BUSINESS

The US markets turned higher into the close of trade. With Apple share and related tech stocks rallying higher. Today on the Australian share market we saw investors buying back into fiancé stocks and key banks. The materials and energy stocks rose in morning trade even with a fall in metal and oil prices overnight. By lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) was up 13 points after starting 23 points higher.

Japanese exports have tumbled at their sharpest pace since the aftermath of last year's earthquake and tsunami. More worryingly, exports to China have fallen to fresh lows amid a worsening territorial spat.

All of Australia's big four bank registered increases in their satisfaction level for September. However, the biggest gain was logged by the National Australia Bank (NAB) which enjoyed an 80.3 per cent satisfaction rating.

By Victoria GalsbandThe value anomaly ? higher average returns on value as opposed to growth stocks ? is a robust phenomenon on equity markets around the world.

By Andrew NelsonUranium trading two weeks back saw the spot price plummet 5%, with increasingly cash poor and panicky sellers doing what they could to generate some volume.

BP has started the construction of its $20 million facility at Largs North in Adelaide. It is the first phase of the oil and gas giant's $41 million investment over the next five years.

Australian supermarket giant Coles announced on Monday that it is phasing out its factory farming practices a year ahead of its promise. Keeping the pledge means Coles will free 34,000 mother pigs from cramped stalls and 350,000 hens from cages.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 2 points, the S&P closed flat at 1433 and the Nasdaq rose 0.4%.The world received a bit of a shock yesterday on the release of September trade data from that oft forgotten economy ? Japan.

By Richard (Rick) MillsAhead of the HerdAs a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best informationThe number of people living in areas affected by severe water stress is expected to increase to almost four billion people.

Rio Tinto's rare pink and blue diamonds has attracted an unprecedented number of investor interest, particularly from Asian and European buyers, despite the world being in a massive fiscal crisis.

The Australian share market eased from 14 month highs today, following a weak lead from offshore markets and lower commodity prices. US stocks fell on Friday night on disappointing earnings results and with investors spooked on the 25th anniversary of the 1987 stock market crash. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) closed down 28.9pts or 0.6pct to 4565.6pts.

Hewlett-Packard has come up with slick design that could give the iPad a jolt.

LG will produce a smartphone, while Samsung will make a high-end tablet. Also to debut will be an upgraded version of the Nexus 7, indicating the rash of tech firms to roll out new devices.

The Australian share market is modestly lower at lunchtime in the East, following Wall Street's lead. The US Dow Jones Index closed down 0.1pct while technology shares saw the NASDAQ fall by 1pct. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 7.8pts or 0.2pct to 4573.1.

Surprise, surprise. China's GDP growth for the third quarter came in bang on the consensus estimate of 7.4%, the slowest rate of growth in years. But the market liked it because on a quarter-on-quarter basis growth was 2.2%, up from 2% in the prior quarter. So on an annualised basis, the Chinese economy grew at a fast 8.8%.

The verdict is out. After weeks of laboratory tests and court injunctions, Pakistani authorities finally decided to cull the remaining 11,500 Australian sheep beginning Friday in Karachi.

The first thing to know about them is that they always use a net. In fact, trapeze artists will practice a trick by repeatedly landing in the net, until they get it right. Only then will the catcher bother to make a trip up the rope ladder to hang in the catch trapeze and pluck the swinging flyer out of the air.

Sony Corp. informed on the 19th of October it would cut approximately 2,000 jobs in Japan in the year to March 2013 as a part of the restructuring plan. The company also announced the closure of a camera lens factory in Japan as well. The job cuts in Japan are a part of Sony Corp.'s global plan to downsize the global headcount by about 10,000 by March 2013.

Canada has blocked Petroliam Nasional Berhad's takeover of Progress Energy Resources Corp. The $5.23 billion bid was rejected as it would not advance national interests of Canada, according to the government.

Newsweek, considered one of America’s publishing icon, is closing down its print edition as current owners of the newsweekly magazine disclosed on Thursday that final issue will come out end of December 2012.

Google just announced the release of the Samsung Chromebook along with new ambitions to spread its browser-based, cloud-focused Chrome OS laptop. Google envisions it to be as an extra machine in the house or as a laptop for students.

China is slowing down but that may not necessarily be a bad thing. China's economic transformation could probably mean better quality growth, according to Goldman Sachs economist Jim O'Neill.

The federal government of Australia has granted a total of $652 million in National Health and Medical Research Council grants to boost and help build a progressive and healthier Australia.

Sony just added another phone to its collecti0oon of the Xperia family that is within the low to middle range insofar as price tag is concerned. In a world full of phones people wish they could afford, the Sony Xperia Miro is one that they don't have to wish too hard for.

European leaders are scheduled to meet in Brussels today for a two-day summit, but early reports have revealed deep and uncomfortable divisions over a proposed banking union that is intended to underpin the eurozone.

The Australian share market is modestly lower at lunchtime in the East, following Wall Street's lead. The US Dow Jones Index closed down 0.1pct while technology shares saw the NASDAQ fall by 1pct. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 7.8pts or 0.2pct to 4573.1.

An antiquated gaming console in Xbox 360 and diminishing consumer interest on its slew of Windows-related products appeared to have conspired in Microsoft’s shrinking financial hauls as shown by the software giant’s latest quarterly report.

Samsung’s tablet lines were not as cool as the iPad, made by Apple, a UK appellate court said on Thursday, in the process affirming that the South Korean consumer electronic giant did not violate its U.S. rival’s intellectual property.

Speculations are rising in the market that Nokia will report yet another quarterly loss and diminishing cash reserves prior to Nokia's upcoming smartphone launches next month. Nokia is struggling hard to regain grounds that it has lost to its arch rivals in the smartphone sector Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc.