BUSINESS

A defect in the water filtering system at the crippled Fukushima nuclear plant had forced operator Tokyo Electric Power (TEPCO) to suspend yet again its decontamination process at the facility.

A recent report from ISS claims that CEOs of Australia’s top companies are misleading shareholders

The Australian sharemarket is losing ground for the second day this week and is trading at a one-month low. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 0.9 per cent, with only the defensive utilities managing to rise modestly.

Janet Yellen's first address as chair seems to be going smoothly. As expected, the Fed continued to taper its asset purchases program by moving the monthly rate by any other $10 billion to $55 billion from $65 billion a month, split evenly between treasuries and mortgage-backed securities.

The US FOMC meeting resulted in the Fed reducing monthly asset purchases from $65 billion to $55 billion. The minutes suggested a shift in forward guidance. The Fed dropped its promise to hold rates steady ´´well past the time´´ the US unemployment rate falls below 6.5% and will look to use a wide range of measures in deciding when to raise rates. The Fed´s assessment of the recent US economic weakness was chalked up to adverse weather conditions. The US Current account deficit narrowed from $96....

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) is taking part in a global international investigation into foreign exchange rate riggings said to be as serious as the 2012 Libor rate scandal.

A report claiming iPhones will have bigger screen could add over $3 in EPS in the second half of the year. This was published by Brian Marshall, an ISI Apple analyst.

Russian billionaire sold shares of Apple Inc. (AAPL:US) as Apple tops Billion Dollar Brands list

The Australian share market has closed slightly firmer today, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) adding 12.8 points or 0.2 per cent by close to 5373 points. The market had a volatile session, with the All Ords being down to 5351 points at one time, despite positive offshore gains.

New Zealand has signed a currency exchange deal with China on the first day of Prime Minister John Key's arrival in the world's second largest economy. Together with China's Premier Li Kequiang, Mr Key announced the launch of direct trading between New Zealand's dollar and China's renminbi in the Chinese onshore market.

Australian dairy milk company, Oz Dairy, was accused of tampering expiry dates on cans of baby formulas

The Australian sharemarket is modestly higher at lunch, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) up by 0.1 per cent. Investors are remaining on the sidelines as the U.S. central bank is halfway through its two-day monthly meeting. Global sharemarkets surged overnight as Russian President Vladimir Putin said he has no plans to seize other areas of Ukraine.

Residents of Kuda Huvadhoo in Dhaalu Atoll, a remote island in Maldives, have claimed seeing a "low flying jumbo jet" white aircraft with "red stripes" fly across the island on the morning the Malaysia Airlines MH370 was first reported missing.

As expected, the Russian Federation will look to absorb Crimea and for it to be fully integrated as early as January 1 2015. Celebrations in Red Square kicked off on the announcement from President Putin that the referendum from the weekend was evidence enough that Crimea 'wants to be run by a stable sovereignty, and that is Russia.'

In US economic data, the consumer price index rose by 0.1% in February to stand 1.1% higher than a year ago. The core rate (excludes food and energy) also rose 0.1% to be up 1.6% on a year ago. Housing starts eased by 0.2% to a 907,000 annual rate in February but permits rose by 7.7%. And net capital inflows to the US totalled $83 billion in January following outflows of US$126.7 billion in December.

Apple Inc's iPad sales in Australia is challenged by cheaper tablets running on Google's Android operating system as tablet sales in the country doubled in 2013. According to a new study, the less expensive Android tablets are slowly gaining on Apple in Australia. Technology firm Telsyte has released data from a study which revealed that 4.8 million tablet computers were sold in Australia in 2013. The firm estimates that this translates to 9.4 million Australians owing and using tablets. A...

Telsyte survey found that sales of Apple tablets rose by 52 per cent while sales of Android tablets rose by a whopping 186 per cent

The Australian sharemarket ended higher for just the second time in seven trading days. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) finished 0.5 per cent firmer to 5360.2, remaining below the 5400.0pt mark but bouncing from a one-month low. All sectors finished higher by the close.

At least three million people from around the world have joined a crowdsourcing project to help locate the week-old missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 airliner.

Buyers were able to make an impression on the ASX200 in early trade on Tuesday after the index shed 1.76% in the last 2 days. The improved tone saw every ASX sector trade higher over the course of the morning. The positive momentum was dominated by Materials and Financials, helped by economic news out of the US which revealed a better than expected reading on industrial production which rose by 0.6% in February, above forecasts for a 0.1% gain.

With nary a competition in sight, Canada's big three wireless carriers have all raised prices for their monthly plans by $5 as well as on their discount brands Koodo, Fido and Virgin. All their base plans now cost the same.

Some of the weakest political and economic sanctions have been imposed on Russia overnight as Crimea is officially recognised as a sovereign state by the Russian Parliament, with President Putin signing a decree.

n US economic data, industrial production rose by 0.6% in February, above forecasts for a 0.1% gain. The New York Federal Reserve manufacturing index rose from 4.48 to 5.61 in March, near market forecasts. And the National Association of Home Builders index rose from 46 to 47 in March, short of forecasts centred near 50.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) would not likely follow the footstep of neighbour's Reserve Bank of New Zealand which last week its overnight cash rate by 25 basis points to 2.75 per cent.

Canadian manufacturing giant Bombardier got part of a $5.16-billion contract to supply South Africa with 1,064 locomotives to the country's freight rail system, Transnet Freight Rail.

he Australian share market closed lower on the first trading day of the week, as Crimea concerns continued to weigh on investors' minds. Exit polls on Sunday showed 93 per cent of voters in Crimea chose to secede from Ukraine and re-join Russia in a referendum the West has labelled illegal.

Ten days after it first went missing, at least three jet takeover theories have erupted, and 600 possible landing spots have been drawn for the still missing Malaysia Airlines MH370. Still all figures. Nothing inconclusive.

The Australian sharemarket is slightly weaker for the fifth time in six trading sessions. Concerns relating to a referendum on the future of Crimea in Ukraine is keeping investors on edge. The vote is considered by the West to be an illegal undertaking. One of the reasons why markets are a little concerned is that Russia supplies Europe with more than a quarter of its oil and gas import requirements.

The weekends are becoming the 'days of choice' for China to announce major policy changes, with the PBoC announcing the widely touted widening of the trading band on the CNY on Saturday.