Safe as an Aussie dollar?
Karen Maley
Hedge funds betting against the Australian dollar say it won't withstand a looming drag on commodity prices. But for others, there are strong reasons the dollar will continue to shine.
The other painful paper revolution
Alan Kohler
The great digital mailbox metamorphosis has now arrived in Australia. But no one knows yet whether this will be a 'winner takes all' game, or if there will be room for multiple players.
The boats bill must be allowed to pass
Rob Burgess
An imperfect, two-pronged border protection policy that passed the House of Reps last night will ease human tragedy and lay the groundwork for better law. But will Greens obstinacy scupper the solution?
A eurozone beyond saving
Karen Maley
Germany faces a terrible choice as Greece's failure to keep its bailout deals becomes clearer, while ING forecasts put devastating figures to the costs of a euro collapse.
Resourceful Voelte gets media throne
Stephen Bartholomeusz
While admittedly a surprise choice by Kerry Stokes to lead his media empire, Don Voelte will enter the game with Seven West in a position of comparative strength and with plenty of wise heads around him.
Banks wait in Europe's emergency room
Robert Gottliebsen
Banks around the globe are preparing for the European infection that will sweep lending markets if Angela Merkel decides to turn off the euro's life support.
Time to cut off Europe's club med
Peter Morici
There's no solution on the table at Europe's summit that won't exacerbate the problems. Officials should stop the charade now and organise and orderly exit of 'club med' states, before their pain worsens.
News Corp's costly divorce
John Gapper, Financial Times
Running a unified conglomerate has always been essential to how Rupert Murdoch has operated, but the News of the World hacking scandal, which broke a year ago, altered that irrevocably.
Merkel's critical test of strength
Cliona O'Dowd
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's muscle flexing on the global stage is attracting increasing fire from world leaders, and her stance at Europe's summit may be a turning point.
Who will recharge Nokia?
Horace Dediu
Former mobile phones giant Nokia is now on life support after missing the smartphones boat. From bankruptcy to being split up, to being acquired or capitalised – history suggests at least one likely path.
CLIMATE SPECTATOR: Tesla’s gutsy electric car bet
Poornima Gupta
Tesla chief executive Elon Musk has made a startling prediction: electric cars will rival petrol guzzlers in popularity by 2030, or perhaps even 2025.
CLIMATE SPECTATOR: A great big carbon tax waste?
Tristan Edis
Some contend Australia's carbon pricing scheme is a waste of time due to its reliance on the importation of international carbon credits to achieve emissions targets. Such conclusions are far too premature.
The Coalition's boat to nowhere
Michael Gawenda
Scott Morrison and Tony Abbott are in the business of moving as quickly as humanly – not humanely – possible from being in opposition to being in government. Asylum seekers won't be the only victims.
TECHNOLOGY SPECTATOR: Apple expands its retail army
Horace Dediu
Excessive random clapping, an abundance of staff and an ever-growing number of new stores; welcome to Apple’s retail success.
Who's rating the rating agencies?
Patrick Jenkins, Financial Times
Rating agencies like Moody's still have relevance thanks to the role they play in short-term debt ratings and collateralised funding, but if they don't become more forward-looking on banks, regulators should make them.
China's Australian mining void
Henry Sender, Financial Times
The Sino Iron project is a cautionary tale of the difficulties Chinese companies face in attempting to exert control over commodity prices through international expansion. And it's not the only project in trouble in Western Australia.
