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Kevin Davis

Professor of Finance, University of Melbourne
Kevin Davis is Professor of Finance at University of Melbourne.,

Prior to his appointment at the University of Melbourne in 1987, he was a Senior Lecturer in Economics at the University of Adelaide.

His primary research interests are in the areas of financial institutions and markets, financial engineering and corporate finance.

He is co-author/editor of sixteen books in the areas of finance, banking, monetary economics and macroeconomics and numerous journal articles and chapters in books. He is a member of the Australian Competition Tribunal

He has undertaken an extensive range of consulting assignments for financial institutions, business and government. Most recently (2014) he was a panel member of the Financial System (Murray) Inquiry.

Kevin was the inaugural Director of the Melbourne (now Australian) Centre for Financial Studies from July 2005-December 2008. Until 2019 he was Research Director of the Australian Centre for Financial Studies and Professor at Monash University.

Fixed or variable mortgage? The choice of home loan isn't as simple as you might think

Apr 05, 2022 11:53 am UTC| Economy

In times like these, when there is great uncertainty about what will happen to interest rates, borrowers get lots of advice about whether to go fixed or variable. Unfortunately, a lot of it is not well founded. For...

When companies go bust, temporary visa holders miss out and that's wrong

Jul 21, 2020 14:31 pm UTC| Business

The exclusion of temporary visa workers from reimbursement under Australias Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG) scheme for lost wages and entitlements (annual leave etc) owed to them when their employer collapses is not just...

Bank dividends are bare. Here's why some shareholders hate it more than they should

May 09, 2020 08:37 am UTC| Investing Economy

In bad news for retirees and others who depend on dividend cheques (and dividend imputation rebate cheques from the Tax Office) bank dividends have largely evaporated. But its not as bad as many commentators suggest, and...

Requiring firms to only sell financial products we can use is good, but not enough

Mar 01, 2020 12:22 pm UTC| Insights & Views Investing

The governments financial system inquiry, on which I sat, reported five years ago. It recommended that the creators of financial products be subject to a design and distribution obligation (DDO), which would mean the...

Here's a radical reform that could keep super and pay every retiree the full pension

Feb 07, 2020 05:58 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy

The governments retirement income review is being told our current tax and benefit treatment of retirement incomes is a mess. Much of financial planning industry is devoted to structuring affairs to maximise access to...

Economy

Oil Prices Rise Amid Iran Conflict and Strait of Hormuz Disruption

Oil prices climbed on Friday as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East continued to unsettle global energy markets. Efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict involving Iran remain stalled, with Tehran maintaining its...

Asian Stock Markets Rise Amid Wall Street Rally and U.S.-Iran Tensions

Asian stock markets edged higher on Friday in thin holiday trading, following record-breaking gains on Wall Street, while investors remained cautious about escalating tensions between the United States and Iran. Trading...

Gold Prices Hold Steady as Iran War and Interest Rate Outlook Weigh on Markets

Gold prices stabilized during Asian trading on Friday, showing slight gains after two consecutive months of losses. Investors remain cautious as uncertainty surrounding the Iran war and its impact on global inflation and...

Yen Weakens After Intervention Spike as Dollar Stabilizes Amid Global Tensions

The Japanese yen slipped on Friday after a sharp surge in the previous session, which was widely attributed to suspected currency market intervention by Tokyo. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar stabilized following notable losses...

Tokyo Inflation Slows Despite Energy Pressures and BOJ Policy Outlook

Tokyos latest inflation data showed mixed signals in April, highlighting the complex balance between rising global energy costs and domestic government intervention. Japan inflation trends remain a key focus for investors,...

Politics

U.S. Flags Vietnam as “Priority Foreign Country” Over Intellectual Property Concerns

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has officially designated Vietnam as a Priority Foreign Country in its latest annual intellectual property (IP) report, signaling heightened concern over the...

Japan Eases Arms Export Rules, Opening Door for Potential Ukraine Defense Support

Japans recent relaxation of its weapons export rules could pave the way for future discussions on supplying military equipment to Ukraine, according to Kyivs ambassador to Tokyo. The policy shift, led by Prime Minister...

FEMA Reinstates Employees After Dissent Letter, Signaling Shift in Workforce Stability

The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reinstated more than a dozen employees who were placed on administrative leave in August 2025 after signing a public letter criticizing agency leadership and...

Iran Threatens Prolonged Strikes as Strait of Hormuz Crisis Drives Global Oil Surge

Iran has warned it will launch long and painful strikes against U.S. positions if Washington escalates military action, intensifying tensions in the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Tehran. The situation has...

Lula Plans New Supreme Court Nomination After Historic Senate Rejection

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is preparing to submit a new nominee for the Supreme Federal Court after the Senate rejected his initial choice, marking a historic political setback. According to...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

Apple Q2 2026 Earnings Surge as iPhone 17 Sales Drive Record Revenue

Apple delivered a strong fiscal Q2 2026 performance, reporting record-breaking revenue and profit growth fueled by robust iPhone sales and expanding services. The tech giant posted earnings of $2.01 per share on $111.18...

FBI Warns of China’s Expanding Hack-for-Hire Network Amid Extradition Case

The Chinese governments alleged hack-for-hire ecosystem is rapidly expanding and becoming increasingly difficult to control, according to a senior FBI official. Speaking on Thursday, FBI Assistant Director Brett Leatherman...

Taiwan Activates Backup Communications After Undersea Cable Break on Dongyin Island

Taiwan has activated emergency backup communications for Dongyin, its northernmost and strategically important island, after an undersea cable was damaged due to shifting shipwreck debris caused by severe weather. The...

Meta Raises 2026 Capex Outlook Amid AI Spending Surge, Shares Drop After Earnings

Meta Platforms has increased its full-year capital expenditure guidance for 2026, signaling continued aggressive investment in artificial intelligence infrastructure despite rising costs and market concerns. The company...

Amazon Stock Dips Despite Record Earnings as AI Infrastructure Spending Surges

Amazon (AMZN) shares slipped 2.6% in after-hours trading on Wednesday, even after the company delivered record-breaking quarterly earnings that exceeded Wall Street expectations. The decline reflects investor concerns over...