Brian Robins

Comment

Study in state toll road funding

Brian Robins Without an election to fight, the NSW state budget was always going to be a low-key affair.

Budget

Record stamp duty haul in NSW

Brian Robins Low interest rates and an upswing in the property market have resulted in the state government budgeting to receive a record $5 billion in stamp duties.

NSW Budget

Payroll tax lifted as indexation goes

Brian Robins The state government has lifted the payroll tax threshold while removing indexation – meaning more small business owners will be subject to the tax in coming years.

Energy

AGL gas price hike approved

Brian Robins Energy retailer AGL has won government approval to hike gas prices in NSW by 9.2 per cent.

Energy

Gas prices jump on offshore push

Brian Robins Victorian households and businesses are faced with sharply higher gas prices over the next few years.

Insurance

Dental claims take a bite of NIB earnings

Brian Robins Clients of Australia's sole ASX-listed health insurer, NIB, are not as healthy as it hoped.

Electricity

Power prices to jump in name of 'competition'

Brian Robins A NSW government plan to allow electricity retailers to make fatter profits in a bid to drive down power prices, has been slammed as ‘‘inappropriate’’.

Insurance

NIB profits likely to come in low

Brian Robins Health insurer NIB is cautious of its year-to-June pretax profit outlook, forecasting it will come in at the low end of the forecast range of $75-78 million.

Building

CSR explores aquisitions to aid recovery

Brian Robins CSR has flagged the prospect of 'bolt-on' acquisitions as it seeks to recover following an ill-thought expansion into glass production.

Energy

Windfall seen in shale oil and gas

Brian Robins Australia's shale oil and gas reserves could up to 10 times the existing estimates.

Resources

Miners facing capital dilemma

Brian Robins Mining companies are faced with increased capital risk, exacerbated by focus on short-term returns.

Mining

Cost-cutting Rio looks at offloading coal sale

Brian Robins Rio Tinto is reportedly soon to finalise the sale of a large minority stake in Coal & Allied.

Energy

Australia's shale reserves among world's biggest

Brian Robins Australia's shale gas reserves could be as much as 10 times the existing known gas reserves, according to a US government report.

Building

CSR expects slow earnings recovery

Brian Robins Building materials group CSR has warned of continued tough trading conditions, which may limit any rebound in earnings after a tough year to March when it lost $149.6 million.

Energy

High-powered row looms on horizon

Brian Robins The parallel universe that is the electricity market has its own version of Blue Hills.

Slow to cut costs, Newcrest treated to an unwelcome cold shower

Brian Robins If you are an international fund manager and you want to hold an Australian goldminer, you have precious few investment options beyond Newcrest.