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David Bassanese

December 2022

Powell signalled the Fed will downshift from their rapid pace of tightening as soon as next month’s meeting.

US may need a recession to get inflation under control

If US inflation falls over coming months, the Fed won’t need to push the economy into recession, and we’ve likely seen the bottom in equity markets.

May 2022

Patchy regulatory oversight means the quality of services provided remains in many cases questionable.

Climate, housing, social policies will define Labor’s success

Anthony Albanese has a mandate to change the country – Australia needs more than another do-nothing government that shirks major reform.

March 2022

A counter to full transparency is strategic ambiguity – never making one’s future intentions very clear.

Ambiguity will help restore RBA credibility

As Alan Greenspan once said, ‘If I turn out to be particularly clear, you’ve probably misunderstood what I said’. Strategic ambiguity has its benefits, writes David Bassanese.

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July 2021

Based on the average across the US, the UK, Canada, France and Germany, 7 per cent, or 1.9 million Australians, would have caught COVID-19, of which 2 per cent, or 38,720, would have died.

There’s nothing over the top about saving 50K lives

A more targeted strategy might have worked, but Australia’s border closures and lockdowns have achieved world-leading health and economic outcomes and produced net benefits overall.

Philip Lowe’s RBA has effectively doubled down on its view that a rate rise is still not likely before 2024.

RBA still sees economy in the ‘sweet spot’

Although the rate at which our economy is growing is pretty good, the overall level of activity is still not as high as it could be, says BetaShares’ David Bassanese.

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November 2020

US President-elect Joe Biden has pledged to bring the country together.

Get used to Washington gridlock

Markets have been upbeat on the prospect of a split Congress but the gridlock in Washington could be around for some time and may even get worse.

October 2020

RBA deputy governor Guy Debelle has hinted at imminent further easing.

All eyes on RBA for Cup day, but policy horse may have bolted

The Reserve Bank really wants to offer more support to the economy, but is not sure what more it can do beyond pushing on the policy strings already in place, writes David Bassanese.

July 2020

There’s about $250 billion in non-cash payments made each day, or almost $100 trillion each year.

The $250b idea to supercharge tax reform

A small flat tax on the $100 trillion in electronic transactions made each year would be simple and fair, writes David Bassanese.

June 2020

US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell.

Fed meeting shows all that's wrong with central banking

Central banks today are like overly-protective parents too scared to let their children learn to walk on their own, writes BetaShares chief economist David Bassanese.

March 2020

Scott Morrison and Josh Frydenberg in Parliament on Monday: "Worrying about macro-stimulus now seems irrelevant given we are deliberately destroying our economy to slow the spread of CV-I9."

Why the over 60s should self-isolate

At the risk of infuriating every aged person in Australia, asking them to self-isolate at home for a few months could go a long way to reducing the strain on hospitals.

What matters especially now is how bad conditions become in the world’s most important economy, the US.

Reserve Bank ready to cut, countering slump in confidence

The federal government also needs to seriously consider an economic statement, outlining further stimulus measures before the May budget. There is no time to wait.

December 2019

A better solution seems to be to focus on exactly why household income is so weak and what can be done about it?

Accept slower growth and lay off demanding households spend

This week's September quarter national accounts proved at least one thing - you can goad households toward the shopping malls, but you can't make them spend.

October 2019

RBA rate cuts don’t appear to be working, argues David Bassanese.

Rate cuts are having a perverse effect on the economy

The cash rate has already been cut too far, and even lower rates will probably hurt more than help in our efforts to meet longer-term economic challenges.

September 2019

ETFs have come in for criticism but they still account for only a fraction of invested funds in Australia.

Rise of ETFs sends ripples across cosy industry

ETFs and "passive investing" have come in for criticism but they still account for a minority of invested funds.

September 2016

The size of the interest rate discounts banks have been offering mortgage customers this year were 'unprecedented'.

Should you swoop on global bank stocks?

As expectations the US Fed will lift rates rise, profitability at global banks may be on the way up.

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December 2014

Murray missed a chance on super

David Bassanese | The final report of the financial system inquiry is fair enough as far as it goes, but its core priorities seem a little misplaced.

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In an ETF portfolio, true balance is golden

BetaShares’ Growth Portfolio has been designed for those seeking reasonably high long-run returns from growth assets, and includes a 10 per cent ‘alternatives’ allocation to commodities for added diversification.

November 2014

Opening the door for a rate cut

A cooling housing market and a dollar pumped by overseas stimulus make a rate cut an even bet.

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We need house price rises to grow economy

Far from being too high, house prices are driving the only growth in the economy at the moment. We should not be talking them down.

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October 2014

Autism and family in the eyes of a father

An economist explains why he helped start this week’s ‘Mental As’ campaign for mental health.

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Original URL: https://www.afr.com/by/david-bassanese-j67sa