Insights

America's consumer confidence remains weak, but house prices are growing despite a decline in pending home sales.

ABS data reveals electricity consumption per household is down 23%, gas down 15% and petrol down 18% compared to 2002-03. In combination with a contraction in manufacturing, Australia's energy market is being transformed.

Family businesses are being picked up for a steal and a lack of preparation is the culprit. Heading to the trade table without a careful and lengthy lead up will drop the price like a stone.

You want both, but you're likely to only have the budget for one. Here's a graphic detailing the specs of each console.

While some equity markets are touching all-time highs, investors would be wise to wait for corporate revenue growth to play catch-up.

The Beijing and Shanghai carbon markets will operate in a significantly different political-economic context, where environmental considerations may not get the final word.

Final day to have your say on the biggest issues facing the Australian economy.

Corporate taxpayers are still making clerical mistakes on the GST to the tune of over $1 billion in the last three years. Taxation compliance and reporting is hard work but it doesn't need to be.

The Wikileaks revelations shed some much-needed light on an opaque process and it's pretty clear that Australia and the US are a bit more than kissing cousins.

New data from previously unmeasured parts of the Arctic, Antarctic and Africa refute the notion of a slowdown in warming - while also increasing estimates of rising temperatures.

The 13-inch Macbook Pro refresh once again keeps Apple ahead of the game. And if it continues to offer free upgrades to OS X every year, then you may never have to pay for a new operating system again.

Using overpopulation as a policy platform is far too shallow. Planning for real cities is what Australia needs, not misguided attitudes towards Johnny Foreigner.

Woolworths' Masters looks like the last major bricks and mortar chain built in the developed world. The business should have taken on Bunnings online, which is where it can be redeemed.

Wall Street got a kick from industrials as well as the tech sector after a surge in US building permits and strong house price growth.

Goldman Sachs recommends cashing in on the weakening Aussie dollar - which could be as low as 85 cents by late 2014 - as a number one trade for the coming year.

Local market expected to begin weaker following mixed leads on global bourses.