In the week ahead, the US dominates, both from a markets perspective, and from the information flow.

The National Australia Bank has joined the likes of the ANZ, Fairfax and a slew of leading companies in cutting or, in some cases, eliminating dividends as the crunch tightens and the economic slump hits cashflow and earnings.

Mining, manufacturing and recreational and personal services are the sectors of the Australian economy doing it toughest at the moment, but retailers are a bit more confident as the first of the cheques from the latest stimulus package start flowing.

A quieter week all round for economic and business news.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says China will “significantly increase” investment in 2009 to counter a slowdown in the world’s third-biggest economy.

No joy, nothing positive for the battered US economy in coming months: in fact conditions are worsening and that could continue for some time.

The Australian economy finally succumbed to the global downturn in the December quarter with GDP falling 0.5%. We are now effectively in recession. In the absence of Government stimulus the fall would have been even steeper.

Despite the continuing global slump, copper is hot, well it’s warm compared to demand levels for oil, zinc, etc.