EDITORS' PICKS

Let's hang up on old Telstra
Alan Kohler
Yet another transformation of Telstra is underway, but it will be impeded by investors clamouring for dividends. And all the while, Telstra is failing to understand key growth areas of its business.

Spanking BHP won't help
Alan Kohler
The Potash Corp complaint against BHP Billiton filed with the US District Court in Chicago last night is pretty hilarious, but it is nothing more than a sideshow intended to buy Potash some time.

Contractors may shorten Bill's career
Robert Gottliebsen
Julia Gillard has put Bill Shorten at the centre of a battle between unions and small contractors. He will have to handle it with great care if he's to avoid making Tony Abbott PM in three years' time.

Our banks' guarantee addiction
Robert Gottliebsen
Bank shareholders and directors must realise that their big returns come partly from government subsidies in the form of massive implicit guarantees. This could put bank margins at risk.

The curse of the greenback
Karen Maley
Investors are doing everything they can to dump the dollar, but those looking to discard their despised greenbacks for euros may may well be forced to reassess their hatred.

Cheap tricks won't balance China
Karen Maley
Rebalancing China's economy will be tougher than many expect. The government has a number of policy options to boost consumption, but each carries winners and losers, and must be implemented carefully.

A new horse for Pyne to flog
Rob Burgess
Christopher Pyne spent the first question time this week flogging a dead horse over school building costs. Luckily for him, the Audit Office has just ponied up a new report revealing far greater government spending problems.

Turnbull's dodgy NBN connections
Stephen Conroy
It is right to debate projects of the scale and complexity of the NBN, but Malcolm Turnbull and others should make sure the facts are at the centre of the debate.

Some facts and questions for Conroy
Andrew Harris
Touting 'facts' in a reply to Malcolm Turnbull is all well and good, but the Broadband Minister still needs to explain why the NBN should stay off budget and why households need such high speeds.

Putting the capital screws on China
Daniel Gros
Instead of ineffectual 'moral suasion', America and Japan could simply put the capital screws on China. It's not illegal and it might just work.

Goodbye to robust real estate gains
Christopher Joye
Policymakers will be pleased with the modest drop in house prices, and higher interest rates are set to keep a lid on real estate going forward.