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Stephen Kirchner

Program Director, Trade and Investment, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney
Dr Stephen Kirchner is Program Director, Trade and Investment, United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney. He is also a senior fellow at the Fraser Institute in Canada, where he has contributed to research projects comparing public policies in Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

Previously, he was an economist with the Australian Financial Markets Association, where he worked on public policy issues relating to the efficient and effective functioning of Australian financial markets and Australia’s position as a regional and international financial centre.

Stephen has been a research fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies, a senior lecturer in economics at the University of Technology Sydney Business School and an economist with Standard & Poor’s Institutional Market Services based in both Sydney and Singapore. He has also worked as an advisor to members of the Australian House of Representatives and Senate.

He has published in leading academic and think-tank journals, including Public Choice, The Australian Economic Review, Australian Journal of Political Science and The Cato Journal.

His op-eds have appeared in publications including The Wall Street Journal, Straits Times, Businessweek, The Australian Financial Review, The Australian, and Sydney Morning Herald.

Kirchner holds a BA (Hons) from the Australian National University, where he was awarded the L. F. Crisp Prize for Political Science, a Master of Economics (Hons) from Macquarie University, and a PhD in Economics from the University of New South Wales.

Central Banking Series

The evidence suggests Reserve Bank rate cuts don't hurt confidence

Feb 04, 2020 12:16 pm UTC| Insights & Views Central Banks Economy

When the Reserve Bank board meets today for the first time this year it is likely to leave its cash rate unchanged at the current all-time low 0.75%. Afterwards, it will announce its reasons, many of them good. But...

Now we know. The Reserve Bank has spelled out what it will do when rates approach zero

Nov 27, 2019 12:30 pm UTC| Insights & Views Central Banks

Last night, in a much anticipated speech broadcast live on the Reserve Banks website, Governor Phil Lowe laid out in very clear terms the circumstances in which the bank would resort to quantitative easing and the way in...

Below zero is "reverse". How the Reserve Bank would make quantitative easing work

Jun 19, 2019 02:29 am UTC| Insights & Views Economy Central Banks

With its official cash rate now expected to fall below 1% to a new extraordinarily low close to zero, all sorts of people are saying that the Reserve Bank is in danger of running out of ammunition. Ammunition might be...

Economy

Federal Reserve Balance Sheet Reduction: Brookings Research Outlines Possible Path Forward

New research from the Brookings Institution suggests the Federal Reserve could shrink its balance sheet through a combination of regulatory adjustments, payment system reforms, and more active market interventions without...

Trump Tariffs Show Minimal Economic Impact but Boost Federal Revenue, Study Finds

A new academic paper from the Brookings Institution reveals that the sweeping tariffs introduced during President Donald Trumps administration had a negligible effect on overall U.S. economic output, while significantly...

India’s Investment Upgrade: A Historic Milestone for the "High-Quality EM" Narrative

SP Global has raised Indias sovereign credit rating to BBB from BBB-, with a Stable outlook, indicating the agencys first upward change for the country in 18 years. This major step increases Indias long-term rating one...

Asian Markets Rally as Oil Prices Tumble and Middle East Peace Hopes Emerge

Asian stock markets posted strong gains on Wednesday, driven by a sharp decline in oil prices and growing optimism over a potential diplomatic resolution in the Middle East. The broad-based rally swept across the region,...

Australia's Inflation Eases in February but Core Pressures Persist

Australias consumer inflation dipped slightly in February, though stubborn underlying price pressures are keeping the Reserve Bank of Australia cautious about cutting interest rates anytime soon. According to the latest...

Politics

Trump's Overhaul of American History: Museums, Monuments, and Cultural Institutions

Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has launched a sweeping campaign to reshape how American history is presented across cultural institutions, national parks, and public monuments. Framing his...

Pakistan's Diplomatic Rise: Mediating U.S.-Iran Peace Talks

Pakistan is emerging as a key global mediator in efforts to end the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, leveraging its unique position as a trusted contact for both Washington and Tehran. This diplomatic role could elevate...

US Accelerates Taiwan Arms Deliveries Amid Rising China Threat

Taiwans Defense Minister Wellington Koo confirmed Wednesday that the United States has expressed a strong sense of urgency in bolstering Taiwans military capabilities, with active efforts underway to resolve long-standing...

Trump Administration Settles Lawsuit Barring Federal Agencies from Pressuring Social Media Censorship

The Trump administration has reached a landmark settlement that prohibits three major federal agencies from coercing social media platforms into removing or suppressing constitutionally protected speech. The agreement,...

Cuba Receives Humanitarian Aid Convoy Amid U.S. Sanctions

Cuba welcomed a long-awaited shipment of international humanitarian aid on Tuesday, as activists from the global Nuestra America Convoy successfully delivered essential supplies to the island nation despite ongoing U.S....

Science

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...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

NASA and SpaceX Target Crew-11 Undocking From ISS Amid Medical Concern

NASA has confirmed that the agency, in coordination with SpaceX, is targeting no earlier than 5 p.m. Eastern Time (2200 GMT) on Wednesday, January 14, for the undocking of the SpaceX Crew-11 mission from the International...

Neuralink Plans High-Volume Brain Implant Production and Fully Automated Surgery by 2026

Elon Musks brain-computer interface company Neuralink is preparing for a major expansion, announcing plans to begin high-volume production of its brain implant devices and transition to a fully automated surgical procedure...

Jared Isaacman Confirmed as NASA Administrator, Becomes 15th Leader of U.S. Space Agency

The U.S. Senate has officially confirmed billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman as the new NASA administrator, making him the 15th leader in the agencys history. The confirmation, which took place on Wednesday, marks...

Technology

Nanya Technology Shares Surge 10% After $2.5 Billion Private Placement from Sandisk and Cisco

Shares of Taiwan-based memory chip manufacturer Nanya Technology soared to their daily limit of 10% on Thursday morning following the companys announcement of a major $2.5 billion private placement deal backed by prominent...

SK Hynix Eyes Up to $14 Billion U.S. IPO to Fund AI Chip Expansion

South Korean memory chip giant SK Hynix has submitted a confidential filing for a U.S. stock market listing in 2026, with sources indicating the move could raise as much as $14 billion. The company intends to offer...

Meta Ties Executive Pay to Aggressive Stock Price Targets in Major Retention Push

Meta Platforms made a significant move this week by granting restricted stock units and stock options to several of its most senior leaders, including Chief Financial Officer Susan Li and Chief Technology Officer Andrew...

SpaceX IPO Filing Expected This Week as Valuation Could Surpass $75 Billion

Elon Musks SpaceX is reportedly moving closer to going public, with plans to submit its initial public offering prospectus to regulators as early as this week or next, according to a report by The Information citing a...

OpenAI Pulls the Plug on Sora, Ending $1 Billion Disney Partnership

OpenAI has officially shut down Sora, its AI-powered video generation tool, in a move that blindsided partners and staff alike and effectively ended a landmark deal with Walt Disney Co. The decision marks a major...