BUSINESS

Greg PeelA check of FNArena's Broker Call archive shows that on the 1st of September, 2010, BA-Merrill Lynch upgraded Rio Tinto ((RIO)) to Buy.

Qantas Airways has implemented flight manual and software updates that govern standard operational procedures on its real-time cockpit environment, which the national carrier said were moves meant to eliminate “process errors.”

Local stocks closed higher for the third consecutive session today, boosted by hopes the European Central Bank will soon engage in government bond buying, delivering stimulus to the global economy. European shares rose to fresh four month highs overnight, while US shares also rose in thin trade. By close on the Australian share market, the broader All Ordinaries Index (XAO) had risen by 21.5pts or 0.5pct to 4332.9.

Samsung has officially rolled out the Galaxy Note 10.1 but Australia may have wait a little bit more on the device as the Asian tech giant said only consumers in Germany and the United Arab Emirates will get their hands on the new product.

While Australian mining firms and the political Opposition have been crapping about the mining tax, Barrick Gold Corporation backed the Gillard government's mineral resources rent tax (MRRT) and carbon tax.

Overnight European and the US markets continued to mount solid gains as expectations increase over new central bank intervention in the markets. Concerns over global oil supply pushed oil prices higher and US banking stocks lifted. Shares in UK banking group Standard Chartered fell over 23% after New York banking regulators accused Standard of helping Iran avoid sanctions by concealing US$250 billion worth of transactions over the last 10 years. Standard management said the allegations were inco...

FNArena has added another video to its Investors Education section on the website. This week ATW's Jerry Simmons starts his discourse talking about the Friday just passed and how it was a pivotal day that could turn into a key event day.

The Australian dollar closed Tuesday at 105.76 US cents from 106.60 on Monday. It is a four-month high which analysts attributed to the decision of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) to retain the overnight cash rate at 3.5 per cent.

Google just got spurned by Apple, once again. The latter has previously dropped Google Maps from its upcoming iOS 6.

Despite the absence of a typhoon, monsoon rains which dumped 300 millimetres (12 inches) of rain in the Philippine national capital region (NCR) caused half of Metro Manila to be flooded. The amount is thrice the daily average of 80 to 100 mm of rain, the Philippine weather bureau said.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 51 points or 0.4% while the S&P gained 0.5% to 1401 and the Nasdaq added 0.

Local stocks hit a fresh three month high today as a further stabilisation of the European debt crisis supported resource and financial stocks. Trading volumes remained thin however, on the back of yesterday's Bank Holiday in NSW and the ACT, and with many traders attending the annual Diggers & Dealers mining conference in Western Australia. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose by 18.5pts or 0.4pct to finish the day's trade at 4311.4.

With the opening of another Melbourne store set for late 2013, the retailing giant Costco's commitment to using local Australian produce will see a demand for additional new suppliers.

Dreamworks Animation SKG Inc., creator of the well-loved giant panda and its martial arts friends in "Kung Fu Panda," together with its Chinese joint venture Oriental Dreamworks, is poised to invest some $3.1 billion to create a theme park in Shanghai which it expects to launch in 2016.

The presumption is that the ECB could have whatever it takes if only the Germans would agree to give it to them. But that presumes the Germans have it. In other words, Europe's problem - it is widely believed - is a political problem. If only the Germans would get on board, all would be well.

Despite the lack of a storm signal, torrential rains since Monday flooded parts of the Philippines, especially the national capital region (NCR). Hard hit by the heavy rains is Metro Manila where some parts are several metres deep in flood water.

On Monday the Australian share market kick started the trading week on a positive note with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 49.7points, finishing at a new 12 week high.

Note from the Editor: Due to an error, a story was yesterday published on the FNArena website, titled "Lamp Going Out For Lynas?".

Higher demand from its Asian market has helped pushed sales of Prada Spa by as much as 37 per cent in the first six months of 2012.

Samsung is definitely riding high on the rousing success of its Galaxy smartphone lines following the June quarter but analysts were convinced that Apple will mount an incredible surge in late 2012 through much of 2013.

One giant PC maker has spoken – Microsoft’s decision to sell its own tablet line, the Surface, will surely damage the whole Windows ecosystem.

With most of the second-quarter central bank meetings and bank results reporting concluded, we are looking at a relatively slow week ahead.

By Alexander Green, Investment U Chief Investment StrategistThe Wall Street Journal made an interesting observation recently, "Treasury bonds are priced for the end of the world.

Retailer Harvey Norman warned on Monday of a 40 per cent decline in the company's profit due to hefty discounts. The firm estimated pre-tax profit for the year to June at $227 million, down from the previous financial year's $373 million.

Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest woman, has not given up her bid to gain a seat in Fairfax Media's board despite being rejected by the company. This time she has used a different tactic to gain a board seat by writing directly to retail investors.

By Andrew NelsonAccording to reports in The Australian over the weekend, BHP Billiton ((BHP)) is rumored to have told consultants it will be delaying its decision on the U$30bn the Olympic Dam expansion for at least two years.

Silver Lake Resources will purchase for $426 million another Western Australia gold miner, Integra Mining, in the process creating one of the country's largest producer of the yellow metal.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 21 points or 0.2% while the S&P gained 0.2% to 1394 and the Nasdaq added a more confident 0.

Local stocks had a strong start to the trading week, albeit on very low volumes as many traders took advantage of the NSW/ACT Bank Holiday. Positive jobs numbers out of the US helped boost sentiment while many also bought into stocks ahead of the upcoming reporting season, which starts tomorrow. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) added 49.9pts or 1.2pct by close to finish at a level of 4292.9.