Blogotariat

At the end of World War II in 1945, international relations quickly coalesced around two superpowers (the USA and the USSR), giving rise to a bipolar world. Since then, the quest for a balance of power, fueled by the space race and the expansion of spheres of influence, has fostered a logic of escalation and a mutual perception of threat that continues to divide relations between Washington and Moscow today.

In succumbing to a lust for the limelight, the ASIO director, Mike Burgess, is not making it easier for the government and citizens to retain confidence in him and the organisation he’s trying to run.

The latest rental data from Cotality suggests that Australia’s rental market has tightened. Rental vacancy rates nationally fell to a new record low of 1.5% in October, down from 2.0% 12 months prior. The number of homes listed for rent across the combined capital cities has fallen to its lowest level on record for an

The post Australian renters cannot catch a break appeared first on MacroBusiness.

Air conditioning is set to become one of the biggest drivers of rising electricity demand, but the IEA says much of this will be met by a new wave of solar investment.

Although I’m not quite sure how much I can offer Mr Zhang’s steel and ironmongery…

Protesters have forced their way into COP30 while California Governor Gavin Newsom has hit out at the Trump administration for failing to send representation.

The IPA's appearance before Senate inquiry on information integrity on climate and energy quickly devolved into a fiery replay of Australia’s old climate wars

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand has slashed the official cash rate by 300 bps to 2.5%. Given New Zealand’s weak economy, which last week saw unemployment and underemployment increase to their highest rate since the pandemic peak, expectations are that the Reserve Bank will deliver additional rate relief heading into 2026. As illustrated below

The post Reserve Bank won’t rescue housing market appeared first on MacroBusiness.

Sales in lower-tier Chinese cities are not going well. At the aggregate level, a hopeful year has turned bust. Inventory isn’t going anywhere. Yet completions remain stable. This has to fall, or the market will never adjust. Only forever to go.

The post Chinese property plunges into the abyss appeared first on MacroBusiness.

One of the biggest victims of the Queensland LNP's bizarre about-face on renewables is seeking federal approvals for the $1 billion project.

The State of Victoria, already drowning in debt and facing further credit rating downgrades, last month passed legislation to establish a First Peoples’ Assembly, providing the indigenous community with significant powers that can greatly increase the cost and difficulty of managing the state. The First Peoples’ Assembly powers are buried in 200-plus pages of complex

The post Victorians to pay treaty tax? appeared first on MacroBusiness.

As I keep saying, the household spending recovery is largely a mirage. The CommBank Household Spending Insights (HSI) Index increased by 0.6% in October, mirroring September’s increase and representing the thirteenth consecutive month of growth for Australian households. 11 out of 12 categories saw an increase in spending, with Transport (+1.2%), Motor Vehicle (1.0%), and

The post Consumer ‘recovery’ is a power bill shock appeared first on MacroBusiness.