Gareth Hutchens
Gareth Hutchens is a business and economics reporter based in Canberra. Prior to joining the ABC he was economics editor of the West Australian and worked as an economics and political reporter for Guardian Australia, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age. You can follow Gareth on Twitter: @grhutchens
Latest by Gareth Hutchens
Senate committee recommends major overhaul for corporate watchdog, splitting ASIC into two new regulators
Australia's corporate watchdog, ASIC, isn't prosecuting enough white-collar crime and can't perform its full range of duties, so a Senate committee has recommended it split into two new, more streamlined regulators.
ASX loses ground, RBA Board minutes show concern about heightened inflation risks — as it happened
Australia's share market lost ground, as the minutes of the recent Reserve Bank Board meeting showed officials are concerned about "upside risks" to inflation. Look back on our blog to see how today's events unfolded.
Analysis
analysis:Do you love renting? Does it make you feel patriotic?
Why did we make it harder for younger Australians and low-income workers to own homes? Did we forget some wisdom from the past?
A billionaire tax would raise $380 billion a year and make our tax systems fairer, report says
A global minimum tax on billionaires would help to fix the problems of our broken income tax systems, a new report says.
KFC's local operator sees net profit surge by more than 500 per cent, Australian shares rise by 1.4pc — as it happened
Australia's share market closed 1.36 per cent higher on Tuesday after Collins Foods, the local operator of KFC and Taco Bell in Australia, reported a 500 per cent net profit increase during last financial year. Catch up on the day's news in the business blog.
As it happened: Foreign buyers purchase $5b worth of residential property, ASX closes higher
The Australian share market closed higher on Friday, despite losses on Wall Street that saw chipmaker Nvidia lose its title as the world's most valuable company to Microsoft. And more foreign buyers are buying up Australian residential property according to new ATO data. Follow live.
Australia's largest car dealership, Eagers, back-pays $16 million to underpaid workers
Eagers Automotive has reimbursed over 13,000 underpaid staff after the car dealer discovered the anomalies and self-reported to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
ASX finishes flat as fast-food chain Guzman y Gomez jumps 36pc on debut — as it happened
Shares for Mexican-themed fast-food chain Guzman y Gomez jumped to $30 when it started trading, up from its $22 listing price. But the benchmark ASX 200 index finished flat, as did the Aussie dollar.
RBA says rate rise could be on cards as governor says she's not expecting a recession in Australia
The Reserve Bank has kept rates on hold at its June meeting, leaving the cash rate at 4.35 per cent, as RBA governor says she's not expecting a recession.
Analysis
analysis:There are different ways to dampen inflation. But is anyone listening?
There are a lot of different ways to dampen inflation, according to two of Australia's most respected economists.
Up to 250 jobs going at KPMG, ASX closes down ahead of RBA decision, as Japan keeps rates at 0% — as it happened
Australia's share market traded down on Friday, despite the S&P500 and Nasdaq closing on fresh record highs in the US overnight. See how the day unfolded on the ABC News live markets blog.
Australia's unemployment rate declines to 4 per cent in May, presenting a 'goldilocks' scenario for Reserve Bank
Australia's unemployment rate declines to 4 per cent in May, from 4.1 per cent in April. Is it a 'goldilocks' scenario for the Reserve Bank?
Big Four consulting firms 'operating in the shadows for too long' as Senate committee demands new rules for government contracts
PwC's tax scandal isn't over yet, with a new Senate probe demanding the firm hand over the name of staff involved in the affair.
ASX slides as investors await US Fed rates decision, private equity lobs $1.8b offer for Autobarn — as it happened
The ASX200 lost 1.3pc as investors waited for US Fed rates decision, and private equity lobbed a $1.8 billion offer for Autobarn. Catch up on the day's events and insights from our business reporters on the ABC News live markets blog.
Analysis
analysis:There's a 'great divide' in Australia's economy, and it's complicating the inflation challenge
There's a growing divide in the prices of goods, and it's making the Reserve Bank's job harder. But the federal budget's cost-of-living measures may buy the RBA more time.
Australia 'teetering on the brink of recession' as economy barely grows
Australia's economy grew by just 0.1 per cent in the March quarter and 1.1 per cent for the year.
Analysis
analysis:As global temperatures rise, are liberal democracies on trial?
Some economists say decades of poorly managed globalisation, overconfidence in the self-regulation of markets, and austerity, have hollowed out governments' ability to respond to crises effectively, and that needs to change.
Sportsbet agrees to do more to prevent money laundering, ASX erases its gains for the month — as it happened
Sportsbet agrees to "enforceable undertaking" to improve anti-money laundering regime. The ASX loses more ground as investors digest yesterday's "hot" inflation result. As it happened.
Inflation rises slightly in April to 3.6pc but economists say that should ring 'alarm bells' for RBA
The annual rate of inflation has ticked up slightly in April to 3.6 per cent, from 3.5 per cent in March, but economists say it's enough to put even more pressure on the Reserve Bank.
Country Road responds to sexual harassment allegations, ASX declines — as it happened
The ASX200 slipped on Tuesday as retail sales figures for April came in weaker than expected. Catch up on the day's events and insights as they happened with our business reporters on the ABC News markets blog.
Analysis
analysis:Vested interest groups putting themselves before Australia is a time-honoured tragedy
Australia is good at producing things, but it has excelled at producing vested interest groups that control key sectors of the economy.
ASX down for week on global higher-for-longer rate fears, Nvidia surges by $US218b — as it happened
The ASX followed US markets lower on Friday as worries about higher interest rates for longer outweighed continued AI optimism in the tech sector.
Australian stocks end the day lower, market waits to see if BHP will make final tilt at Anglo American tonight — as it happened
Despite opening higher, the ASX200 ended the day slightly into the red. Analysts watch for a final BHP bid for Anglo American.
Analysis
analysis:What's the link between low rental vacancy rates, housing crises, and unoccupied home taxes?
Australia's rental vacancy rate hit a record low recently. But what is the vacancy rate actually signifying? And could an unoccupied home tax help to solve our housing crisis?
ASX sheds 0.9pc to end lower after being dragged down by health and tech stocks — as it happened
The ASX200 has ended 0.9 per cent lower on Friday after being dragged down by healthcare and technology stocks.