Michael Pascoe

Streamlining super is simpler than it seems

Michael Pascoe The Tax Office is the best and most obvious bet for super collection but the industry's vested interests could be doing us out of substantial savings.

What happens when an Aussie housing bubble bursts

Michael Pascoe Yes, Virginia, Australia does suffer housing bubbles that burst but, no, Dr Keen, they don't do it in the Armageddon fashion you imagine.

Sol Trujillo was worse than he looked

Michael Pascoe Telstra's dismal results tell us much about Trujillo's legacy. Sadly, the outlook may be even worse.

CBA: Please excuse our embarrassing profit

Michael Pascoe What an extraordinary achievement: in a six-page media release and a 114-page presentation to analysts, not once does the Commonwealth Bank use the word ''record''.

The bear bullish on metals

Michael Pascoe A week ago the resident rational bear, Gerard Minack, was warning of a 25% market plunge this year, but now he's telling clients to buy industrial commodities amid suggestions base metals prices will...

Retail good, developed world cactus

Michael Pascoe This morning's Reserve Bank statement on monetary policy fills in a key gap in the Governor's Tuesday explanation for leaving interest rates steady: yes, most of the developed world is still cactus.

How we got the RBA wrong

Michael Pascoe Yes, it's embarrassing to be so certain about a call that turns out to be wrong. But you can thank the big banks for the pause.

What spooked Stevens?

Michael Pascoe The RBA governor made a good case for raising rates, but didn't pull the trigger. What gives?

RBA on housing: told you so

Michael Pascoe The three levels of government could do with a lashing in tomorrow's RBA statement, as the feared housing bubble has clearly already started.

Get a job, raise interest rates

Michael Pascoe Don't the poor know their place? All those people getting jobs and forcing rates higher. Watch the mortgage class complain.

What's next for rates

Michael Pascoe Here’s a totally unscientific observation: Australia’s starting 2010 with a little inflationary surge that will soon have the Reserve Bank more worried than it has thus far let on.

The fund sinking with the Swans

Michael Pascoe Flicking the dud Club Swans from its King Cross home would at least bring to an end an extremely expensive eight-year embarrassment for the landlord, ING REEF, or maybe not.

Macbank still mugging MIG

Michael Pascoe The pending vote to split Macquarie Infrastructure Group reveals the bad, the ugly and amusing way Macquarie Group handles its funds.

Beijing following the Economist's path

Michael Pascoe Investor concerns about China easing off the accelerator a touch – an accelerator that had been flat to the metal – are simply absurd.

Apple bites Australia for profit

Michael Pascoe Apple announces a record quarterly profit - but how much of that comes from ripping off Australian iTunes customers?

The board’s next fear: the female quota

Michael Pascoe In the next few months, women will cross the 50 per cent threshold of the American workforce, but they are still highly under-represented at the top - in the US and locally.