Business
The economy
US economy at ‘inflection point’, says Fed chief
Fed chief Jerome Powell echoed both his recent optimism about the economy and a warning that the COVID-19 pandemic had not yet been fully defeated.
- by Dan Burns and Howard Schneider
Latest
Power grid can be rid of coal ‘without price rises, outages’
New modelling has challenged the long-held claim that keeping coal-fired plants running is key to ensuring affordable and reliable electricity.
- by Mike Foley and Nick Toscano
Opinion
Ageing
China’s dilemma: Growing old before it becomes rich and powerful
It faces a multitrillion-dollar bill or an overhaul of its fertility and retirement systems.
- by Eryk Bagshaw
Opinion
Government debt
Ballooning global debts need to be restructured before it is too late
The world is in a monstrous fiscal bind. Countries can either keep spending beyond their means to repair the economic damage left by COVID-19; or they can try to bring their ballooning debts under control.
- by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
After pandemic ‘this will be a different economy’, says Fed’s Powell
The US economy, boosted by quickening vaccinations, is headed toward a strong recovery, Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell says. But when it comes back, it won’t be the same.
- by Christopher Rugaber
Opinion
Inflation
The cash conundrum: There’s more money around, but it changes hands less often
Since the 1980s, the supply of money has been increasing but its velocity has decreased, resulting in less productive investment and a dramatic increase in financial speculation.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz
Janet Yellen sees Biden tax plan bring back $2.6t in overseas profits
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the new corporate tax code would remove incentives for companies to shift investments and profit overseas and pay for Biden’s eight-year spending push on infrastructure, green investments and social programs.
- by Christopher Condon and Laura Davison
JPMorgan chief Jamie Dimon says economic boom ‘could easily run into 2023’
Wall Street’s most prominent banker predicts a Goldilocks moment for the world’s largest economy where growth is fast and sustained while inflation ticks up gently.
- by Hannah Levitt
Opinion
Childcare
Fixing childcare would be a start on PM’s women problem
A healthier economy? Happier families? More empowered women? The Morrison government can deliver all this with a massive injection of funding into childcare.
- by Jessica Irvine
Opinion
Property prices
First home buyer boom masks a much bigger problem
Let’s not pretend the recent surge in first home buyers - as encouraging as it is - will meaningfully change the downward trend in home ownership.
- by Clancy Yeates
Opinion
Company tax
Biden’s tax plan could get Mathias Cormann off to a flying start at the OECD
The prospect of a global agreement on a minimum corporate tax rate this year has been strengthened by the US government’s search for revenue to fund its $2.9 trillion infrastructure investments.
- by Stephen Bartholomeusz