BUSINESS

Home sales in the country saw an uptick in April, as shown in the new Homes Sales Report issued on Tuesday by the Housing Industry Association (HIA), but the surge could prove insufficient to ward off creeping threats of recession in the sector.

Despite a negative start, local stocks are tracking slightly higher in early trade, thanks to gains from energy and defensive stocks. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 15.3pts or 0.4pct to 4135.5.

- Industry consultant TradeTech has left its price indicators for U3O8 unchanged- TradeTech reports overall activity in the spot market is quiet- Cameco has triggered market speculation for corporate interest in Paladin EnergyBy Rudi Filapek-VandyckShares in Australia's major independent produc...

The fears of hundreds of layoffs as a result of the financial collapse of the Hastie Group moved a step closer as the company stood down on Tuesday morning 2,700 workers.

By James Stanley, Trading Instructor, FXCMIf you lived in the United States before the year 2000, the thought of yellow and orange-jacketed traders screaming at the top of their lungs across a rainbow of other-colored jackets, slips of paper flying everywhere, is probably something you associate wit...

By Rudi Filapek-VandyckUS equity and treasury markets were closed on Monday as the country enjoyed a long Memorial Day weekend.

Asia Session: Hopes of more policy easing from Beijing take the spotlight off SpainBy Chris Tedder, Research Analyst FOREX.

With billions to her name, Gina Rinehart, the world's wealthiest woman, could probably buy anything with a price tag that she fancies. Recently she increased her shareholdings in Fairfax Media to more than 13 per cent from 12.59 per cent.

Optus will soon retire a portion of its network services and hand-over some of its existing client-base to NBN Co in exchange for a deal with the federal government that could leave the telco $800 million richer.

Sugar raisers in Australia are expecting a sweet and $2.1-billion bumper harvest as growers in Tableland starts crushing cane on Monday.

Technological breakthroughs have vastly improved man's life expectancy but in the manufacturing sector the introduction of automation appears to have pushed down thousands of workers into brink of unhealthy condition.

The Australian share market is moving to recover some lost ground on the first day of the last trading week of May. The catchphrase "Sell in May and go away" appears to have rung true for investors so far this month, however solid buying is helping to support the main All Ordinaries Index (XAO) today on hopes Greece will approve its latest bail-out conditions. At lunchtime in the East, the XAO is up 21.4pts or 0.5pct to 4102.6.

An Ernst & Young study has estimated the cost of underproductivity of Australian workers at over $41 billion a year in salaries alone.

Unexpected gains in Australia's employment figures in April could be reversed as hundreds of workers may become jobless with the collapse of the Hastie Group and Games.

Last week Domain announced their mobile apps have surpassed 1 million downloads and that 36 per cent of all Domain.com.au enquiries now come through mobile.

It's that time again. Every four to six years, the US has a recession, so it's due for one soon.

By Rudi Filapek-Vandyck, Editor FNArena (back from traveling abroad)I received the question below about Fairfax Media ((FXJ)) from FNArena subscriber Brad Mendel.

By Peter Switzer, Switzer Super ReportSo here we are again keeping our fingers crossed that the European Union (EU) leadership can come up with something that will stop spooking and rocking stock markets.

The Australian sharemarket lost ground for the third consecutive day and week, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) down 0.6 pct or 25 pts to 4081.2 today. Nine out of 12 sectors finished in the red today and the broader market hit a fresh six-month low. On June 17, the Greeks will need to return to the polls to vote for a President for the second time. Markets are likely to remain jittery leading up to the event.

This could mean another round of iron ore shipment surge for Australia as China announced on Friday its approval of the $US11-billon steel project proposal submitted by Shanghai-based Baosteel Group.

Advertisers take notice. Views of online advertisements have been gradually migrating on mobile devices as shown by a new report issued on Thursday by Internet advertising firm Millennial Media.

Italian fashion brand label Prada SpA is about to embark on an ambitious expansion rollout in the next three years mainly to pursue the promising income from the BRICs (Brazil, Russia, India and China) as well as from countries in the Persian Gulf.

The flight of China's first commercial plane has been delayed owing to the rescheduling done by Chinese authorities of its final airworthiness test certification.

Rio Tinto remains on track to expand its iron ore operations despite earlier indications from the mining giant's CEO, Tom Albanese, that at a certain period the company will temporarily slow down on its output plans.

Earning $1 million every 30 minutes has its disadvantages too. For Gina Rinehart who was named this week by BRW Magazine as the world's wealthiest woman with $29 billion to her name, it meant more public scrutiny of her companies as well as her private life, particularly the ongoing family court feud.

If school bullies destroyed many young lives during their grade and high school days, when it comes to the workplace, it would be their turn to be on the other side of the fence.

By Peter Kretzmer and Mickey LevyGreece's economic and financial crisis is quickly deteriorating and there is no strategy ? or even a coalition government ? to figure out what to do next.

Forza Motorsport fans unite - Porsche is back!

A high-profile advertising campaign failed to convince thousands of subscribers to remain with Vodafone.