EDITOR'S PICKS

What does Tony’s ‘stronger economy’ look like?
Stephen Koukoulas
Tony Abbott's pledge to 'make the economy stronger' has yet to be fleshed out. But benchmarks on GDP, unemployment, inflation and wages growth are already available to gauge the next government's performance by.

The scene is set for Rudd 3.0
Rob Burgess
Labor’s ‘faceless men’ might be banking on a Rudd defeat this Saturday, but amid double dissolution hype he appears to be readying for a new fight against an Abbott government.

Abbott will trigger a housing boom
Robert Gottliebsen
The anecdotal signs of a residential building industry uncorking now underway are about to develop into a surge of property activity.

Video: How tapering will affect the markets
Alan Kohler
The former chief investment officer of Five Oceans Asset Management, Christopher Selth talks to Alan Kohler about the impact of tapering and what that means for Australian and international markets.

The rate cut dash is done and dusted
Stephen Koukoulas
Housing prices, consumer sentiment and business investment will see the Reserve Bank hold rates for several months – and attention could soon turn to a hike.

Burgess leaves the future fund on firm footing
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Mark Burgess presided over big tactical shifts in the Future Fund's portfolio. Now that the fund is fully invested, his successor's role will be somewhat more routine.

A late change of direction for Abbott and Labor
Robert Gottliebsen
Change is coming for the Labor camp, as tactics are rethought, and for the Coalition side as it reveals more plans. But neither has mentioned global power shifts we’re seeing hints of at the G20.

In Rudd’s end is Abbott’s beginning
Michael Gawenda
It’s Labor failures, for which Kevin Rudd is mostly responsible, that have caused such a boring election campaign. But on Saturday night things will suddenly, momentously change.

Rio digs a hole for small China suppliers
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Rio Tinto’s Pilbara expansion comes as others are scaling back capex in fear of oversupply. But the move has potential to push lower quality ore out of the market.

The Coalition’s carbon plan is worth a second look
Robert Gottliebsen
Once industry gets its head around the Coalition's carbon reduction plan, which works with business to collectively lower emissions, there’s a chance they will embrace it.

Xenophon won’t back down on carbon trading
Rob Burgess
Tony Abbott’s plan to ‘scrap the tax’ has a big hole in it: Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, who's batting for a Frontier Economics-style carbon trading scheme over ‘clunky’ Direct Action.

Getting warm and Woolie on local supply
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Canberra’s war against big supermarkets jars with the chains’ lowered food costs, but Woolworths’ SPC deal will win favour with politicians and regulators.

Trade numbers cut China down to size
John Lee
Despite assumptions to the contrary, hard data on regional trade and investment activity show a China-dominated Asian Century is far from inevitable.

A Syrian minefield of Obama’s own making
Edward Luce
Barack Obama has voluntarily walked into a dangerous phase of his presidency. The next ten days could see him look like a hero or a fool depending on how Congress and Bashar al-Assad respond.

Don’t blame the Fed for emerging market woes
Patrick Zweifel
Emerging market stocks began to lose steam as far back as 2010, but the reversal of some expansion trends was apparent years earlier.

Why the BRIC party’s over
Anders Aslund
The BRICs wasted years of plenty on short-term largesse, and now seem unable or uninclined to make the hard choices that could get them going again.

How bad calls led to Nokia’s demise
Michael McQueen
Strangled by a dysfunctional corporate culture and its slowness to adapt to a changing marketplace, Nokia's demise is a cautionary tale for businesses everywhere.