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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

The high politics of a high currency
Bernard Hickey looks at how Labour's monetary policy plan backed the Government into the politically awkward corner of favouring a high NZ dollar and interest rates
4th May 14, 8:00am
by Bernard Hickey
27
Bernard Hickey looks at how Labour's monetary policy plan backed the Government into the politically awkward corner of favouring a high NZ dollar and interest rates
Williamson resigns as minister
PM John Key says he has accepted resignation of Maurice Williamson as a minister after 'error of judgement' in approaching police over Donghua Liu
1st May 14, 11:11am
by Bernard Hickey
63
PM John Key says he has accepted resignation of Maurice Williamson as a minister after 'error of judgement' in approaching police over Donghua Liu
Bernard's Top 10 at 10
Bernard's Top 10: Govt should take back the role of creating money, says FT's Wolf; Why China's crack-down on shadow banks could hammer Australia; Jon Stewart; Dilbert
1st May 14, 10:05am
by Bernard Hickey
32
Bernard's Top 10: Govt should take back the role of creating money, says FT's Wolf; Why China's crack-down on shadow banks could hammer Australia; Jon Stewart; Dilbert
How to think about fixed vs floating
Bernard Hickey looks at how to think about whether to fix or float and what bank economists are saying
30th Apr 14, 1:51pm
by Bernard Hickey
19
Bernard Hickey looks at how to think about whether to fix or float and what bank economists are saying
Dissecting the VSR
Bernard Hickey looks at the pros and cons of Labour's big new monetary policy and savings policy tool – the Variable Savings Rate
29th Apr 14, 8:01pm
by Bernard Hickey
55
Bernard Hickey looks at the pros and cons of Labour's big new monetary policy and savings policy tool – the Variable Savings Rate
Labour proposes variable KiwiSaver rate
Labour proposes new Variable Savings Rate tool for Reserve Bank and extra objective in Reserve Bank Act to target current account surplus
29th Apr 14, 8:01am
by Bernard Hickey
165
Labour proposes new Variable Savings Rate tool for Reserve Bank and extra objective in Reserve Bank Act to target current account surplus
The moral hazard in our 'Too Big To Fail' property market
Bernard Hickey looks at the lessons we should learn from warnings about our over-valued property market and the need for a deposit insurance scheme
28th Apr 14, 9:57am
by Bernard Hickey
13
Bernard Hickey looks at the lessons we should learn from warnings about our over-valued property market and the need for a deposit insurance scheme
RBNZ hikes OCR to 3%
RBNZ lifts OCR by 25 bps to 3% as expected; repeats that high NZ$ not sustainable, but also says it is reducing inflationary pressures
24th Apr 14, 9:04am
by Bernard Hickey
89
RBNZ lifts OCR by 25 bps to 3% as expected; repeats that high NZ$ not sustainable, but also says it is reducing inflationary pressures
Bernard's Top 10 at 10
Bernard's Top 10: Britain is now 'Landlord Nation' (NZ too?); Piketty compared to Marx and Smith; 'Abandon the defunct economists' models'; 'Build it and they will come'; Jon Stewart; Game of thrones; Dilbert
23rd Apr 14, 11:56am
by Bernard Hickey
3
Bernard's Top 10: Britain is now 'Landlord Nation' (NZ too?); Piketty compared to Marx and Smith; 'Abandon the defunct economists' models'; 'Build it and they will come'; Jon Stewart; Game of thrones; Dilbert
Shane Jones pulls the pin on Labour
Labour MP Shane Jones to retire before election to take up Pacific Economic Ambassador role set up by National's Murray McCully
23rd Apr 14, 8:43am
by Bernard Hickey
10
Labour MP Shane Jones to retire before election to take up Pacific Economic Ambassador role set up by National's Murray McCully
Why Forbes' bubble warning was over-blown
Bernard Hickey gives 6 reasons why Jesse Colombo's warning in Forbes about New Zealand's housing bubble bursting disastrously is over-blown
22nd Apr 14, 12:24pm
by Bernard Hickey
45
Bernard Hickey gives 6 reasons why Jesse Colombo's warning in Forbes about New Zealand's housing bubble bursting disastrously is over-blown
Home loan affordability worsens by most since 2002
Home loan affordability worsens by most in 12 years as interest rates and house prices rise
22nd Apr 14, 11:40am
by Bernard Hickey
3
Home loan affordability worsens by most in 12 years as interest rates and house prices rise
How to kill two housing birds with one big stone of capital from China
Bernard Hickey argues any trickle of housing investment from China should be turned into a flood that builds thousands of affordable homes in central Auckland
20th Apr 14, 8:00am
by Bernard Hickey
46
Bernard Hickey argues any trickle of housing investment from China should be turned into a flood that builds thousands of affordable homes in central Auckland
Bernard's Top 10 at 10
Bernard's Top 10: How money really works; Will the world's new middle classes drop back into poverty?; Charting the pigs in the python; Tony Alexander and the carry trade; Jon Stewart; Dilbert
17th Apr 14, 11:51am
by Bernard Hickey
23
Bernard's Top 10: How money really works; Will the world's new middle classes drop back into poverty?; Charting the pigs in the python; Tony Alexander and the carry trade; Jon Stewart; Dilbert
Govt scales back Genesis bids sharply
Govt says 66,000 retail investors allocated Genesis Energy shares; broker offer scaled back 20%; Bids over NZ$5,000 scaled back sharply
16th Apr 14, 3:03pm
by Bernard Hickey
18
Govt says 66,000 retail investors allocated Genesis Energy shares; broker offer scaled back 20%; Bids over NZ$5,000 scaled back sharply
Inflation weaker than expected
Statistics NZ reports Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in March qtr vs market expectations of about 0.5%; Inflation 1.5% in yr to March qtr
16th Apr 14, 10:56am
by Bernard Hickey
29
Statistics NZ reports Consumer Price Index rose 0.3% in March qtr vs market expectations of about 0.5%; Inflation 1.5% in yr to March qtr
English says planning rules hiked rents
English says Auckland's excessive planning rules on minimum apartment size and balconies boost rents by NZ$80/week; rules a factor in interest rates and inequality
15th Apr 14, 7:18pm
by Bernard Hickey
42
English says Auckland's excessive planning rules on minimum apartment size and balconies boost rents by NZ$80/week; rules a factor in interest rates and inequality
English sees 20% wage growth in 6 yrs
English says Treasury will forecast growth of 2-4% from 2014 to 2018 in Budget 2014; sees average wage growth of 20% in six years to 2018
15th Apr 14, 12:23pm
by Bernard Hickey
24
English says Treasury will forecast growth of 2-4% from 2014 to 2018 in Budget 2014; sees average wage growth of 20% in six years to 2018
Key sees flattening Auckland house prices
PM John Key says Auckland home owners should welcome flattening of house prices; Govt opposed to Councils taxing sales and incomes
14th Apr 14, 6:50pm
by Bernard Hickey
54
PM John Key says Auckland home owners should welcome flattening of house prices; Govt opposed to Councils taxing sales and incomes
Govt sets housing affordability target
Nick Smith says has told Government to target housing affordability at four times income, down from seven times income in Auckland now
14th Apr 14, 11:27am
by Bernard Hickey
30
Nick Smith says has told Government to target housing affordability at four times income, down from seven times income in Auckland now
Rates an inter-generational issue
Bernard Hickey thinks any move by councils to tax incomes, spending, road usage and congestion to lessen the rates burden on ageing property owners is unfair on younger and poorer generations
13th Apr 14, 6:32am
by Bernard Hickey
65
Bernard Hickey thinks any move by councils to tax incomes, spending, road usage and congestion to lessen the rates burden on ageing property owners is unfair on younger and poorer generations
Councils review reliance on rates
Local Government NZ launches council funding review; says property rates may not be sustainable; Road tolling, sales taxes, income taxes mooted as alternatives
9th Apr 14, 4:43pm
by Bernard Hickey
56
Local Government NZ launches council funding review; says property rates may not be sustainable; Road tolling, sales taxes, income taxes mooted as alternatives
Key says net foreign buying may be zero
Key cites Tony Alexander's research in saying net buying of homes by foreigners may be "zero"; Cunliffe points to Chinese home buyers by phone
9th Apr 14, 3:07pm
by Bernard Hickey
60
Key cites Tony Alexander's research in saying net buying of homes by foreigners may be "zero"; Cunliffe points to Chinese home buyers by phone
Bernard's Top 10 at 10
Bernard's Top 10: Monetary policy in the new normal; Australia's not-so-free trade deal with Japan; Migration and housing affordability; Selling houses via WeChat; Dilbert
9th Apr 14, 12:28pm
by Bernard Hickey
5
Bernard's Top 10: Monetary policy in the new normal; Australia's not-so-free trade deal with Japan; Migration and housing affordability; Selling houses via WeChat; Dilbert
Budget deficit worse than expected
Treasury reports budget deficit was NZ$884 mln worse than expected in 8 mths to Feb; GST, corporate and PAYE receipts below forecasts
8th Apr 14, 10:18am
by Bernard Hickey
22
Treasury reports budget deficit was NZ$884 mln worse than expected in 8 mths to Feb; GST, corporate and PAYE receipts below forecasts