We are now into the second month of the Iran War, and much like a tropical storm; it is unclear how long it will rage for and how much damage it will do. But the longer it goes on, the worse it will be for the global economy. ...
Learn moreGeorge Miller’s Mad Max movies are set in the post-apocalyptic Australian outback. We are thankfully a long way from that dystopia, but the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is starting to affect the Australian economy, from empty petrol stations to ...
Learn moreAI bubble concerns morphed into the 'SaaSpocalypse' as AI agents threaten to eat all software and replace all jobs. Perhaps the governor of the RBA may feel a little nervous as the RBA wrestles with still-rising inflation. Elsewhere, Takaichi re ...
Learn moreAs its revenue from iron ore, LNG, and coal slowly falls, Australia can rely on growing revenue from gold and copper. The price of copper has nearly tripled since March 2020 (see chart below) and in its latest earnings report, mining giant BHP earned mo ...
Learn morePolitics overshadowed the economy in January. Fears of an AI bubble gave way to fears over Venezuela, Greenland, Iran, and Minnesota. However, economics cannot be ignored, and the month ended with the announcement of a new Fed chair, falling gold and si ...
Learn moreGovernment interest payments on public debt will be a hot topic in 2026. As the income tax cuts from Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Act come into force, attention will again turn to the sustainability of US debt. Japanese interest payments will also g ...
Learn moreFor AI true believers, 2025 should have been the year that ushered in artificial general intelligence. For Trump true believers, 2025 was the year that Trump saved America, again. Everyone else was just happy that the AI boom did not crash and that ...
Learn moreNovember brought some resolution but not much extra clarity on last month’s headlines. The US government shutdown ended with a whimper. Data is again flowing from US agencies, but not yet enough to fill in the gaps created by the shutdown. Some AI ...
Learn moreChina has cornered the critical mineral market. This has sent the US, Europe, and Australia scrambling to secure critical mineral supply and refining. Australia has committed AUD 1.2 billion for a critical minerals strategic reserve and AUD 7 billion fo ...
Learn moreStronger than expected inflation data for the September quarter and a jump in unemployment in Australia have scuttled any chance of a rate cut soon. Despite disappointment from mortgage holders, the RBA remains calmly confident and cautious. The US gove ...
Learn more