EDITOR'S PICKS

Interest rates: a world of manipulation
Alan Kohler
With global banking prices purposely massaged by both central and privately owned banks, we shouldn't be surprised corruption sometimes sneaks in, as at Barclays. But why don't we question manipulation of the Australian cash rate?

Central bankers' window to go for broke
Karen Maley
Global disinflation is giving central banks worldwide a rare opportunity to disregard the short-term inflation bogie in favour of much needed long-term growth, says MIT's Albert Cavallo.

Pain will follow the carbon fantasy
Rob Burgess
The Coalition is asking voters to believe it can scrap the carbon tax and fund Labor's tax breaks through budget cuts, without anyone noticing the difference. When this proves false there will be a world of pain.

Yuan small step for China
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Bit by bit China is internationalising its currency. Next week Wayne Swan will be trying to hurry them along but full liberalisation of this key tool in Beijing's command-and-control structure is still years away.

Barclays and the muppet show
Robert Gottliebsen
Behaviour that would not be tolerated in most other industries is accepted as the norm in the broad securities trading business, but don't expect politicians to step in – they simply don't have the courage.

TECHNOLOGY SPECTATOR: NBN spoof
Supratim Adhikari
Malcolm Turnbull takes to the screen to lampoon the government's PR efforts, while Julia Gillard rolls out regional NBN training centres.

Diamond's crisis of Libor confidence
Karen Maley
As US and UK investigators continue their rates fixing probe, and the potential costs of legal action escalates, Bob Diamond has warned of widespread Libor rates scepticism during the global financial crisis.

Survival instinct pushes Europe onwards
Cliona O'Dowd
European nations' survival instincts will ensure that the euro survives. Unfortunately for some leaders, most notably Angela Merkel, those actions are likely to cost them political survival.

Shutting down banking's amusement park
John Gapper, Financial Times
Patience is finally wearing thin with the banking sector's shamless trading floor culture. It's time to clear out the investment bankers who run universal banks and return to high street banks being run by high street bankers.

German generosity will break Berlin
Oliver Marc Hartwich
Germany has drawn many lines in the sand in regards to its profligate southern neighbours. But, despite perceptions, they have all been washed away and now Berlin is as exposed as the rest.

Rethinking the news model
Leon Gettler
Media managers are still trying to understand how they can produce good journalism while being profitable. There are plenty of answers in pencil, but nothing yet in ink.

TECHNOLOGY SPECTATOR: Tackling a wi-fi roadblock
Harrison Polites
As commuters increasingly rely on the daily grind to get ahead with work, is there a case for the major telcos to step in and roll out wi-fi across Australia's transport networks?

CLIMATE SPECTATOR: Throwing good money at old energy
Tristan Edis
Just before the introduction of the carbon pricing scheme, the Commonwealth and Victorian governments turned their backs on the clean energy future and threw almost $100 million at our dirty energy past.

PRODUCTIVITY SPECTATOR: When negotiations get personal
Jackson Hewett
Negotiating is a critical skill, particularly in times of crisis, but many negotiators perform poorly for fear of damaging the relationship with the counterparty. There is a better way.

A recipe to stem bank hate
Gillian Tett, Financial Times
As bankers including Barclays' Bob Diamond lose the trust of the market, it will take more than saying sorry to restore reputations. Banks need to embrace transparency and redefine why they exist