EDITORS' PICKS

US reform guarantees nothing
Alan Kohler
America is celebrating the hobbling of its banks, blissfully unaware that the momentous bank reforms passed by the US Senate are mostly a repackaging of powers regulators had before the GFC.

CLIMATE SPECTATOR: A clean start
Alan Kohler
With the Australian business community doing more to prepare for a price on carbon than recalcitrant politicians, the time is right to launch Business Spectator's new website, Climate Spectator.

A tectonic shift in super
Robert Gottliebsen
The massive change sweeping through the superannuation industry will cause corporate casualties, but will be a boon for self-managed super funds.

Wall Street's blue-chip blues
Robert Gottliebsen
A growing number of blue-chip American companies are under strain from the impact low interest rates are having on their pension obligations.

The fly in Treasury's ointment
Stephen Bartholomeusz
Wayne Swan's numbers paint a sunny picture of Australia's near-term outlook, but they can't obscure the economic slowdown that is quickly becoming apparent.

Unveiling banking phantoms
Stephen Bartholomeusz
The financial crisis brought the shadow banking system into harsh light, but the sector is still far too large and needs more regulation to mitigate its continuing threats to stability.

Bernanke's shrinking feeling
Karen Maley
Despite stimulus measures, the US economy is bogged down. With government spending cuts and tax rises set to pull down GDP further there's little chance the economy won't contract in the coming year.

Masterchef Merkel's new debt recipe
Karen Maley
German chancellor Angela Merkel has devised a secret new plan that will see creditors of debt-laden countries forced to swallow hefty losses on their exposures.

The battle for cleantech California
Giles Parkinson
The war between high emitting industries and low and zero emitting sectors is about to be fought via referendum in America's most populous state.

Australia's choice between growth and decline
Oliver Marc Hartwich
A 'big Australia' will bring a number of challenges with it, but if we handle the growth correctly, Australia can avert a rerun of the European experience.

A way India can outshine China
John Lee
This year's Commonwealth Games will demonstrate just how much India's government and society stand in contrast to China's authoritarian regime.