BUSINESS

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.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 94 points or 0.6% to 15,914 while the S&P lost 0.3% to 1795 and the Nasdaq fell 0.

As expected the Reserve Bank kept the cash rate on hold at 2.5 per cent for the fourth straight month, which had little impact on the broader sharemarket. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slipped by 0.45 per cent, with the mining sector the biggest contributor to the weakness.

Apple Inc has gotten a boost from the iPhone 5C and iPhone 5S sales. Kantar Worldpanel ComTech has released data on smartphone sales in key markets for 12 weeks ending Oct. 31.

About five online holiday shopping safety tips for consumers have been previously discussed, but because of the numerous scams and tricks cyber criminals use, it's best to be always prepared.

The dreaded H7N9 bird flu strain has reached Hong Kong. On Monday, health officials confirmed and reported the country's first patient to succumb to the infection.

Australia's Qantas Airways Ltd, the country's flagship carrier, has entered into a code share deal with China Southern Airlines Co Ltd, a first between the two airline firms.

The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 and the Asus Transformer Book T100 are similar looking gadgets that seem to have the same features, particularly the ability to use the devices in multiple ways. Both products are portable, flexible and ultra-versatile. But, which one is better? The Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 13 or the Asus Transformer Book T100? Read on to find out in the specs comparison here.

The early hours of trade on Tuesday saw a tussle develop between buyers and sellers. The lows were put in place in the first half hour of trade. The index recovered thereafter although in the run up to lunch the market made news session lows, indicating that the afternoon could be spent exploring areas of technical support.

With the start of the Holidays comes the onslaught of holiday shopping for the season of gift-giving is just around the corner, not to mention the various sales and deals offered by almost every store this time of the year. However, there are a lot of scammers out there during holiday shopping too. They are taking advantage of shoppers who are rushing to buy items during a sale like, Black Friday or Cyber Monday. If you want to avoid getting scammed, check out the online holiday shopping safety ...

Retail banks' priorities are set to switch in the next year, with revenue growth taking precedence over cost-control and compliance management. New research* from Ovum, a leading global analyst firm, reveals that although cutting expenditure and complying with regulations will continue to be vital, retail banks must focus on revenue enhancement to provide a sustainable return for stockholders.

As with everything in the currency world, there are two sides to every trade.

In US economic news, the ISM manufacturing index lifted from 56.4 to a 31-month high of 57.3 in November, above forecasts for a result near 55.0. Construction spending rose by 0.8%, above forecasts tipping a 0.4% rise.

By Greg PeelThe Thanksgiving holiday interrupted activity in the uranium market last week and industry consultant TradeTech's capacity to report transaction data, however the consultant has pulled back its spot price indicator by US35c to US$35.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Monday that he is open to the idea of the federal government increasing its stake in national flag carrier to provide it with financial power amid greater competition from rival air carrier Virgin Australia.

Lawyers for the 43,500 ANZ Bank customers who filed a class action lawsuit against the lender, seeking $57 million in damage, said the claims could balloon into multi-billion dollars.

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 77 points or 0.5% while the S&P lost 0.3% to 1800 and the Nasdaq dropped 0.4%.

The Australian sharemarket has eased for the second consecutive trading day, with the All Ordinaries Index slipping by 0.8 per cent.

China has blasted into space on Monday its first ever moon rover mission.

Wana taste flying on top of the dragon Smaug character in the second part of the Hobbit trilogy, 'The Desolation of Smaug'? Then fly Air New Zealand.

The Australian sharemarket is losing ground despite a stronger open. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down by 0.8 per cent, with just the energy players managing to remain slightly firmer.