BUSINESS

While the lower than expected jobs figures for March hit US market confidence, a more important influence will be the shape and health of the first quarter earnings reports that kicks off this week, starting tonight with Alcoa.

China's inflation data for March, like the performance of manufacturing surveys the week before, have left us with mixed impressions about the price pressures in the world's second largest economy.

Australian employers and unions are at odds over a proposal by companies to change workplace flexibility and pay. Among the changes eyed are cutting minimum working hours and pay.

Another big week ahead for global markets with important data releases, on top of reaction to the lower than expected US jobs figures for March.

By Greg PeelThere appears to be no pressure at present on potential sellers of spot uranium to aggressively meet buying interest, and what buying interest there is remains discretionary, industry consultant TradeTech notes.

Oscar Valdes, cabinet chief to Peruvian President Ollanta Humala, said on Tuesday that it would take about three more days before the nine trapped miners could be rescued.

Qatar became the third-largest stockholder of mining firm Xstrata after it bought 5 percent of the company's shares at $A2.65 billion. The purchase was made by the country's sovereign wealth fund.

In Australia, the NAB business survey and ANZ job ads survey are released. In China, March trade data is released. In the US, data on wholesale sales is released together with weekly chain store sales data. Alcoa kicks off the earnings season, releasing results after the bell on Tuesday.

Tourism industry executives blamed the strong Australian dollar for the slump in tourism revenues as foreign visitor spending declined to a four-year low of $2.63 billion in February.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Engineering Union (CFMEU) foresees the prolonged labour dispute at the BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) at the Bowen Basin coal mines may last longer, possibly until the end of April.

Nokia, the Finland-based phone manufacturer recently announced the release of their latest Windows Phone last April 8, 2012 which is the Nokia Lumia 900. Through this release, would Windows Phone be able to regain its place in the smartphone market?

Rumors of a new tablet from Google and Asus are ringing strongly in the technological world and there are now various news reports stating that the said tablet will now be pushed back in July.

No joy for retailers from the latest sales data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday which showed a rise of just 0.2% in February.

Germany's competition watchdog to launch pricing inquiry against petrol giants.

Acting on a ban by the European Commission, the United Kingdom has issued a moratorium against the technique of stripping meat from animal bones, raising concerns over the future of cheap patties and burgers.

Some commentators, analysts and retailers suggest the slow retailing conditions and cautious consumers hurting the likes of Harvey Norman and JV Hi-Hi and Dick Smith are limited to Australia.

Government bonds had a tough first quarter, recording losses, and so far the second quarter is seeing a bit more of the same as market rates edge higher on signs the US economy is doing better than expected and the eurozone crisis has eased.

It was a close run thing at yesterday's April meeting of the RBA board, a rate cut almost happened, judging by the significant change to the wording of the key part of the post meeting statement from Governor Glenn Stevens.

Draw Something has become one of the most popular mobile games throughout the world.

Are the gods of insurance (weather, the earth and financial markets) finally smiling on QBE and two tough years?

The weak retail sales data from the ABS helps explain why Metcash, the big grocery retailer and hardware and liquor distributor and retailer announced a big restructuring yesterday of its basic grocery distribution businesses and the write down of an investment in retailing in Queensland.

There is a rumor that Apple is currently working on a game controller for easier playing in iPhone.

Retailers are looking to Easter sale season for some sort of resurrection following solid indication that more and more consumers shied away from the shopping scene during the Christmas holiday shopping spree.

Business executives deserve huge pay considering huge responsibilities on their hands and the risks that come with the job.

The Australian share market has started the final day of the shortened trading week on a negative note, as profit takers move in ahead of the Easter break and following weakness on offshore markets overnight. US and European markets retreated following a disappointing Spanish bond auction and as investors anxiously debated what markets would look like without more stimulus from the US Federal Reserve. In early trade on the local market, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 34.5pts or 0.8pct to...

A patent filed last spring by Apple with the United States Patent and Trademark Office reveled that Apple is planning to develop Siri into having language transition features.

Korean-based firm Samsung announced that there will be a delay regarding the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 line. The company announced that the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 line will be likely to be available by the end of April, 2012.

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 124 points or 1.0% while the S&P lost 1.0% to 1398 and the Nasdaq dropped 1.5%.

Australia's exports declined 2 per cent in February which contributed to a trade deficit of $480 million. It is the second largest trade deficit for the country since early 2010.