BUSINESS

After having seen an improvement in sentiment yesterday, it seems we are back to square one with renewed China concerns and Ukraine tension ramping up. China data was releases post local trade and this set the tone for overnight trade. Industrial production slowed significantly at just +8.5% which was well below consensus of +9.5%. Retail sales and fixed asset investment data also missed estimates and analysts feel the combined impact of these readings points to a high likelihood of a big GDP dr...

In US economic data, claims for unemployment insurance fell by 9,000 in the latest week to 315,000. Retail sales rose by 0.3% in February with sales excluding autos up by 0.3%. Both figures were slightly above forecasts. The Federal Budget was in deficit by $193.5 billion in February, smaller than the forecast $212 billion deficit. And import prices rose by 0.9% in February with export prices up 0.6% - both ahead of forecasts.

Australian supermarket giant Woolworths plans to add another 7,000 employees in 2014 to its current 180,000 workers by opening 108 more new stores across the country.

The ASX 200 spent most day moving higher, although prices softened in the last 2 hours as investors focussed on Chinese economic figures due for release after the close of local trade. At its best levels of the session the market was up by 41 points; at the lows of the day the index was still in positive territory with a gain of 2 points. Volume was reasonable at around $4.5 billion.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) tops hedge fund stock according to the recent Citigroup analysis based on 13Fs

While the world has still to see Apple's iOS in full swing with CarPlay, Google and Audi are already collaborating for an Android car. The big players in the mobile computing world are looking at the automotive industry now - and planning to set a trend.

The Reserve Bank of New Zealand raised on Thursday the official cash rate (OCR) by 0.25 basis points to 2.275 per cent. It ended the three-year freeze on interest rates imposed by the national government after the Christchurch earthquake.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg is rumoured to be the next Disney CEO after Bob Iger leaves the office in 2016.

The Australian sharemarket is improving for the first time this week, boosted by much better than expected employment numbers. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up by 0.7 per cent.. Mining stocks are the best improvers following a tough start to the week due to concerns relating to China's economy and credit issues. The results of the monthly employment report locally and a handful of economic information from our largest trading partner, China are the two highlights today. China buys around ...

US equities managed to pare losses despite a lack of fresh catalysts to really drive sentiment either way. There was a continuation of similar themes from earlier in the week, with Ukraine uncertainty keeping investors at bay in Europe, while China concerns saw commodities remain subdued. A 0.2% decline in Europe's industrial production which was expected up 0.6% also weighed on commodities. However, copper managed to arrest its slide from yesterday.

In US economic data, the weekly mortgage market index fell by 2.1%, from 381.4 to 373.3, led by refinancing. The purchase index only fell from 169.6 to 168.8.

Oil giant Chevron, in an update on Wednesday, disclosed that with the completion of the offshore pipelaying at its liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia, the country's largest gas project, Gorgon, is almost 80 per cent complete.

Like other large air carriers that used to rule the skies, Malaysian Airlines has experienced financial turbulence in the past decade as budget carriers compete with them on price points.

Apple investors may see significant gains in the company's stock in the next 12 months. According to Pacific Crest Securities Analyst Andy Hargreaves, Apple stock could reach $635 with the impending release of iPhone 6 rumored to have a bigger screen than the usual 4-inch iPhone.

The Australian share market was heavily back into the red today, although stocks managed to close off their lows as mining stocks received some positive headwind in afternoon trade. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) closed lower by 0.5 per cent with key financial players a big drag.

"That 70's Show" alums Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are inviting people into the world of "cute" celebrity couples. The couple grabbed lunch at a café in Beverly Hills, Calif. on Monday afternoon, Mar. 10, and was spotted by a reporter both looking happy and doing a high-five.

Robocoin, the company behind Bitcoin ATMs, is planning to expand to 10 more locations around the world. The company has announced it will be shipping its Bitcoin ATMs to Boston and Seattle in the United States. More machines are heading to the UK, Australia, Italy, Ireland, Israel, Czech Republic, Japan and Singapore.

With so many stories behind the Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, many people are now confused between the fact and fiction behind its abrupt disappearance. The mystery of the flight's vanishing act has left the world wondering that even the world's top air safety authorities are still in the dark on the technicalities and its disappearance is simply inexplicable.

Sellers have returned to the share market on Wednesday having stayed their hand somewhat in the previous session. The themes driving sentiment remain largely the same, with the central discussion turning around the mining sector and the near term prospects for the price of iron ore. To that end, prices for the commodity have consolidated at $104.90 / tonne in the last day having suffered an 8% decline in the previous day.

To drop the Union Jack or not. New Zealanders have been given three years to decide on the matter concerning their national flag.

The macro influences remain: China worries; Russian-Ukrainian tensions; sluggish Japanese data; indifferent US data; steel demand in China and the slide into bear markets of industrial commodities.

In US economic data, chain store sales rose by 2.5% in the latest week compared with a year earlier, down from 2.7% in the previous week. Wholesale sales fell by 1.9% in January, the biggest fall in almost five years and well below forecasts centred on a gain of 0.2%. Inventories rose by 0.6%.

There was a whiff of fresh air for embattled Australian flag carrier Qantas on Tuesday when a survey made by booking Web site wotif.com found that the Flying Roo is the favourite of Aussie travelers.

Another wedge seems to have been placed between Australia's richest person Gina Rinehart and her prodigal son John Hancock. Mr Hancock was appointed on Tuesday as non-executive director of Volta Mining, a competitor miner of Hancock Prospecting owned by the mining mogul.

Telstra has inadvertently published the personal data of nearly 16,000 customers compromising the privacy of its customers.

Is it time to replace Tim Cook as Apple Inc CEO? With Apple shares down 5 per cent and now 25 per cent difference from the stock's peak in September 2012, some investors have been worried about Apple Inc's image as an innovative company especially since the demise of its co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs.

The Australian share market closed flat on Tuesday, despite another big fall in the iron ore price. The commodity plunged nine per cent to close below US$105 / dry tonne within the last session. However our mining players managed to brush off the big drop after falling heavily during yesterday's trade. A gain in financial stocks helped the market close steady, with the All Ords down just one point to 5429.3.

Heinz Canada has decided to voluntarily recall some of its baby food products after discovering a defect in its packaging that could spoil the contents of the items.

New Zealand's economy is expected to have significant gains due to big changes in China which will have a big impact to the island nation's future. According to reports, the Chinese government is resolving to rebalance its economy. China's Finance Minister Lou Jiwei announced that the country's economic growth target will remain at 7.5 per cent for 2014.Mr Jiwei said hitting the growth target does not matter since the government wants to see more of an increase in jobs growth.