In a little over twelve months, life as we know it has changed dramatically. Financial markets are in crisis, the global economy is staring at recession, and now the commodity super-cycle has faltered. What lies ahead?
This feature updates the views expressed in a previous feature, “Australia’s Unavoidable Recession”, published in 2006.
One broker argues that BHP will need to move quickly to secure Rio before the world wakes up to the value of long-life resource assets. How much is Rio really worth? And, for that matter, BHP?
Industrialisation and modernisation promotes not only newfound capitalism, but newfound socialism in response. China may be not be a cheap factory to the world for much longer.
Now that we’re all agreed – definition or no definition – that the US is in a recession, the next step is to decide whether it will be short, long, deep or shallow.
The developing world has successfully begun to reduce its carbon emissions, but that success is dwarfed by the soaring increase in emissions from the emerging world.
A new wave of optimism has flowed through Wall Street as it appears Bear Stearns may be a lone casualty. Has the bust been averted?
As global economic growth forecasts fall, and commodities indices rise, it would seem the world is facing the crippling spectre of stagflation.
Forget iron ore, forget oil, forget uranium. Strap in and get set for the next great commodity boom – in plain old boring coal.
Is the forgotten metal about to have its day in the sun?
