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Bernard Hickey

About

Bernard is back as a senior contributor on interest.co.nz. Until September 30, 2012 he was the managing editor here. He had previously worked for 18 years for Reuters, the FT Group and Fairfax as a financial journalist and editor. He is now the publisher of The Kaka.

Member for

15 years 6 months

Latest articles

Bernard's Top 10
Bernard's Top 10: Is China landing hard? How the young languish while the old benefit; Winston wants expanded Waiheke Gold Card subsidy; Water wars; Dilbert
25th Feb 15, 12:19pm
by Bernard Hickey
28
Bernard's Top 10: Is China landing hard? How the young languish while the old benefit; Winston wants expanded Waiheke Gold Card subsidy; Water wars; Dilbert
The mortgage times they are a changin'
Bernard Hickey challenges the near universal belief (in New Zealand at least) that a 10 year mortgage at 5.89% is as good as it gets, and is a "good thing"
22nd Feb 15, 5:00am
by Bernard Hickey
22
Bernard Hickey challenges the near universal belief (in New Zealand at least) that a 10 year mortgage at 5.89% is as good as it gets, and is a "good thing"
Budget deficit better than forecast
Treasury reports budget deficit of NZ$1 bln was NZ$381 mln better than forecast on higher GST and corporate tax receipts
20th Feb 15, 10:19am
by Bernard Hickey
Treasury reports budget deficit of NZ$1 bln was NZ$381 mln better than forecast on higher GST and corporate tax receipts
Bridges warns oil profits too high
Energy and Transport Minister Bridges warned oil companies about high profit margins in early Feb; says margins have fallen back to acceptable levels
19th Feb 15, 3:18pm
by Bernard Hickey
6
Energy and Transport Minister Bridges warned oil companies about high profit margins in early Feb; says margins have fallen back to acceptable levels
Bernard's Top 10
Bernard's Top 10:House prices fall 5.1% in China; Corporate bond bubble; 'Shut your eyes and buy'; Deflation drumming the rate hike hawks into submission; Clarke and Dawe; Dilbert
18th Feb 15, 2:23pm
by Bernard Hickey
20
Bernard's Top 10:House prices fall 5.1% in China; Corporate bond bubble; 'Shut your eyes and buy'; Deflation drumming the rate hike hawks into submission; Clarke and Dawe; Dilbert
How to think about how long to fix
Bernard Hickey looks at how to think about whether to fix or float, how long to fix and what the Reserve Bank may do about house prices
17th Feb 15, 12:36pm
by Bernard Hickey
18
Bernard Hickey looks at how to think about whether to fix or float, how long to fix and what the Reserve Bank may do about house prices
A hydro-powered car
Bernard Hickey test drives a plug-in hybrid electric SUV and finds even a new one almost makes economic sense. A 2nd hand one definitely would
15th Feb 15, 5:00am
by Bernard Hickey
51
Bernard Hickey test drives a plug-in hybrid electric SUV and finds even a new one almost makes economic sense. A 2nd hand one definitely would
English against new convention centre cash
Finance Minister prefers not to spend taxpayer cash to avoid Sky City 'eyesore'; no money in Budget 2015 for it; would have to come from elsewhere
11th Feb 15, 3:17pm
by Bernard Hickey
25
Finance Minister prefers not to spend taxpayer cash to avoid Sky City 'eyesore'; no money in Budget 2015 for it; would have to come from elsewhere
Bernard's Top 10 at 10
Bernard's Top 10:How Big Brother is credit scoring you; World more indebted than 2007 and China leads the way; Aetna copies Henry Ford; Tony Abbott's real (big) problems; Clarke and Dawe
11th Feb 15, 10:52am
by Bernard Hickey
8
Bernard's Top 10:How Big Brother is credit scoring you; World more indebted than 2007 and China leads the way; Aetna copies Henry Ford; Tony Abbott's real (big) problems; Clarke and Dawe
RBNZ building case for Macro-Pru, says English
Finance Minister says Governor Wheeler's speech was building case for more Macro-Prudential measures to slow Auckland housing inflation; agrees 'correction' possible
10th Feb 15, 2:08pm
by Bernard Hickey
6
Finance Minister says Governor Wheeler's speech was building case for more Macro-Prudential measures to slow Auckland housing inflation; agrees 'correction' possible
Key shrugs off first home class divide
Key downplays survey showing first home buyers need parents' help; says always has been tough; Home Start will help; suggests Hamilton commute for Sth Auckland workers
9th Feb 15, 7:04pm
by Bernard Hickey
22
Key downplays survey showing first home buyers need parents' help; says always has been tough; Home Start will help; suggests Hamilton commute for Sth Auckland workers
Let it go
Bernard Hickey wonders if central banks are wasting their time with money printing to solve a deflation problem caused by supply shocks
8th Feb 15, 7:30am
by Bernard Hickey
33
Bernard Hickey wonders if central banks are wasting their time with money printing to solve a deflation problem caused by supply shocks
Wheeler rejects rate cut calls
RBNZ's Wheeler argues in speech for OCR stability; says monitoring banks' role in generating Auckland house price inflation
4th Feb 15, 1:06pm
by Bernard Hickey
21
RBNZ's Wheeler argues in speech for OCR stability; says monitoring banks' role in generating Auckland house price inflation
Bernard's Top 10
Bernard's Top 10: What's so bad about 'Grexit'?; 'Just forgive the debt for the poorest'; NZers are rockstar gamblers;Unending money printing and currency wars; Clarke and Dawe
4th Feb 15, 12:33pm
by Bernard Hickey
38
Bernard's Top 10: What's so bad about 'Grexit'?; 'Just forgive the debt for the poorest'; NZers are rockstar gamblers;Unending money printing and currency wars; Clarke and Dawe
Key slaps down Councils' new tax ideas
Key agrees with LGNZ that rates not perfect, but not interested in 'opening floodgates' to new council taxes and spending; suggests they use more debt, delayed rates for pensioners
3rd Feb 15, 10:07am
by Bernard Hickey
21
Key agrees with LGNZ that rates not perfect, but not interested in 'opening floodgates' to new council taxes and spending; suggests they use more debt, delayed rates for pensioners
Councils want broader taxing powers
Local Govt NZ releases discussion paper calling for councils to have broader taxing powers to bridge current gap between spending and revenue
2nd Feb 15, 10:05am
by Bernard Hickey
118
Local Govt NZ releases discussion paper calling for councils to have broader taxing powers to bridge current gap between spending and revenue
What would Mr Lee do?
Bernard Hickey questions the timidity of the Government's social housing plans. He suggests Mr Key take a leaf out of Mr Lee's book to launch a Houses of National Significance program
1st Feb 15, 7:00am
by Bernard Hickey
37
Bernard Hickey questions the timidity of the Government's social housing plans. He suggests Mr Key take a leaf out of Mr Lee's book to launch a Houses of National Significance program
Norman to stand down as Green Co-Leader
Russel Norman to stand down at Green Co-Leader at Party AGM in May after 9 years in role; says time for a change and to spend time with 3 kids under 4
30th Jan 15, 11:41am
by Bernard Hickey
10
Russel Norman to stand down at Green Co-Leader at Party AGM in May after 9 years in role; says time for a change and to spend time with 3 kids under 4
What the RBNZ decision means
Bernard Hickey looks at what the RBNZ's countenancing of a possible rate cut means for mortgage rates and property prices
29th Jan 15, 5:08pm
by Bernard Hickey
6
Bernard Hickey looks at what the RBNZ's countenancing of a possible rate cut means for mortgage rates and property prices
Markets now see OCR cut in 2015
RBNZ holds OCR at 3.5%; says will hold it "for some time" and moves "up or down" will depend on data
29th Jan 15, 9:07am
by Bernard Hickey
41
RBNZ holds OCR at 3.5%; says will hold it "for some time" and moves "up or down" will depend on data
Govt to sell up to 2,000 houses
Key details wider social housing reforms, including selling up to 2,000 state houses in coming year; more social housing subsidies
28th Jan 15, 12:42pm
by Bernard Hickey
42
Key details wider social housing reforms, including selling up to 2,000 state houses in coming year; more social housing subsidies
Bernard's Top 10
Bernard's Top 10: Greece set to run out of cash within weeks; China's brilliant GDP base; Why aren't NZ insurance premia falling with global reinsurance rates? Dilbert
28th Jan 15, 11:56am
by Bernard Hickey
19
Bernard's Top 10: Greece set to run out of cash within weeks; China's brilliant GDP base; Why aren't NZ insurance premia falling with global reinsurance rates? Dilbert
Little focuses on small business jobs
New Labour Leader Andrew Little focuses on vision for jobs and small businesses in State of the Nation address, rather than detail
28th Jan 15, 9:45am
by Bernard Hickey
31
New Labour Leader Andrew Little focuses on vision for jobs and small businesses in State of the Nation address, rather than detail
'A social housing state of the nation'
PM John Key to focus on social housing in State of the Nation address; scale of state house sales, size of rent subsidies and use of NGOs key issues
27th Jan 15, 2:36pm
by Bernard Hickey
6
PM John Key to focus on social housing in State of the Nation address; scale of state house sales, size of rent subsidies and use of NGOs key issues
Nick Smith vs the Knights who say Ni!
Bernard Hickey welcomes Nick Smith's RMA reforms aimed at stripping the NIMBYs and BANANAs of their magical power to make housing unaffordable
25th Jan 15, 7:23am
by Bernard Hickey
13
Bernard Hickey welcomes Nick Smith's RMA reforms aimed at stripping the NIMBYs and BANANAs of their magical power to make housing unaffordable