BUSINESS

The Australian sharemarket gradually extended its losses from around midday onward, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slumping by 1.3 per cent following a flat start. The mining sector was the only thing limiting the losses for most of the day; however faded late in trade.

Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn has reportedly submitted a proposal for Apple Inc to buy back $50 billion worth of stocks. According to CNBC, a source said Mr Icahn will present the stock buyback proposal during Apple's annual shareholders meeting. On Dec. 4, Mr Icahn posted on Twitter that he has informed Apple Inc of his intention to push for a vote for the company to increase its stock buyback program.

The Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses, which is Google Glass' main competitor, is now available for preorder for $1,000. Compared to the price of a Google Glass developer or Explorer edition which is reportedly $1,500 or around £985 or $1,449 AUD, the Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses is relatively cheaper.

HSBC’s Future of Retirement report says Aussie folks leave the highest inheritance to children

The Australian sharemarket is in the red, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) down by 0.5 per cent at lunch. Strength in the mining sector is helping minimise market losses, with the industry up 0.55 per cent, while a 1.2 per cent slump across the financials is holding back the market most.

It’s December 2013 and each day passes quickly until one day you realize, it’s Christmas Day already! Naturally, there’s a mad rush for buying gifts at this time of the year. So many choices, so little time! To help you narrow down the list of what to buy, especially for finicky children who happen to be girls, here is the Holiday 2013 Gift Guide featuring the Top 5 Toys for Girls in 2013.

As if he really needs a lot of money, NBA superstar Michael Jordan will not take anything less than $13 million for his 56,000 square foot mansion in Chicago, reported by TMZ.

Embattled Australian flag carrier Qantas will cut at least 1,000 jobs over the next 12 months as it struggles to keep afloat financially amid weak trading conditions and return on fares.

Christmas is fast approaching, with only a few days left before Dec 25, 2013. While a lot of people argue that Christmas is not just a time for giving gifts, it can't be denied that a huge part of it is still about shopping, wrapping presents and exchanging gifts. Since it's almost Christmastime, the mad rush of looking for gifts has already started. With there is a whole gamut of options for consumers out there, it can be quite confusing and a little hard to decide on what to give people,...

Equities continued to taper off as investors weighed the latest US data and its implications on tapering talk. The highlight was the ADP non-farm employment change which came in at a much better-than-expected 215,000 (versus 172,000 expected). There was also a very strong new home sales (up 25.4% in October and highest monthly percentage gain since 1980) reading and encouraging Beige Book commentary which helped add to the tapering argument. US treasury yields popped higher as we continue to get...

In US economic news, the ADP employment index showed that 215,000 private sector jobs were created in November, ahead of forecasts for a gain of 173,000. The trade deficit fell from US$42.97 billion to US$41.64bn in October. The ISM services index eased from 55.4 to 53.9 in November. And new home sales rose by 25.4% in October after falling by 6.6% in September.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 24 points or 0.2% while the S&P lost 0.1% to 1792 and the Nasdaq gained 0.

By Chris Weston, IG MarketsIt's been a disappointing tape in Asia, with Australian traders keeping one eye on the cricket, while there has been plenty on the stock side to focus on as well.

British Prime Minister David Cameron inked a deal during his three-day state visit to China the shipment of £45 million worth of pig semen. China hosts 50 per cent of the global population of pigs and bringing in semen from British pigs is expected to improve genetics of the animal that is a main source of protein for Chinese.

Apple's iPhone 5C is very popular among previous users of Android devices. According to a report from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, half of the customers who bought the iPhone 5C have switched from smartphone brands with Android OS.

The ASX200 shrugged off a 3 day losing streak even though third quarter GDP figures were below expectations. The market recovered initial losses driven by the notion that the slower rate of growth meant that whilst interest rates might not be cut any time soon, the risk is that they will remain at historically low levels for a longer period.

Apple Inc was granted a patent for facial recognition technology

Even as the world's major economies rush to enact laws and implement methods to reduce carbon emissions to minimize overall lashes of global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 and Acer Aspire R7-571G are two hybrid laptop/tablets that offer its users varied ways on how to use and view it. But which one is better? The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Convertible Ultrabook or the Acer Aspire R7-571G? Read on to find out in the specs comparison here.

International travellers love Queensland in Australia and inject around $200 million extra boost for the tourism industry. So what makes them spend much money in Queensland rather than going to other destination spots in Asia?

OECD reports Aussie students failing behind their Shanghai counterparts

It seems prices of the safe haven yellow metal gold have nowhere to go but further down in the pits in 2014.

The Australian sharemarket is losing ground for the fourth consecutive trading day. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is 0.1 per weaker, with mining and telco strength minimising the losses.

China's Yuan, also known as the Renminbi (RMB), has eclipsed the Euro to become the world's second most used trade currency. Global trade continues to be dominated by the U.S. Dollar though.

Christmas season is a time of giving, sharing and being kind to one another, but unfortunately, some scammers want fast cash and often prey on unsuspecting people during this time of the year. And scams have become digital nowadays as more and more people engage in e-commerce and buy most of their stuff online. That is why it is imperative that netizens be aware of the cyber scams proliferating in the Internet. Here are the 12 cyber scams to avoid this Christmas season.

The Sony VAIO Fit 13A Multi-Flip PC and the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Convertible Ultrabook are two amazing gadgets from Sony and Lenovo that offer multiple choices on how to use it. Both can be used as a laptop, tablet or as a display thanks to its unique and flexible cover. But which one is better? The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 Convertible Ultrabook or the Sony VAIO Fit 13A Multi-Flip PC? Read on to find out in the specs comparison here.

With most still talking about the vanilla RBA statement yesterday, I feel the 'hard talk' strategy that the RBA is currently using to weaken the AUD is breaking down.

In US economic news, chain store sales rose by 4.9% in the latest week compared with a year ago according to Redbook Research, up from 3.8% in the previous week.

Virgin Australia won round 1 of its rivalry with flag carrier Qantas after the Takeover Panel allowed on Tuesday Virgin to pursue its controversial $350 million capital raising scheme that would boost foreign ownership and give the upstart airline more financial power to compete with the financially embattled Qantas.