An East West wake-up call for Leighton
The Victorian government's dumping of Leighton's East West Link bid reveals that, unlike Lend Lease, the company has a lot more work to do on meeting the new tender rules.
Is Australia now the most boring place to do business?
Employed in Australia? Feel your job isn't creative? Here's why.
Will the two-child policy save China from its demographic destiny?
The lukewarm response to the change in policy suggests Beijing may have significantly overestimated people's desire to have a second child.
Scoreboard: European burden
Weak European PMI figures clouded positive US data and weighed on markets, while the Australian dollar slipped but remains above US94c.
The hard facts about property's softening outlook
There's not much cheer in BIS Shrapnel's property outlook, with only Sydney and Brisbane set to record price growth in the next three years. But there may be a glimmer of hope for younger buyers.
DataRoom AM: Float fizzle
Asaleo Care's bookbuild closes early despite concerns investors are growing wary of the IPO market, while Woolworths' pubs portfolio proves a hot ticket.
Why libertarians can't agree on plain-pack ciggies
Clashing concepts of personal and corporate freedom have MPs at loggerheads… but Tony Abbott has, in fact, cast his vote on the packaging question long ago.
A cold chill to kill competition
Rod Sims' proposal to outlaw corporate conduct that damages competitors, regardless of intent, would force most Australian companies to second-guess everything they might decide to do.
How individuals are beating the fund managers
Small investors are generally outperforming the professionals, and a lot comes down to size.
Tax with Max: Tax strategies before June 30
Tax reduction strategies before June 30, making contributions after 65, corporate bonds and CGT, and more.
The pros and cons of SMSFs
Here's four reasons to start a SMSF, and another four why you shouldn't bother.
Do term deposits still stack up?
Investors wanting to lock in long-term fixed interest returns have a choice of five-year term deposit accounts paying under 5%. Will returns move up, and what are the alternatives?
Aust stocks close stronger
Local market posts widespread gains, buoyed by upbeat Chinese manufacturing data.
Will greenies play into the sceptics' hands in Paris?
Climate advocates need to remember the lesson from Copenhagen and not demand perfection at Paris. Today's report from the Climate Change Authority provides a blueprint for what's possible and reasonable.
The lessons for the IMF in Argentina's debt drama
The US Supreme Court's ruling against Argentina over sovereign immunity fails to recognise that a nation's debt problem is a burden shared by the debtor and its creditors. A sensible restructuring framework is needed.