Grexit fears wipe $38b from ASX

Original article by Vesna Poljak, Lisa Murray
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 30-Jun-15

The Australian dollar and the domestic sharemarket were sold down on 29 June 2015, as Greece’s debt crisis deepened and Chinese shares fell. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was down 123 points or 2.2 per cent at 5,422.5, while the dollar fell to $US0.7643. Kapstream Capital’s Kumar Palghat says investors can expect more volatility in financial markets, while federal Treasurer Joe Hockey says there will be minimal impact on Australia if Greece leaves the eurozone.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, KAPSTREAM CAPITAL PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, GREECE. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND, ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA, SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX, CHINEXT COMPOSITE INDEX, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, PM CAPITAL LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK, AQUASIA PTY LTD

Abbott loses the plot on debt

Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 19-Mar-15

Prime Minister Tony Abbott seems to have abandoned his commitment to economic reform. He said on 18 March 2015 that the May 2015 Budget will be "dull". Abbott no longer insists on reducing debt as quickly as possible and accepts that it could take 40 years to achieve a Budget surplus. Australia’s national debt is currently at 15 per cent of GDP, but it is forecast to rise to 60 per cent by 2055

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Cuts, tax hikes critical to AAA rating

Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 6-Feb-15

Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey said on 5 February 2015 that there is "no easy path" to a Budget surplus. The Federal Government seems to have given up aiming for large savings in the May 2015 Budget. Ratings agencies contend that for Australia to preserve its "AAA" credit rating in the long term, the Government must raise taxes or reduce spending. Andrew Colquhoun of Fitch Ratings notes that New Zealand’s Budget was revised without the political turmoil seen in Australia

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, FITCH RATINGS LIMITED, FITCH AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MOODY’S ANALYTICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD

S&P draws line in the sand on national debt

Original article by Adam Creighton
The Australian – Page: 21 : 30-Jul-14

Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor’s (S&P) has issued its annual ratings review for 2014, voicing some concerns about the Australian economy. It noted the reliance on China’s growth, the sizeable current account deficit and negative sentiment among investor as factors, as well as the potential for a "bubble" to emerge in the residential real estate market. S&P has also warned state and federal governments that in order to retain the nation’s "AAA" status their total net debt must not exceed 30% of GDP

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD