Feature Stories

Gerry Harvey fears Christmas might be dreadful for retailers. Australia’s economy continues to fracture into mining and energy on the one hand and everyone else on the other. And everyone else is slipping further behind.

Debate over the advantages and risks of a rapidly growing exchange-traded fund market have begun to rage in the US. Could we be heading down another path to disaster?

The market is concerned the big Australian banks are not the investment proposition they once were, and that margins will come under further pressure. Not all analysts agree.

The market is building in an assumed consumer recovery in 2011 on the strength of the Australian economy. But strategists argue such assumptions ignore a post-GFC change in the consumer mindset.

Economists debate the likely path of the global economy over the next twelve months. It’s all about policy.

Analysts compare the impact of the new MRRT and PRRT tax proposals to the previous RSPT proposal.

Hedge funds often seek to profit from low-risk trades by engaging in “spread” or “pairs” trading. This article (first published for subscribers a week ago) by Aliom Futures’ Jay Richards provides stock market investors with an introduction to spread trading as an alternative avenue of return.

Coal seam methane has been taking the spotlight – this month it’s Arrow Energy – but Big Oil has also been sniffing around Australia’s fledgling underground coal gasification industry.

BHP has just settled its first ever quarterly coal contract with the Japanese, a move that cannot be underestimated in its importance and which may have similar ramifications for iron ore.

FNArena has launched its new Investor Education service, delivered as a series of short webinars available on the website.