BUSINESS

Samsung debuts an online soap opera series titled Infinite Power

By Peter Switzer, Switzer Super ReportRegular readers know I've been wrestling with the history of stock markets, which suggests a correction or pullback is overdue.

Although there is some reduction in investments in the mining sector in Australia, the decline could be made up by expected increase in mining production in the next 5 years.

The dominant theme in global markets was continuing US dollar strength, as tapering expectations continue to ramp up. This saw equities drift lower, with many investors out there in wait-and-see mode heading into a raft of Fedspeak including Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen. Fed member Richard Fisher got the ball rolling on taper talk after saying it could happen next month during a speech in Melbourne, adding that monetary accommodation was getting riskier by the day. Meanwhile, Dennis Lockhart sa...

In US economic news, chain store sales rose by 3.3pct in the past week compared with a year ago according to Redbook Research, down from 3.8pct in the previous week. The Chicago Federal Reserve national activity index rose from 0.13 to 0.14 in September. But the employment trends index eased from 114.8 to 113.65 in October.

By Greg PeelThe Dow lost 32 points or 0.2% while the S&P dropped 0.2% to 1767 and the Nasdaq was flat.

The Australian share market ran out of steam in the afternoon session, managing only a modest daily gain, despite record highs being reached on Wall Street overnight.

The behaviour of some Tacloban residents continue to puzzle observers after reports surfaced of rampant looting in the city ravaged by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda). First, the emptied the Gaisano Mall, taking even appliances, electronic goods and branded clothes, putting in question their motives - is it for survival or simply for personal gain. Then they also looted gasoline. On Tuesday, GMA News reported that warehouses in the city were also being robbed of cases of beer!

The Australian share market is back in the black today, rising by 0.3 per cent in early trade after the US Dow Jones and S&P 500 Indices notched up record gains again overnight.

England U-21 footballer Andre Wisdom did not have a particularly good weekend, getting his new luxury sports car stuck in the mud hours before a big game.

Apple Inc. CEO Tim Cook agreed with Carl Icahn that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) remains undervalued

Hackers had successfully entered into the system of payments processor Inputs.io from a four-month-old Australian Bitcoin bank and stole over $1 million. The hacking incident is estimated to have taken place between Oct 23 and 26.

Google has officially launched Helpouts on Nov. 5, 2013. It offers netizens help from experts via live chat over video. It includes tips in Art and Music, Computers and Electronics, Home and Garden, Education and Careers, Fashion and Beauty, Fitness and Nutrition, Health and Cooking. One of the first live video chats to be launched was Helpouts by Sephora featuring several makeup tips and tricks from the French brand and chain of cosmetics stores that can be found all over the world and on the I...

Tropical depression Zoraida has finally entered the Philippines, placing at least 30 areas under storm signal no. 1, barely a week after Category 5 super typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) ripped across the country.

Australia Post launches world’s first video stamp

Three decades of economic and social policy is expected to be swept aside in the coming 48 hours.

In European economic news, Italian industrial production rose by 0.2pct in September, while annual contraction slowed to minus 3.0pct.

By Greg PeelAs to whether last week saw some light at the end of the long, dark uranium tunnel last week is yet to be determined.

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 21 points or 0.1% while the S&P gained a point to 1771 and the Nasdaq was flat.

Despite a close to 0.5 per cent improvement in very early trade, the Australian sharemarket steadily eased from around 10.30am (AEDT) onwards and slid into negative territory from around lunchtime. The banks were the worst performers, with ANZ slumping by 1.74 per cent.

Canalys Research Director Nicole Peng reported Apple Inc has ranked fifth place in China's smartphone market in the second half of 2013. In the latest figures, Apple surpassed local corporations, Xiaomi and ZTE, since Apple has decided to include China as one of the first countries where iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are released.

Apple Inc. is rumoured to be designing its iPhone 2014 models with curved glass screen and enhanced sensors

Yay, Butterbeer is here! Thanks to Starbucks, Harry Potter fans need not go to the Three Broomsticks Inn anymore to have a taste of this famous drink favoured by our beloved HP characters.

Motorola of Google continues to pioneer in the field of electronic tattoo that would do away with passwords. This time, the tech firm applied for a patent in May 2012 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for an electronic skin tattoo, called electronic tattoo 110, located on the neck that would double as a mobile communication device.

I would like readers to consider carefully the fundamental difference between a 'real economy' and a 'financial economy'. In a real economy, the debt and equity markets as a percentage of GDP are small and are principally designed to channel savings intoinvestments.

The Australian sharemarket kicked off the week almost 0.5 per cent higher, helped by better than expected US jobs growth on Friday and solid Chinese economic news on Saturday. The market however is now barely managing to hang onto a few points of gains. The All Ordinaries Index is up by 4 pts or just shy of 0.1 per cent.

Richard (Rick) MillsAhead of the HerdAs a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information.

Eastern Japan, where the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant is located, has been shaken anew by a 5.5 magnitude earthquake on Sunday morning. Tokyo Electric Power Co (Tepco), operator of the embattled power plant, said the facility has suffered no abnormalities so far.

Macro excitement is back making front page news as the US, China and Europe produce varying arrays of macro data.