EDITORS' PICKS

Will Fairfax break the paywall?
Alan Kohler
It seems Fairfax could boost tablet impressions enough to make up for lost subscription revenue if its online papers had no paywall, and that's clearly giving Greg Hywood pause for thought.

An ill wind for Labor power
Alan Kohler
It's not just pricing for carbon that the government has got horribly wrong – forecasts for gas baseload, wind and solar power and renewable energy certificates are also a mess.

The euro's last minute print job
Robert Gottliebsen
Behind the scenes, investment banks have worked out what the end game for the eurozone will be. And the implications of this could be significant for both Australian banks and investors.

Abbott's unemployment threat
Robert Gottliebsen
New surveys showing unemployment is a simmering issue also illustrate that Tony Abbott's platform has fallen out of step with voters, suggesting his future may be insecure.

Death of the dollar is greatly exaggerated
Stephen Bartholomeusz
The future of the US dollar as the world's reserve currency is not immediately at threat, despite suggestions the renminbi could challenge its position.

Why Aussie banks are taking cover
Stephen Bartholomeusz
The first successful issuance of covered bonds is a crucial first step for Australian banks towards reducing reliance on volatile wholesale markets, and if it creates a cheaper source of funding then that's a bonus.

Will Germany break the ultimate taboo?
Karen Maley
As global markets lurch over fears of rising eurozone infection, Germany remains adamant that it won't capitulate and allow unlimited ECB bond purchases.

Staring down US budget D-Day
Karen Maley
As US lawmakers struggle to reach a deal on budget cuts just days out from their deadline, commentators are also divided over what this means for markets.

Labor's jump to the right
Rob Burgess
As the Labor Party shifts further from being a natural home for Greens preferences, there are also contradictions within the Greens movement that will force some left-leaning voters out.

A wave of green pain for Abbott
Rob Burgess
Julia Gillard's plan to allow uranium exports to India, along with an APEC pledge to cut 'green goods' tariffs, could be the combination Labor needs to conquer the Coalition.

Will Mr Nobody crash Europe?
Oliver Marc Hartwich
If a hitherto obscure German MP succeeds in using a legal loophole to force a party bailout referendum, the entire edifice of European rescue packages could collapse before Christmas.

Fighting a false forecasting war
Christopher Joye
Traders and market economists are really playing completely different forecasting games, so it's a false dichotomy to try to compare the two.

CLIMATE SPECTATOR: Calling an Aussie solar boom
Giles Parkinson
The world's largest solar maker sees big things ahead for Australia's PV capacity, with predictions of 2GW-a-year growth as costs plummet and the need for incentives falls away.

TECHNOLOGY SPECTATOR: Facebook's privacy loophole
Charis Palmer
Facebook may be close to a privacy settlement with the Federal Trade Commission but the move doesn't resolve the concerns raised by users, nor protect their information.

Barren returns on executive pay
John Abernethy
ASX data shows the returns on employed equity in the top 200 companies are not rising, and nor is productivity. So why are our executives being paid so much?

True value of a NSW energy sale
Keith Orchison
As debate over NSW electricity privatisation heats up once again, a rough analysis of the state's energy assets shows it could reap as much as $45 billion from a sale.