Michael West

Michael West comments on companies, markets and the economy. He is a former SMH business editor.

Michael West

Bottom line: mysterious land of Zug still a mystery

Michael West News that the mining tax has raised a pinch of pocket fluff should come as no thunderbolt from the blue.

Michael West

The habits of Empire die hard, as it is writ large

Michael West Empire Oil & Gas threatened to sue a group of shareholders over online forum posts.

Comments 19

Michael West

Bankers crying all the way to the poorhouse

Michael West The banks, you see, have a conundrum to deal with. They are rolling in it.

Michael West

Crowded LNG scene signals rising prices

Michael West When it comes to energy policy there is no contest: the Australian Labor Party has been done cold by the Liberation Front of Mozambique.

Comments 12

Michael West

Question of culture is a big deal for Macquarie

Michael West There was a review of compliance in Macquarie's stockbroking unit in 2008 and the findings were a shocker. But the matter was swept under the carpet.

Michael West

Cameron rises from the retail ashes

Michael West Amid earth-shattering events over the summer, there was a little story about Jan Cameron.

Michael West

Oversupply is rife, just don't call it gold plating

Michael West It was media management at its slickest. Few eyes were peeled for the office of Chris Hartcher.

Michael West

'Gold plating' rife, assets in for a hiding

Michael West There is no mistaking the findings of the Rollinson Review into energy company spending - and they do the government no favours.

Comments 91

Run for the deposit boxes

Michael West ANZ sparked a veritable flight of the silvertails when it notified customers that they had to clear out the contents of their safe deposit boxes at the bank’s Martin Place headquarters.

Michael West

Banks laughing all the way to the ... bank

Michael West It was with a silken touch that the government slipped the bank lobby's ''covered bond'' legislation through the Senate a little more than a year ago.

Comments 91

Michael West

Liquidators taken to task by dogged pursuer

Michael West It was fortuitous that he graduated as a solicitor on December 20, 2001, John Viscariello says, because 'the next day they put my company into liquidation'.

Smart investors reap windfall from power meters

Su-Lin Tan, Michael West The roll-out of smart meters in Victoria may have been costly for consumers but it has proven an impressive money spinner for a handful of Australian entrepreneurs.

Smart meters, but at whose expense?

Su-Lin Tan and Michael West Do consumers pay too much? Su-Lin Tan and Michael West report.

Michael West

And the gong goes to ... Google

Michael West The silly season is hard upon us and no reasonable reader could expect any less than to be served up one of those tawdry and tedious collections of gongs.

Michael West

They stole our gold mine!

Michael West Intrepid Mines top brass have finally broken their silence over the intrigue in Indonesia, claiming that unscrupulous local interests are stealing their gold mine.