BUSINESS

Dwindling sales of locally built car models plus a high Australian dollar have forced auto maker Holden to slash 170 positions from its Elizabeth, South Australia manufacturing factory.

Despite a positive start, local stocks ended Friday's session only modestly higher, as investors pared back ahead of a key US jobs report being released tonight and next week's local interest rate decision. After hitting 4507 points in early trade, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) finished the session only 3.4pts higher at 4483.3, a gain of 0.1pct. Over the course of the trading week, the XAO lost 0.3pct during extraordinary circumstances where Hurricane Sandy caused the New York Stock Excha...

Well, it didn't take long after Hurricane Sandy passed into history as the largest storm of its kind in several generations for someone in Washington to call for billions in new federal spending to compensate for its damage - billions that will, of course, be added to the trillions of dollars in debt the nation already owes.

Vietnam is facing a housing catastrophe. A disastrous slump has overtaken its housing market. The government is embarrassed, the banks are bankrupt, and the economy is in a mess.

At least we're not Greece, and for that we should be thankful. What's happening in that distant part of the world is really a tragedy. Greece is in a depressionary slump. It's been that way since 2010. 'Bailout' funds, debt write-offs and years of austerity have achieved absolutely nothing.

Nokia will soon sell a new handset in selected Asia-Pacific and European markets that is geared for buyers looking to enjoy basic communication features plus the indispensable social media tools.

Australian athletes wanting to take that shot to become part of the delegation to the 2016 Summer Olympic Games at Rio de Janiero ought to sign up to a statutory declaration swearing they have no doping history, follow rules or risk that Olympic dream.

South Australia marked a historical milestone for Adelaide as it received its first direct commercial flight call from Dubai-based Emirates, effectively making the airline the first Gulf carrier to fly to South Australia.

Toyotsu Rare Earth Canada Inc. ("TRECan"), a subsidiary of Toyota-Tsusho Corp. ("TTC"), has paid US$1.3 million, which is the first of a series of payments for its committed equity acquiring of 49% undivided interest in the Kipawa HREE Deposit of Matamec Explorations Inc.

Microsoft’s global marketing blitz is in full swing, deliberately gunning for every possible market to realise the target numbers earlier set by company CEO Steve Ballmer for the newly-unveiled Windows 8.

Australia home prices skid in October, giving a slight reprieve to the four-month gains, the latest RP Data-Rismark said.

The Australian sharemarket is improving modestly at lunch for the fourth time this week, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) up 0.2 per cent or 10.9 pts to 4490.8. Yesterday was the worst day for the local market in three months however, with equities slipping by 1.2 per cent due in part to unimpressive economic news in China.

Gadget teardown specialist iFixit recently got hold of the iPad Mini and pried open the latest Apple product to hit global stores for the holiday shopping season. So what’s inside the latest Apple gadget?

Australia's agriculture sector is facing another headache in Indonesia, just weeks after it had lost the battle to Pakistan which culled 21,000 Aussie sheep.

Shop owners and residents in India's capital of New Delhi will no longer be allowed to manufacture, import, store, sell or transport any kind of plastic bag starting from November 22 this year.

The United States's Department of Defense or Pentagon is considering ditching its exclusive contract with Canada-based Research in Motion (RIM), maker of the BlackBerry mobile phone, in favour of new deals with makers of the iPhone and Android cellphones.

- US growth is anaemic- Households are doing the right thing - Public sector debt is the keyBy Eva BrocklehurstWhy has US economic growth been so anaemic? Why for so long? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? The answers, according to DBS Bank, lie with public sector debt.

By Peter Switzer, Switzer Super ReportThere are always plenty of critical issues to worry about in this money-making game.

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 136 points, or 1.0%, while the S&P gained 1.1% to 1427 and the Nasdaq added 1.

Nokia was the holder for several years of the crown of having the most number of mobile phone users in the world. It all changed with the introduction of smartphones, powered by the regal system iOS, and the democratic approach of the Android Project. Nokia has joined the fray with Symbian; however, the phone line ups with this OS didn't last long.

Windows Surface has been released recently together with new Windows version - Windows 8. A lot of computer brands likewise rolled out their own devices such as smartphones and notebooks with the new OS.

The Australian sharemarket pulled back for the first time this week, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slipping by 1.2 per cent or 55.5 pts to 4479.9. Today was the worst day for the local market in three months and the XAO finished the session at its lowest point of the day.

Effective in 2013, Australia begins with a faster processing of visa applications online touted to attract wealthy travelers from Asia especially those from China.

The Star Wars storyline will remain faithful to its roots despite fears from hardcore fans that George Lucas yielding the franchise baton to Disney could lead to artistic decline.

Windows 8 is rolling out in stunning fashion, attracting millions to install the newest version of the Microsoft operating system barely a week after its launch, company chief executive Steve Ballmer said on Wednesday.

The local share market is giving back yesterday's gains, with falls in energy, mining and financial stocks contributing to the sell-down. Overnight, Wall Street resumed trade for the first time since Friday night, with the Dow Jones Index finishing modestly lower. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 32.3pts or 0.7pct to 4503.1.

Renewable energy capacitycould overtake nuclear power in the UK by 2018 if current growth rates persist, and will provide enough power for one in 10 British homes by 2015, according to new research by RenewableUK.

A report released by the federal government on Thursday estimated that Australia would need to import 100 million tonnes of carbon abatement to meet the country's greenhouse gas reduction targets.

Apple’s iPad Mini will reign supreme in the 7-plus inch tablet class but it will not kill competitors like Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Google’s Nexus 7 – the smaller iPad is way too pricey to do that.