EDITORS' PICKS

Gold jumps off a cliff
Alan Kohler
With commodity futures dropping like stones, global investors appear to have gone into capital preservation mode in a way that was not evident after the 2008 crisis.

A black mark for productivity naggers
Alan Kohler
A new report shows productivity declines since the 90s are largely due to high commodity prices. So why are top economic bureaucrats being such hard markers?

Traders crack the market whip
Robert Gottliebsen
If politicians can't get it right on Europe, traders will dose out another caning and markets will plunge to new lows, probably testing GFC levels in some areas.

UBS breaks the banking ice
Robert Gottliebsen
If UBS is one of the European banks in dire need of new capital, Oswald Grbel's resignation would seem to underline a serious corporate governance mess.

Chinese banks strike a sour note
Karen Maley
The issue of problem loans in China has been reignited after one of its largest banks announced plans for a capital boost. And that could just be the beginning.

The whole market in their hands
Karen Maley
As Germany prepares to vote on changes to Europe's bailout fund, eurozone countries appear split over Greece's second rescue package, giving markets a reality check.

Gillard is doing Rudd's dirty work
Rob Burgess
The notion of a Kevin Rudd comeback may look like Coalition mischief now, but by early 2012 it could be a very different prospect.

Our politicos face a crisis of virtue
Rob Burgess
Complacency in our political structures will be shaken in the years ahead as our trading partners' hunger for influence bears down on our politicians.

Spotting the real property bubble
Christopher Joye
Australian house prices have proven resilient in times of economic hardship, so talk of a bubble is best left to the commercial property sector.

TECHNOLOGY SPECTATOR: NBN Co's hidden agenda
Charis Palmer
NBN Co likes to call itself an engineering company. The problem is it needs a crash course in marketing to meet the expectations of even its biggest fans.

CLIMATE SPECTATOR: Why airlines want a carbon price
Giles Parkinson
Qantas and Virgin have successfully lobbied for inclusion in the Australian carbon market, and now face – along with other airlines – a carbon price in Europe.

Dressing up Myer's online model
Leon Gettler
As Bernie Brookes pins Myer's development to its online strategy, it's unlikely the changes will save the department store without significant innovation.

Our China ties are tightly bound
John Lee
As another white paper on Australia's Asian strategy looms, many predict it will harm our trade with China despite a plethora of factors to the contrary.

Join hands for a global recovery
Christine Lagarde
The only way to build a global economic recovery is for developed and emerging countries to work together to repair budgets and rebalance demand.