EDITORS' PICKS
Prepare for an election brawl
Robert Gottliebsen
By taking on the 'gang of three' – BHP's Jacques Nasser, Rio Tinto's Jan du Plessis and Xstrata's Willy Strothotte – Kevin Rudd has ensured that the coming election will be a bruising affair.
The RSPT house-price risk
Robert Gottliebsen
By creating fear among global lenders about Australia's level of sovereign risk, the RSPT is not only threatening the mining industry, it's also threatening house prices.
China's RSPT resentment
Stephen Bartholomeusz
With large investments in a number of Australian miners, including once-struggling companies like MMG, China has good reason to feel blind-sided by the proposed resource super profits tax.
Britain's banks on notice
Stephen Bartholomeusz
The UK government is proposing radical regulatory overhaul. But will a new bank levy, more restraint on pay and bonuses and an independent commission on the banking industry prevent history repeating?
America's next housing crash
Karen Maley
A new report on the US housing market shows some extremely worrying trends that support the argument that America is about to experience a housing double dip.
The dark secret of Europe's banks
Karen Maley
Germany and France are hoping to keep the results of the 'stress tests' being conducted on the major European banks shrouded in secrecy as they suspect their financial institutions are undercapitalised.
Free the Bavaria babes!
James Thomson
As long as the two women arrested at the World Cup for Bavaria beer's ambush marketing stunt don't go to jail, any fine imposed will be well worth it.
Nothing can save Spain
Oliver Marc Hartwich
European politicians are right on one thing – Spain is definitely not Greece. Spain's debt troubles are much worse, and unlike Greece, Spain is too big to save.
KGB TV: Malcolm Turnbull
Gottliebsen, Bartholomeusz
Malcolm Turnbull says the mining tax is the latest instalment in a litany of poor policy announcements by the Rudd government and if Kevin Rudd wanted a tax stoush he should have stuck with the ETS.
Bernanke can't stop what's coming
Steve Keen
It's a mistake to think the Fed's extraordinary monetary policy settings can counteract the private sector deleveraging that's underway.