BUSINESS

Financial types aren't known for their boxing prowess. But economist Saul Eslake took to the metaphorical ring this week and, with straight lefts and right hooks, beat Australia's housing policy to a pulp.

By Stephen Hogan, Senior Private Client Adviser, Equities/DerivativesAustralian MarketThe Australian market (XJO) closed up 36.

Apple is again embroiled in another round of labor abuse accusations in China following the publication on Thursday by China Labor Watch of a report that cited legal and ethical violations at the Jabil Circuit factory in Wuxi City.

The official launch of the Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch and the arrival of Google Glasses are signalling a transformation of body wear products by tech firms. Holding a phone in your in hand requires additional effort and most people are not comfortable having traditional headphones in their ears. These can also get damaged easily.

With competition growing toward the holiday season, Sasmung has released its response to the iWatch, the Samsung Galaxy Gear at a trade show in Germany. Others like Sony, Microsoft or Amazon already have one in the market or are planning to launch one in the near future. Not to mention patents galore. For instance, Apple Inc has already filed for trademark applications in Mexico, Japan and several other countries. Apple's trademark patent was one reason why its rivals want to release their v...

Chobani, the largest Greek yogurt manufacturer in the U.S., announced a recall of some yogurt cups said to contain molds after the company received several complaints of people getting sick after eating its products. According to Chobani, less than 5 per cent of its total yogurt production was discovered to contain molds. The contaminated batch of Chobani yogurt came from the company's facility in Idaho.

Investor caution saw the local market close flat after being in the red for most of the session. Investors elected to stay out of equities ahead of the August non-farm payrolls report being released in the US tonight and tomorrow's Federal Election.

It would make more economic sense for Australia to pursue renewable energy rather than continue the use of coal, despite the possible availability of carbon capture and storage technology, according to a study by the University of New South Wales.

Aussie Market started off weaker than expected.

LG pulls off a practical joke on unsuspecting job applicants. The world's first 84-inch HDTV tricks them into believing the world is going to end.

New Zealand was recognised as the fourth best financial market in the world in a report released by the World Economic Forum. The country's relatively smooth ride through the global financial crisis that has left other nations struggling has made New Zealand one of the most efficient financial markets worldwide.

Any company which has a table of organisation should ought to let it work to its full advantage. In the case of Yahoo! which has recently launched a new logo, CEO Marissa Mayer should better have left any aesthetic dealings to her team. Her job after all deals much more than tinkering with the design of a new logo.

Aussie teen, Sonny Dickson, the ultimate iPhone leaks source is making Apple Inc nervous

Where trucks and delivery vans can't reach, robotic drones may be the solution. In China, a parcel express courier has started finding good domestic use for robotic drones. It uses them to deliver and drop packages to target recipients, especially in hard-to-reach far flung areas in the country.

After two months of criss-crossing Europe on somewhat of a bankrupt nations tour, the chilly autumn weather that has settled upon much of the continent is my cue to beat feet out of here for the steamy, humid energy of Southeast Asia.

The flag is not a prediction. It's merely a warning - like the flag at the beach that warns of a dangerous riptide. You can still go in the water. But watch out. You could get washed out to sea.

When we left town on Friday trading was as slow as the traffic on the interstate. Labor Day is the last holiday of the summer. No one wants to miss it.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's fiscal-stimulus policies dubbed "Abenomics" have guided long-suffering Japan to three consecutive quarters of growth. The prices are finally rising, along with the stock market and that is drawing increasing attention from economists in the West.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 6 points while the S&P rose 0.1% to 1655 and the Nasdaq added 0.2%.Bridge Street failed to fire yesterday despite a strong lead from Wall Street, with the July trade balance data weighing on sentiment.

More countries are moving toward recognising same-sex marriage, with New Zealand recently officiating its first gay union. It is not therefore surprising for Unilever New Zealand to reject a Flora margarine advert in South Africa deemed homophobic.

Officials and employees of Nokia are not taking the $7.2-billion sale of the Finnish phone company sitting down. A former official formed Newkia a day after the announced acquisition by Microsoft of the once number one mobile phone manufacturer.

The U.S. Navy Tactics Development programme was able to maneuver Lockheed Martin's paveway II Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB) successfully. The exercise was conducted at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center located in Nevada.

Apex Industries Inc is the most recent firm from Canada to join hands with Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) in developing the F-35 Lightning II program. The contract agrees to the use of Apex’s aluminium metallic parts that make up the wing and the forward fuselage. The agreement was described as a "multi-year" contract with all the work to be done at the New Brunswick, Moncton-based Apex facility.

The Australian sharemarket slid for the second straight day, despite the best improvements in a month in the US last night. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) fell by 0.4 per cent, with only the defensive healthcare sector, industrials and IT industries escaping the selloff.

Huawei Australia has announced the opening of a new office in Brisbane with nine staff to be added to its staff of 700, to which 85 per cent of that number are locals. Huawei already has offices in Sydney and Melbourne. The opening of the new Brisbane office will help extend the company’s operations and consumer reach in Australia. The Lord Mayor of Brisbane Cr Graham Quirk has signed an agreement with Huawei, a telecommunications giant in China, to encourage local students to study and learn...

Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) on Wednesday said, it will not oppose the proposed acquisition of Gambro AB by Baxter International Inc. This decision of the Commission follows an undertaking submitted by Baxter that it will sell part of its Renal Replacement Therapy business.

Sneaky Germans may have found several ways to dodge the law on how to bring in foreign currency in the country from abroad, but border authorities usually detect the smuggling attempts.

The Australian share market remains in the red on Thursday, despite predictions of a solid session. Overnight, Wall Street recorded its best gains in more than a month, rising 0.7 per cent and setting the SPI futures up for a 0.3 per cent gain locally.

Microsoft won the patent trial against Motorola as the courts decided that the company failed to observe fair and reasonable licensing terms when it negotiated with Microsoft over the Wi-Fi and H.264 intellectual property. A district court had previously ruled that the standard, essential patents of Motorola were not worth $4 billion as claimed by the company. According to Microsoft's public statement, the patent trial win was a milestone for those who want tech products to be affordable and...