The latest housing finance figures show home buyers remain active, with the notable exception of first time purchasers who have fallen to a fresh record low proportion of mortgage approvals. Overall, Bureau of Statistics figures show the number of home loan applications for owner-occupation was up 1.1 per...

China proves immune to Murdoch-style regime change By Harry Blutstein, RMIT University Having created an empire on which the sun never sets, it must have been a heavy blow to Rupert Murdoch when his company, 21st Century Fox, announced last week it had sold its 47% stake in Star...

The social side of e-commerce: lessons from rural China By Barney Tan, University of Sydney Every year, for the foreseeable future, another 30 million Chinese will go online to shop, according to a new Boston Consulting Group report. Pushed by a government-subsidised rollout of internet – and poor bricks-and-mortar...

Engaging in Myanmar: whose interest are we serving? By Jonathan Bogais, University of Sydney Myanmar is the “new frontier” of the Asia-Pacific region. With its large potential markets, abundant natural resources and strategic position, competition for control of the anticipated revenues intensifies pressure on all sides. While economic development...

Screen Daily have released the epitome of studio performance in 2013 – which is topical given The Merkin Group’s newly expanded  footprint in the global tentpole film acquisition and distribution business. Sony’s China box office swells 22% Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) top brass reported significant year-on-year gains in...

It has been another impressive year for the S&P/ASX 200, with the index returning a total of 17.6 per cent to investors. Returns haven’t been evenly spread across each sector as the broader economy grappled with reduced mining spend and a strong currency, choking export-driven sectors. The materials sector...

While much focus has been centred on the Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory takeover saga, one rarely discussed player in the battle for its control may be quietly seeking bids of its own. According to The Australian, Japan’s Kirin Holdings could be looking to offload the dairy division of its National Foods business. The news follows...

The trade deal signed yesterday between Australia and South Korea is being promoted as a win by the government for the benefits if will bring to Australian industries including agriculture, automotive, services, resources and energy, and manufactured products. South Korea is Australia’s third largest export market and fourth largest...

On 16 October 2013, Treasurer Joe Hockey stated in a speech to the American Australian Association that “Australia is open for business, open for investment and is going for growth”1. Just over a month since making that bold statement, the Treasurer has created uncertainty over Australia’s foreign investment policy...

The post blockbuster stock dip in studio stocks as been a surprisingly common occurrence in recent yeras – and it has it parallels in other industries – one only has to observe the phenomena in Australia when an announcement is made at or above market expectations yet the stock...