Breaking News, Business, Financial and Economic News, World News from EconoTimes

Become a contributor

Bookmark Econotimes

Thu, Jan 22, 2026 09:13 AM All times are UTC

Follow Series

©Econometrics LLC . All Rights Reserved.

Jeff Borland

Professor of Economics, University of Melbourne
Jeff Borland is Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne. In 2010 he was Visiting Chair of Australian Studies at Harvard University, and he has also held visiting positions at ANU, University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin-Madison. His main research interests are the operation of labour markets in Australia, program and policy evaluation, economics of sport, and Australian economic history. He currently teaches subjects in Introductory Microeconomics, Australian Economic History, and World Economic History.

Central Banking Series

Unemployment of 4.2% is a sign of RBA success, but it might not last. Here’s why

Sep 20, 2024 04:49 am UTC| Economy Central Banks

Todays news that an extra 47,500 Australians found work in August while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.2% is a sign of success for both the government and Reserve Bank. Its a sign of success in dealing with the...

With unemployment steady at 3.5%, inflation fears shouldn't stop Australia embracing a full employment target

Apr 14, 2023 14:25 pm UTC| Economy

Despite warnings of a global economic downturn, Australia has again defied the odds with its official unemployment rate remaining steady at 3.5% in March. Behind that number though, plenty happened. The total number of...

3.5% unemployment: Australia's jobless rate at its lowest since 1974

Jul 14, 2022 15:41 pm UTC| Economy

Its not an academic way to start an article about Australias latest jobs numbers, but all I can think is wow. The official unemployment rate in June fell to 3.5%. Its almost 50 years August 1974, to be exact since it...

Why young people are earning less

Aug 01, 2020 15:09 pm UTC| Insights & Views Life

That COVID is hurting young workers more than older ones is widely recognised. Whats less well known is that even before COVID-19, in the decade leading up to it, incomes for young people (aged 15 to 34) were falling in...

The next employment challenge from coronavirus: how to help the young

Apr 16, 2020 14:59 pm UTC| Insights & Views

Even before COVID-19, young Australians were doing it hard in the labour market. Slower economic growth and the increasing employment of older Australians since the global financial crisis had been crowding them...

Five questions (and answers) about casual employment

Oct 30, 2018 12:34 pm UTC| Insights & Views Business

Right now, it seems as if everyones talking about casual work. Claims about what is (or is not) happening to casual employment are at the fore in debates about working conditions. Claims about what should (or should...

Economy

Asian Currencies Dip as Dollar Firms; Aussie Dollar Soars on Strong Jobs Data

Most Asian currencies traded slightly weaker on Thursday as the U.S. dollar edged higher, supported by easing geopolitical and trade-related tensions, while the Australian dollar surged to a fresh 15-month high following...

Trump Floats Greenland Framework, Bets Big on ‘Mission 500’ With India

Expressing hope about the next US-India trade pact, President Donald Trump recently revealed a framework for a possible agreement on Greenland following conversations with NATO. These updates arrived throughout activities...

China Youth Unemployment Rate Falls in December as Labor Market Shows Mixed Signals

Chinas labor market showed modest improvement in December as the youth unemployment rate declined slightly, according to the latest data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). The jobless rate for people aged...

Asian Stocks Rise as Wall Street Rebound and Greenland Tensions Ease, South Korea Hits Record High

Asian stock markets mostly advanced on Thursday, following a strong overnight rebound on Wall Street as investors welcomed easing geopolitical tensions surrounding U.S. demands over Greenland. Improved global risk...

BOJ Rate Decision in Focus as Yen Weakness and Inflation Shape Market Outlook

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to keep interest rates unchanged at the end of its two-day policy meeting on January 23, as policymakers wait for clearer signals on Japans economic trajectory. The central bank...

Politics

U.S. Steps Aside as Syria Reclaims SDF-Held Territory in Power Shift

A series of high-level diplomatic meetings in Damascus, Paris, and Iraq paved the way for the Syrian governments rapid takeover of territory long controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), fundamentally...

Trump Reverses Course on Greenland After Diplomatic Backlash

President Donald Trump has stepped back from earlier threats to use military force or tariffs as leverage to acquire Greenland, ending weeks of uncertainty that rattled U.S. allies and exposed internal divisions within his...

New York Judge Orders Redrawing of GOP-Held Congressional District

A New York judge has ruled that the congressional district represented by Republican U.S. Representative Nicole Malliotakis violates the state constitution and must be redrawn, a decision that could have major political...

NATO Chief Says Greenland Sovereignty Not Discussed as Trump Backs Off Tariff and Force Threats

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said the question of Greenlands sovereignty did not arise during his recent discussions with U.S. President Donald Trump, signaling a shift in tone after Trump stepped back from earlier...

Supreme Court Signals Doubts Over Trump’s Bid to Fire Fed Governor Lisa Cook

U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday signaled strong skepticism toward President Donald Trumps unprecedented effort to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, raising serious questions about presidential power and...

Science

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...

Senate Sets December 8 Vote on Trump’s NASA Nominee Jared Isaacman

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee announced it will vote on December 8 on President Donald Trumps renewed nomination of private astronaut and tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to lead NASA. Isaacman, known for his...

NASA Cuts Boeing Starliner Missions as SpaceX Pulls Ahead

NASA has significantly scaled back Boeings Starliner program after years of technical issues and delays, announcing that the next Starliner mission to the International Space Station (ISS) will fly without astronauts. The...

Technology

SoftBank Shares Surge as AI Optimism Lifts Asian Tech Stocks

SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO:9984) shares surged sharply on Thursday, leading gains across Asian technology stocks after NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang delivered optimistic remarks about artificial...

Baidu Shares Surge After Official Launch of Advanced Ernie 5.0 AI Model

Baidu Inc (NASDAQ: BIDU) shares surged to a near three-year high in Hong Kong trading on Thursday, highlighting renewed investor confidence after the Chinese technology giant officially released its most advanced...

Apple China Holiday Sale Offers Discounts Up to 1,000 Yuan on Popular Devices

Apple has announced a limited-time promotional campaign in China, offering discounts of up to 1,000 yuan (approximately $143.60) on selected products, including iPhones, Macs, iPads, and Apple Watches. According to...

Memory Chip Shortage Drives Higher Gadget Prices and Weakens Global Tech Demand

Global demand for smartphones, personal computers, and gaming consoles is expected to decline this year as rising memory chip prices force manufacturers to increase product prices. Major electronics brands, ranging from...

Morgan Stanley Flags High Volatility Ahead for Tesla Stock on Robotaxi and AI Updates

Morgan Stanley has warned that Teslas fourth-quarter earnings could lead to an unusually wide range of outcomes for the stock, with investor reaction likely driven less by near-term financials and more by updates on...