BUSINESS

The local share market has started the trading week on a strong note, with investor sentiment boosted by a raft of positive offshore news. Over the weekend, European leaders again pledged to take all necessary action to stave of the debt crisis, and work together ahead of the G20 summit in Cannes next month. Meanwhile US stocks posted their best weekly gains since March 2009 last week, boosted by strong retail sales and impressive earnings results from a number of companies, particularly Google....

Queensland Mining Corporation announced it recently discovered a new high grade copper discovery on Horseshoe ML and Duck Creek EPM. It was the first recorded discovery of high grade sulphides in the area, at its Duck Creek Project, south of Cloncurry.

India's housing markets surged in Q2 2011. There were amazingly strong house price increases, despite an economic slowdown which saw gross domestic product grow by 'only' 7.7% during the year to Q2 2011, the weakest growth for six quarters, due to high interest rates and the poor performance of mining and quarrying (1.8% annual growth), construction (1.2%) and the manufacturing sectors (7.2%).

Bob Parsons, the CEO of internet domain name registrar GoDaddy, which sponsored the IndyCar Challenge that cost Dan Wheldon his life, had spoken in relation to the tragedy. Wheldon, 33, died following a horrifying accident on Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The accident occurred during the lap 11 of the race, when his car flew mid-air and burst into flames after a 15-car pileup. He was immediately airlifted to a local hospital but was unable to survive due to "serious injuries." Three ...

The weekend conclusion of talks among Group of 20 finance chiefs, where it approved parts of a plan to contain the eurozone's debt crisis and prevent a possible Greek default, has led commodities futures, particularly copper and oil, to rise on Monday.

Apple hit Samsung with a one-two punch this weekend as U.S and Dutch courts ruled against Samsung in its continuing legal battle with the iPhone manufacturer.

The key in property investment is to know where in the cycle you are buying so you can judge whether you're getting a good price and whether prices have further to fall.

Federal Court Justice Annabelle Bennett may have temporarily banned Samsung Electronics from launching its Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia, but Aussies have found a way to go around the ban. They ordered the gadget online.

Speculations are brewing in the iron ore mining and steel mills industries that China has been offered to purchase the iron ore raw material for fourth-quarter contracts at a much cheaper rate.

The Australian sharemarket has kicked off the new trading week on a positive note, with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) up 1.4 pct or 59.1 pts to 4328.1. All regions of the market are improving with gains of at least 1 pct flowing through to most sectors.

Growing debt problems and threats of possible recession have prompted European finance managers to come up with a scheme that could finally resolve the problems of Greece and enhance the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF).

News of Rio Tinto's sale of 13 aluminium assets boosted the company's stocks by 2.74 per cent on Monday. With the increase, Rio Tinto's shares rose to $70.16 which is a month high.

Over a thousand birds had been found dead since MV Rena's reef crash resulting in oil spill almost two weeks ago, as operations in oil removal have been stopped because media vessels are getting too close to the ship.

Australian air carrier Qantas Airways faces a possible legal clash, this time from a stricken mother after the labor beleaguered airliner admitted losing her unaccompanied child last month at the Hobart Airport.

Leighton Holdings has won a major contract by Iraq’s South Oil Company, involving the development of two offshore platforms.

Workers at factories run by US multinational JELD-WEN across the country have voted against a new agreement, which they said would see them slide backwards in pay and conditions.

The ongoing labor dispute of Qantas with unions continues to take its toll on the air carrier's operations as it canceled 16 flights on Monday and ground five planes.

The Queensland Government has given MSF Sugar Limited the go-ahead to proceed with a $500 million hotel, marina and resort and residential development at Maryborough north of Brisbane.

Australian borrowers are facing increased costs as the valuations on their properties are coming in lower than anticipated due to the softer real estate market nationwide and a more conservative approach by valuers, according to mortgage broker Loan Market.

By Kathleen Brooks, Research Director UK EMEA, FOREX.comThe G20 finance ministers meeting ended yesterday and (as usual) failed to tell us anything new.

(This story was originally published on October 12th. It has now been repeated to make it available to non-paying members at FNArena and to readers elsewhere).

Persistent weakness in the home finance sector should provide another reason for the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to cut official rates on Melbourne Cup day, according to mortgage broker Loan Market.

Just seven days from today is all we have until we know whether the eurozone debt crisis will be put on a track towards settlement once and for all.

Confidence is back, risk is 'on' again and markets almost blushed with vigour last week, none more than the Aussie dollar which added a large 5.9% or nearly 6 USc in jumping well past parity with the greenback.

BHP Biliton is mulling to acquire Brazilian iron ore producer Ferrous Resources as the Anglo-Australian miner seizes opportunities to scout for low-priced commodities projects brought by the pressing current low valuations of iron ore markets.

Apple and Samsung are taking a timeout in their fierce legal battle over smartphone and tablet patents to pay their last respect to the late Apple co-founder and technology icon Steve Jobs.

Search engine giant and Android maker Google is joining the crowd of online music stores soon.

U.S. stocks jumped Friday, sending major stock indexes to their highest close since early August and pushing both the Dow and the Nasdaq Composite back into positive territory for the year. The Dow industrials closed with a 166.36 point gain, or 1.5%, at 11644.49. The Dow is now ahead by 0.58% for 2011.

US retail sales rose by 1.1pct in September - marking the fastest pace of growth in seven months. Sales for the prior two months was also revised higher. The upbeat sales figures resulted in a revision of third quarter growth estimates. US September quarter GDP is now expected to post between 2.3-2.7pct. US business inventories rose by 0.5pct in August.