BUSINESS

Equities finished the week on a positive note despite limited leads to work off. Additionally there were no major developments from the weekend and this really limits the leads heading into Asian trade. There were some minor headlines on the geopolitical front, with Iraq's military reclaiming some ground from militants, but this seems to have been balanced out by reports that Ukraine has asked Russia to strengthen border controls.

Apple Inc. reclaims number one spot in Barron’s list of The World’s Most Respected Companies

In US economic data, the University of Michigan final reading on consumer sentiment rose from 81.9 to 82.5 in June, mildly above expectations. Interestingly 1-year inflation expectations index fell from 3.3% to 3.1% - the lowest reading in six months.

At the end of the New South Wales Supreme Court's hearing of the Rinehart family feud on who should replace mining billionaire Gina Rinehart as the trustee of the $5-billion trust that controls about 25 per cent of Hancock Prospecting, youngest daughter Ginia admitted being hurt by brother John's remarks about her.

ANZ has combined daily banking features with a comprehensive wealth management solutions in a new app it just released.

After Apple's stock split on June 9, the price per share has dropped to around $92.

An international ratings agency has warned Australia of its "overheating" housing market despite the country's "very high" economic strength.

An international ratings agency has warned Australia of its "overheating" housing market despite the country's "very high" economic strength.

The Australian share market closed out the week on a negative note, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) closing lower by almost 18 points or 0.3 per cent to 5429.1 on Friday. Over the course of the week, the market finished higher by 0.5 per cent, thanks to the strong gains yesterday coupled with Monday's win.

Canadian food retailer Sobeys and its parent company Empire Co. will be closing 50 stores all across the country due to underperformance. Majority of the closing stores are located in Western Canada.

The radio industry in the US is talking about the firing of 1310 WIBA/AM morning talk show host Mitch Henck. His boot not only ends Henck's 12-year stint with the radio station, but also highlights the shift of the industry toward syndicated content, leaving no room for local voices.

Property firm Zoopla's (LSE: ZPLA.L) £1 billion flotation is the talk of the real estate industry. One of the questions being raised is if property portals like Zoopla will effectively replace the traditional real estate agent, which could leave the property market dominated by a relatively small number of realty firms.

The Australian sharemarket is flat after a 1.1 per cent surge yesterday. Global markets overnight ended mixed while a firmer ore price is helping the miners. Despite an uninspiring finish to the week, local stocks have still improved by 0.8 per cent over the past five days.

Equities were relatively sidelined in a quiet US trade. Most of the releases from the US were in-line with estimates and this resulted in an overall lack of direction. There was also some Fedspeak with Lacker and Bullard on the wires. Lacker commented on inflation, suggesting it was rising faster than expected with the move not being entirely noise.

Despite losing $2 billion in the last 12 months due to plummeting iron ore prices, mining magnate Gina Rinehart is still Australia's richest person and topped the 2014 BRW Rich 200 list released on Thursday.

St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard warned that the Fed could fall behind the curve if the US unemployment rate drops faster than expected. In response to questions after his speech Bullard commented that at the current 6.3% unemployment rate, the US is ´´way ahead of schedule´´ on its trajectory toward a normal labour market. Bullard does not have a vote on the Fed´s policy-setting committee this year.

The tallest skyscraper in the Southern Hemisphere would soon rise in Victoria, Australia. The 100-storey tower will stand 319 metres tall upon completion.

The Australian share market had a solid session on Thursday, clawing back some ground following losses on Tuesday and Wednesday. Window dressing ahead of the end of the financial year, coupled with a strong lead from Wall Street, saw the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rise 1.1 per cent today to 5446.8 points. That's been enough to turn around the week's fortunes so far, with the market now higher by 0.8 per cent on the week.

A 2013 Experian Marketing Services survey found that consumers in the UK, U.S. and Australia spent an average of 16 minutes for every hour on the Internet on social media sites. After social media are entertainment Web sites where consumers spend an average of 9 minutes for every hour.

Before the still missing ill-fated Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, there was Asiana Airlines Flight 214 on July 2013. On Tuesday, authorities from the National Transportation Safety Board said the jetliner crashed and killed three people at San Francisco International Airport in 2013 because of human error on the part of its pilots.

The Australian Privacy Commissioner has found Cupid guilty of breaching the privacy of its thousands of members

“The Block” is reportedly set to film next season at the infamous Hotel Saville, where self-proclaimed vampire prostitute Shane Chartres-Abbott allegedly raped and murdered his victim in 2002.

Australian owners of light vehicles are now mandated to adhere to new emissions standards that could help the country achieve a year's worth cut of carbon pollution of 59 tonnes by 2030, the Climate Change Authority said on Thursday.

Analysts are increasing their price targets of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) on iPhone and iWatch release dates nearing.

The Australian sharemarket is improving for the second time this week, with a positive lead from Wall Street helping lift local stocks. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 0.8 per cent, creeping back above the key 5400 point mark. The property trusts are the lone losers at lunch, with all other sectors recording at least modest gains.

After buying Beats Electronics, Apple Inc may be eyeing Disney as its next big target acquisition. In an article by Washington Post, one analyst at North River Ventures thinks this possibility is "frighteningly obvious."

Jordan Kimmel, chief executive officer at investment education firm InvestView (OTCQB: INVU) said 2014 remains a bull market and described this year as the most unloved bull market since he joined the financial industry more than 25 years ago.

U.S. President Barack Obama may have the most number of followers on online social networking and microblogging service Twitter, but he is not the portal's most influential world leader. Pope Francis is.

While regular employment in a corporate environment has its perks such as social security, fixed regular income and medical coverage - being a freelancer - also has its advantages.