2016 Sector Outlooks – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

A slowdown in mining has hit the industrial construction sector hard. AAP/Paul Miller

March 18, 2016

Construction outlook: mining construction slowdown ripples across industry

The industrial construction sector will have to cut costs and focus on smaller projects due to a slowdown in mining construction.

The mining sector is facing one of its toughest periods and large miners like BHP and Rio Tinto are not immune. BHP/AAP

March 17, 2016

Mining outlook: volatility will force cuts to operations and jobs

Antoine Hermens, University of Technology Sydney

Increased competition and weak commodities prices will pressure to the mining sector to cut costs.

In the past large retailers could squeeze out competitors but new challengers like Aldi are still in the game. DAN PELED/AAP

March 16, 2016

Retail outlook: big retailers feel the pressure of new challengers

Shumi Akhtar, University of Sydney and Farida Akhtar, Curtin University

The big supermarkets, Woolworths and Coles, will need to think of new strategies to compete with new chains such as Aldi which continue to steal market share.

Interest from international investors looking to take over Asciano, operator of rail company Pacific National, shows that the sector is still seen as a steady market. JULIAN SMITH/AAP

March 15, 2016

Transport outlook: larger companies will survive global economic downturn and slowdown in mining

Peter van Duyn, Victoria University

International investors competing for a stake and the Federal Government’s positive outlook for mining are both good signs for the largest companies in the transport sector.

It’s stormy conditions in share markets and a competitive sector, not natural disasters, that will define the outlook for the insurance sector. KARIN CALVERT/AAP

March 14, 2016

Insurance outlook: in an era of increasing competition technology will make the difference

David Bond, University of Technology Sydney and Anna Wright, University of Technology Sydney

The outlook for the insurance sector will depend less on natural disasters and more on how the big insurers respond to smaller competitors and the use of technology in assessing policies.

Because Australia’s banking system is so concentrated, the ‘big four’ banks face similar threats. AAP/Joe Castro

March 13, 2016

Banking outlook: threats from technology, burst of housing bubble, end of mining boom

Pat McConnell, Macquarie University

Analysis of the similarities between Australia’s four largest banks shows all are exposed to risk of a housing bubble burst and face threats from digital disruption.

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