Ben Bernanke
News and interviews on Ben Bernanke including trends, features, blogs and community conversations from an Australian business perspective.
Australian dollar hits $US1.09, Federal Reserve announces an end to stimulus: Midday RoundupThursday, 28 April 2011
The Australian dollar has pushed through the $US1.09 barrier this morning, topping yesterday's record high, as investors cast doubt on a US rate rise anytime soon and eyed further rate rises from the Reserve Bank by the year's end. ...
Housing finance drops to lowest point in 10 years: Midday Roundup
Wednesday, 06 April 2011
Data released this morning by the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows housing finance levels dropped 5.6% in February, a decade low for the number of loans approved in a month. ...
Services sector contracts again: Midday Roundup
Tuesday, 05 April 2011
The Australian Industry Group/Commonwealth Bank Australian Performance of Services Index recorded its fifth consecutive fall for March, with the high Australian dollar and patchy economy conditions hitting the sector hard. ...
Fund management giant delivers big vote of no confidence in US: Maley
Thursday, 10 March 2011
In a stunning vote of no confidence in the policies of the US central bank, the world's largest bond fund, PIMCO, has dumped all of its investments in US government-related debt, including US Treasury bonds and agency debt. ...
Unemployment remains steady at 5%: Economy Roundup
Thursday, 10 February 2011
The unemployment rate remained steady at 5% in January, according to the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. ...
Will China and the US allow the global inflation genie out of the bottle? Maley
Thursday, 10 February 2011
Is the United States locked in a game of 'prisoner's dilemma' with China, with both sides intent on pursuing policies aimed at furthering their self-interest, even though they will result in a surging global inflation that will eventually punish consumers and ...
Shares flat despite more Wall Street gains, US credit rating under threat: Economy Roundup
Friday, 28 January 2011
The Australian sharemarket has opened flat this morning, despite a good result on Wall Street last night where stocks managed to reach another 29-month high. ...
Why Julia Gillard’s levy is completely unnecessary: Kohler
Thursday, 27 January 2011
The market seemed to like President Obama's State of the Union address, taking the Dow Jones above 12,000 this morning for the first time since before the collapse of Lehman Brothers in 2008. However, like Julia Gillard, he is heading off in the wrong direction. ...
A rocky road to recovery
Friday, 05 November 2010
As the world appreciates the return of the Republican majority in the US Congress, gold remains the evidence that investors are betting that printing money is not the best solution in the longer-term. ...
The Fed’s stimulus is off to a flying start – but will it last? Maley
Friday, 05 November 2010
Global asset prices soared overnight as investors world-wide embraced the oldest investment tip on Wall Street: 'Don't Fight The Fed'. ...
Just who owns America’s houses? Maley
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Is Ben Bernanke's siren song promising further monetary easing being drowned out by the rumbles from the increasingly shaky US housing market? ...
Will a fresh round of US stimulus measures actually work? Maley
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Financial markets may be cheering on US Fed Reserve boss Ben Bernanke as he gets set to unleash a fresh round of monetary stimulus, but some are worried that his actions will further jeopardise the reputation of the US central bank, along with its future independence. ...
Company profits up 19%, Shares jump 2% on US stimulus hopes: Economy Roundup
Monday, 30 August 2010
Gross operating profits increased by a seasonally adjusted 18.9% during the June quarter, according to the latest business indicators released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. ...
THE BIG PICTURE: Deciphering deflation
Monday, 09 August 2010
The 'hot button' issue on global financial markets is deflation, or falling prices. This issue has been brewing for some time with a rash of retailers and consumer-product manufacturers forced to trim prices. But the issue has been given another kick along ...
Retail sales up 0.2% in June, Building approvals down again: Economy Roundup
Tuesday, 03 August 2010
Retail turnover increased by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in June, following a 0.2% increase in May and a 0.6% rise in April, according to the latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. ...
Business conditions plummet in June quarter: Economy Roundup
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Business conditions plummeted during the June quarter, with the decline caused by concerns for sales and profitability, although employment conditions remain high, the latest NAB business survey has found. ...
THE BIG PICTURE: The herd mentality taking over markets
Monday, 19 July 2010
One issue that is starting to receive more attention is the correlation between individual stocks, sectors and sharemarkets. The Wall Street Journal ran an article entitled "The Herd Instinct Takes Over" citing research showing that stocks are trading in lock-step ...
Bernanke's shrinking feeling: Maley
Thursday, 15 July 2010
Ben Bernanke, the boss of the powerful US Federal Reserve, is getting anxious. ...
Fear is holding America back: Maley
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
US Fed boss Ben Bernanke knows that the US is stuck in the economic version of a chicken-and-egg situation. He knows that the economy won't start picking up until banks start lending to small businesses. But, at the same time, banks won't start lending – and ...
Looking to the future
Friday, 18 June 2010
The sooner we have elections the better. We can then get on to looking to the future, implementing the buried innovation and research and development strategies and exploring some of the options in the long forgotten Rudd Futures Summit. The last couple of ...
