BUSINESS

The Australian Institute report “Hard to get a break” reveals that Aussies are either overworked underpaid or out of work.

YouTube users were surprised on Tuesday, Nov 19, when they could not access the popular video sharing site. The 30-minute downtime occurred between 5:20 and 5:40 pm Eastern Time.

By Peter Switzer, Switzer Super ReportIn December, I always try to work out if a Santa Claus rally is in train for the festive season.

The global pullback looks to be starting; European markets are moving back from five year highs, the S&P continues to shift away from its intraday all-time high as the DOW continues to shift sideways.

The OECD cut its global growth forecasts for this year and next as emerging-market economies including India and Brazil cool. The world economy was expected to expand by 2.7pct this year and 3.6pct next year, instead of the 3.1pct and 4pct predicted in May. Australian economy growth was expected at a sub-trend pace of 2.5pct and 2.6pct in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

As Apple Inc continues to look forward to higher sales for the new versions of the iPhone and iPads in the holiday quarter, the company's stocks may be on its way to reaching $700 in 2014.

Google and Microsoft have announced a series of measures that will erase indecent and abusive images of children online. The Internet giants, which cover 95 per cent of the online market, are making the online world a little bit cleaner and safer for children.

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares is now worth less than a Bitcoin.

The Australian share market closed lower again today, despite the US Dow Jones Index hitting a record high overnight.

Samsung scored yet another court victory against competitor Apple when a U.S. federal appeals court upheld on Monday the decision of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California denying Apple's request to ban sale of Samsung phones in the U.S.

Despite another record high on the US Dow Jones Index overnight, the Australian share market is once again being sold off.

China has set to open its next carbon emissions trading markets in Beijing and Shanghai before the end of November 2013.

At least 100 stores located inside Westfield Hornsby Mall remain closed on Tuesday as authorities continued to assess the damages inflicted by a mini tornado that ripped Australia's Central Business District on Monday afternoon.

By Greg PeelAustralia's leading pure-play uranium miner, Paladin Energy ((PDN)), has been undertaking an extensive cost-cutting program.

It was a very interesting trading session in the US, with the S&P and the Dow jumping over key psychological marks of 1800 and 16,000 points respectively (both record highs).

In US economic news, the NAHB housing market index held steady at 54 in November, down a little off its recent September quarter peak, but clearly still indicative of a increasingly strong housing market. Net long-term TIC flows returned to positive inflow in September of $25.49b. There was a net inflow of $27.8b. into treasury securities

So Janet Yellen's first hearing took place overnight. It was fairly boring. She's expected to sail through and become the next Chairperson of theUS Federal Reserve. Given that the last few years of extraordinary monetary policy have achieved a miserable recovery, what's she going to do differently?

Now, this is sheer entertainment. The Chicago branch of the Federal Reserve has addressed the great monetary question of our day.

What do a Bacon triptych, a balloon dog, a Pink Star and the stock market have in common? They're very, very expensive.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 14 points or 0.1% to 15,976 while the S&P lost 0.4% to 1791 and the Nasdaq dropped 0.

Even at the age of 53, Jean-Claude Van Damme has it in him. The Belgian actor and martial art veteran is as impressive in his art as he must have been earlier in his life. Watch the new viral video wherein Jean-Claude Van Damme shows off his skills with a crazy split for a new Volvo Trucks Ad.

Apple Inc's iPhone 5S and iPad Air sales continue to grow stronger, according to recent global surveys and data from U.S. carriers. The sales growth is boosted by improving supply levels. Analysts have also observed steady sales in the iPhone 5C.

Despite improving gradually as the day wore on, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) still finished 0.3 per cent lower by market close. At its worst, the XAO was down by 0.78 per cent (at around 10.30am AEDT). All sectors eased, with the financials and energy stocks amongst the biggest drags.

Ian Somerhalder of the CW TV series “Vampire Diaries” is encouraging people to use Goodshop To-Go to support his foundation, The Ian Somerhalder Foundation (ISF). Goodshop To-Go is a Web site that reportedly allows online shoppers to earn up to 20% of each of their purchases for their chosen cause or charity. Plus, it gives more than 100,000 coupons for users which enables them to not only save some money but also to donate with every purchase. What’s great is that this service is free!

After releasing a vague and slightly disappointing communique last week, the end of the Third Plenum has seen the release of a 60 point plan that will see the largest sweeping reforms in China in over three decades.

This story was first published for subscribers only on November 5 but is now open to all readers.By Greg PeelIf one looks up the real time US "debt clock", one sees a national debt in excess of seventeen trillion (US) dollars.

FNArena is surveying investor sentiment in Australia in an effort to generate, over time, a guage similar to the AAII Investor Sentiment Survey in the US.

The weekly closed last week on an uptrend. The market has maintained the 5400 level for the last three weeks.

Typhoon-battered Philippines have felt the impact of super storm Haiyan (Yolanda) as the 315-kph Category 5 Hurricane-equivalent massively destroyed homes, crops and infrastructure in the central part of the country, particularly provinces located in the Visayas.