BUSINESS

The World Economic Forum listed China as the world's 26th most competitive nation on its Global Competitiveness Report 2011-2012 released on Wednesday.

Amidst the public apology issued on Wednesday by U.S. energy giant ConocoPhillips, over oil spills in Bohai Bay, Beijing has ordered a thorough investigation of the affected area to know the exact damage to the environment, reports said.

Google has confirmed that China has renewed its ICP license to operate for another year in spite the tension between the two for more than a year.

Rio Tinto criticized on Thursday the Australian government for its failure to deliver on carbon tax promises, which the Labour government agreed on with industry leaders.

How did the Australian FY11 corporate result season stack up?Do analysts feel better or worse now for the year ahead?How might one best approach FY12 investment?All this and more will be discussed in FNArena's Market Insight program at 4.

Even giant corporations are affected by the continuing global economic slack. In Hong Kong, one of Asia’s iconic banks, HSBC will furlough 3,000 employees over the next three years, reports have confirmed

- Engineering and Contractor sector results met expectations- Weak macro outlook a threat to earnings- Higher costs and margin pressures also an issue- Brokers highlight their sector preferencesBy Chris ShawFor Australian engineering and contracting companies the recent FY11 reporting season was lar...

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 275 points or 2.5% while the S&P gained 2.9% to 1198 and the Nasdaq added 3.0%.

- Brokers review sector preferences and conviction ideas- Nickel price forecasts lowered, sector earnings impacted- Project costs and risk mitigation key factors in energy sector- Weakening IP numbers a threat to commodity pricesBy Chris ShawWith Australian profit reporting season over more and more...

Stocks snapped a three-day slide as investors latched onto glimmers of hope in headlines from Germany, Italy and the U.S. The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged 275.56 points, or 2.47%, to 11414.86, closing at the day's highs.

The Australian economy isn't dying in a ditch or sliding towards a recession; yesterday's national accounts for the June quarter make that clear.

Macquarie Group's profit warning yesterday has been a while coming: in fact quite a few analysts and investors have been expecting something like this since the mixed update ahead of the annual meeting in late July.

If you have not yet booked a table for the Australian Mortgage Awards (AMAs) time is running out.

With home prices still falling, new mortgage delinquencies rising again, millions of mortgages already in the foreclosure pipeline, and consumer confidence in the housing market near nil, President Obama is expected to include some new housing fix in his post-Labor Day speech to the nation on jobs and the economy.

Spring sales are looking very promising in the New Zealand residential real estate market as the median price for homes ticks upward, inventory remains low after a period of distressed property buys and economic confidence improves.

US mortgage brokers have called on the Obama administration and the US Congress to encourage the nation's Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to rescind its loan originator compensation rule.

So Qantas shareholders had no dividend in the 2011 financial year, they have watched the share price fall 16% so far this calendar year, and now they will be told, if they can understand it, that CEO Alan Joyce received a 71% pay rise to $5 million.

Shelter NSW, a social change agency committed to working for a fair and just housing system, today expressed concern that the NSW Budget does not include sufficient support for the National Rental Affordability Scheme.

Global data centre provider Digital Realty Trust (NYSE: DLR) has nabbed 162 and 163 Radnor Drive, a 30,250 square meter development site, in Melbourne for a purchase price of approximately AU $4.1 million. This represents the second acquisition in Australia for Digital Realty Trust.

There's been quite a change in the Reserve Bank's view of the economy and the world since the August 6 board meeting.

In the midst of fears about the nation’s economy, World Bank Chief Robert Zoellick stated that the United States will not slip into another recession.

A recent survey revealed that Australian households' fuel and power bills are only taking up the same portion from our budget as they did six years ago, while petrol spending is even lower. Household income has rose 50 per cent since 2003-04, compared to hike of prices which have increased 19 per cent. Spending grew 38 per cent.

Samsung is reportedly planning to buy Nokia and Intel's MeeGo operating system just as it confirmed it was not buying Hewlett Packards webOS.

Aspiring home buyers in Australia will find that buying a home in NSW has become "simply unachievable" for some, real estate experts have advised. Exemptions on stamp duty will now be restricted to newly built and "off the plan" properties only.

Supermarket giant Coles is moving to a 100 percent Australian housebrand cheese for its stores.

After a three-month long of oil spills in China’s Bohai Bay, Energy Giant ConocoPhillips has issued an apology to China and vowed to release funds to ameliorate the conditions of the affected environment, says a Reuters report.

Qantas Airways' long-haul pilots described the unprecedented 71 per cent package increase for Qantas CEO today as “rubbing salt in the wound.”

Canadian company RIM on Tuesday unveiled BBM Music, a new cloud-based, music sharing service, which could be a much needed revenue generator.

Eager Droid Bionic fans can get a chance to win the device for free in Verizon and Motorola’s new scavenger hunt.