyant about its prospects in Indonesia.

The new financial year will present multiple challenges for investors, including in tax and superannuation, and across the economy at large.

The structure of Woodside's plan to buyback Shell's holding should be part of the review of the cross-border taxation of large multinational companies.

Weak GDP numbers from the US this week reinforce predictions that its annual growth forecasts won't be met … and that could spur a market correction.

Concerns that the UK residential property market is overheating has led the Bank of England to take action to control riskier lending. Similar conditions at home could see APRA follow suit.