BUSINESS

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 5 points while the S&P added 0.2% to 1808 and the Nasdaq rose 0.3%.It was an ugly day on Bridge Street yesterday.

Retail therapy, which many females turn to when they are depressed or angry or lonely, appears to be more than just an excuse to shop - as most of the husbands or boyfriends of these women think.

If home carbonation system seller SodaStreams would have its way, one of the icons of Christmas wouldn't be red, fat and jolly. They would rather have Santa Claus be known as a Green Santa who will help the company sell more of its system.

While Android devices make up most of the world's smart phone market share, Apple Inc has increased its lead in the United States based on recent figures by comScore. According to the report, Apple Inc continues to dominate the smart phone market in the U.S. with 40.6 per cent. 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.

All Justin Bieber wanted from BlackBerry was $200,000 and 20 devices and he would be glad to be the company’s Ambassador. But the officials of the company, then known Research In Motion (RIM), thought it was a bad idea. Fifteen million sales of album after and $55 million earnings in the last twelve months, Bieber was no longer the rising star he was when he made the offer.

The Australian share market ignored positive economic data out of China and the US and instead started the week in the red, as investors ran scared following a shock profit warning from Australia's largest insurer QBE (QBE). The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) closed lower by 37.6pts or 0.7 per cent to 5148.4 points.

Air Canada is mulling to buy more aircraft to support its fleet and is just reportedly close to deciding which from Airbus or Boeing it will enter the deal with.

Members of the Auckland Taxi Association are on a hunger strike starting Monday after their talk with the airport company failed. Around 180 taxi drivers at the Auckland International Airport are demanding better working conditions and taxi-rank positions among other issues.

Australian internet service provider TPG Telecom Ltd has entered into a binding agreement with Telecom New Zealand to purchase the latter's Australian unit AAPT for AU$450 million.

A report from UBS revealed that Aussie bank stocks are the most expensive in the world

China has been enveloped in smog again over the weekend.

Sunshine Coast Daily, a newspaper for Maroochydore, Queensland (QLD) in Australia is giving away six prizes from Nov. 9 to Dec. 23, 2013 as part of its Countdown to Christmas contest. Giveaways include an iPhone 5s, a $1,000 Flight Centre travel voucher, a GoPro Hero3+, a system 12 lotto ticket, five $100 vouchers at Bunnings, Kmart or Boating Camping Fishing (BCF) and five $100 Coles Group vouchers.

Black Friday may have been over a week ago, but techies who failed to get a good bargain during those days need not wait for Boxing Day to enjoy price cuts on devices.

Local trade on Monday was defined by continued weakness in the face of solid gains for US stocks on Friday. US markets were able to embrace the better than expected employment data (unemployment at a 5 year low with job creation beating expectations of 200k jobs added in November).

Friday night's unemployment print and non-farm payroll number has certainly awoken one thing - speculation.

PDF file attached.Corporate bonds offer an alternative to equity investment in providing a fixed "coupon", or interest payment, unlike equities which pay (or not) non-fixed dividend payments, and a maturity date, unlike equities which are open-ended.

In US economic news, employment (non-farm payrolls) rose by 203,000 in November, ahead of forecasts for a gain of 180,000. The unemployment rate fell from 7.3% to a five-year low of 7.0%. Meanwhile personal income fell 0.1% in October while spending rose 0.3%. And consumer sentiment rose from 75.1 to 82.5 in December.

A seemingly atheist advertisement gets an unofficial ban in Vancouver.

The weekly closed last week on a downtrend for a third week. The market had its biggest weekly fall since June 2013 with a 200 point range.

U.S. Pres. Barack Obama, leader of the free world, has reportedly not allowed the use Apple's iPhone for security reasons. The Pentagon and the U.S. Department of Defense might have given Apple's iPhone security clearance for official use but the smartphone is apparently still not secure enough for Mr. Obama.

Apple has been working with chords for the longest time. Nonetheless, reports of a newly won patent indicates the tech giant is ready to go wireless. From its iMacs to iPhones and MacBooks, it seems Apple will be pushing for wireless charging in the near future.

Kangaroo meat was earlier considered as pet food. However, China may consider it as a luxury cuisine and buy it from Australian exporters.

The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slipped by 0.2 per cent today, taking the losses this week to a significant 2.3 per cent. This makes it the worst week for local stocks in six months. Shares have fallen for five of the past six trading sessions. Volume was quite light however due to the all-important non-farm payrolls report in the U.S. tonight. This is a measure of how many jobs were added or lost in November and has the potential to set the tone for local shares and currencies next week. If much...

Apple Inc (AAPL) stock is showing erratic signs as news on China denied

Microsoft has partnered with Australia's University of Melbourne in the opening of a new research centre to study the social uses and applications for natural user interface the likes used by Xbox Kinect.

Shares of tech giant Apple (AAPL) surged on Thursday on reports it has finally entered an arrangement with China Mobile. However, the Chinese operator and the world's biggest wireless at that, denied the existence of any deal.

New Zealand firms are in the spotlight for making it to the top 100 of the annual Deloitte Technology Fast 500 Asia Pacific Index. A list of the region's fastest growing technology firms was recently announced in Hong Kong with 40 Kiwi tech companies in the list, and 16 in the top 100.

There are a lot of choices for Christmas gifts meant for women. It can range from jewelry to makeup, clothes, shoes, bags, watches or even gadgets. However, due to the number of choices out there, it's difficult to choose which one to actually buy for women. The risk is that they may already have the gift you will be giving them. To help you with your shopping dilemma, here is a helpful Holiday 2013 Gift Guide featuring the Top 5 Gifts for Women.

The selling that began with some conviction late Thursday afternoon has persisted in the early part of trade on Friday, although the ASX 200 is recovering from intraday weakness as banks pare declines. The question hanging over the market in the afternoon session will be whether it can hold the lows that have been established or will sellers continue to test the resolve of the market and gun for the low of the day which currently sits at 5154.6.