The raw numbers spell opportunity in housing markets ... but harder heads want to see even stronger signs of employment growth before jumping in. Then there's the banks, their profits & their confidence.

An extended interview with the found of the Thorney Opportunities & Thorney Technology Funds, including the stocks he's backing and his view on the disconnect between the stockmarket's performance ... and economic forecasts.

Australia is in its first recession in 28 years. The irony is that the dollar & stockmarket are flying ... so is it a heavy landing, or the Lucky Vountry once more?

It was just three weeks ago that Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn spooked many when the bank put out a worst case forecast of a 32% fall in Australian house prices. The first test of housing came out today with CoreLogic's May house price numbers which were ... all things considered ... not too bad. The question is whether this is the new norm, or is worse to come?

It reads like a movie script. As the Reserve Bank Governor urges Government to consider extending economic assistance, Prime Minister Scott Morrison embarks on a bold plan to change industrial laws. But standing in his way is the imposing figure of union boss John Setka, who is brawling with his union body, the ACTU, his own Federal union and the Federal Opposition. Good luck Scott.

The UK's Project Birch has identified strategic industries the Govt might bail out by buying direct stakes in businesses. Here, with rising debts, the Govt has a chance to do the exact opposite ... to ease its debt burden by selling key businesses ... in the process reinforcing its position as one of the strongest economies in the world.

Class actions have had an increasingly influential impact on corporate life since being introduced into Australia in 1992. But the Govt's latest action, to create an effective 6-month moratorium on continuous disclosure class actions, could again protect the weak ... that should otherwise be subject to market forces.

While most take the security of our banking industry for granted, it is worth re-learning the lessons of the last recession, when our banks were not so stable. It was a time of Kerry Packer raiding Westpac and Al "Chainsaw" Dunlap on a broken board. There are parallels with today that should not be forgotten as we face into these recessionary winds.

In some ways, the stockmarket is the one place that's truly defied Covid 19. The rebound in share prices is not only impressive, but to many, downright confusing ... in the face of clear ongoing economic damage. And with China threatening even more Australian products with extra tariffs you'd imagine some caution, especially around vulnerable sectors. But no. So the message is: tread very, very carefully - this is not over by a long-shot.

Global stockmarkets have added trillions of dollars on US biotech Moderna announcing cautious, but positive Phase I trials into a Covid-19 vaccine. The bigger question is whether this treatment, if proven, is enough to fix the long-term economic damage. Have the markets put euphoria ahead of sense again?