Managing director of Brennann IT , Dave Stevens - Economist with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Jeremy Thorpe - Talking Business 2012 - Ep20

Summary: Interview with Dave Stevens, managing director of Brennann IT about his business. Interview with Jeremy Thorpe, economist with PricewaterhouseCoopers Leon and Garry talk about issues including: Spain being given a eurozone lifeline of up to €100 billion ($A128 billion) to save its stricken banks and Greece going to the elections which will determine its future in the Eurozone, with massive implications for the global economy. The World Bank warning that a faster than expected slowdown in China poses a risk for the rest of the region, in particular commodity-dependent countries such as Australia and China’s commerce minister saying that the world's second-largest economy faces a challenging trade situation in the second half of the year. Moody's says that the outlook for Australia's Aaa foreign and local currency ratings remains stable. Commercial finance commitments spiking in April, while personal lending inched up, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. NAB’s business survey showing that business conditions have slumped to a three-year low, dragged down by a sharp deterioration in the mining industry. Consumer sentiment edging up again in June, its second consecutive monthly rise, according to the Westpac Melbourne Institute index of consumer sentiment. Prime Minister Julia Gillard running an economic forum in Brisbane this week The Australian dollar is expected to remain around parity for another five years, putting huge pressure on exporters. More than two-thirds of large Australian companies are willing to hire foreign workers as the effect of the skills shortage is felt across a broad range of industries, according to an Australian Institute of Management (AIM) National Salary survey. Ratings agency Fitch is preparing to downgrade Queensland's credit rating from AA+ to AA. Motorists can expect further savings of up to three cents a litre on petrol in the next fortnight, building on recent falls in wholesale prices. The average unleaded petrol price fell 1.5 cents to 143.6 cents a litre in the week ending June 10, according to the Australian Institute of Petroleum. One in 10 Australians who'll be impacted by federal Labor means-testing the private health insurance rebate saying they will cancel their cover as a result. Fairfax flagging an 8 per cent fall in revenue in a half-year equating to about $100 million less coming in, Gina Rinehart continuing her attacks on the Fairfax board and Newcastle Herald and Illawarra Mercury workers failing in their bid to stave-off job losses under a plan by Fairfax to transfer editorial production to New Zealand. The national news agency, Australian Associated Press, becoming the latest media organisation to cut jobs because of turmoil in the industry. Ten Network's sales chief Mike Morrison quitting the No. 3 network suddenly, only six months into the job. Win Television founder Bruce Gordon expressing interest in Nine Entertainment Co as Nine scrambles to address its looming debt problem. Independent grocers are calling on the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) to rein in Woolworths and Coles. Woolworths chief executive Grant O'Brien offering an olive branch to the food sector.