BUSINESS

US non-farm payrolls (employment) were unchanged in August, well below forecasts for a 70,000 lift in jobs. Private payrolls rose by 17,000 and hourly earnings fell by 0.1pct. But the household survey showed a 331,000 lift in jobs and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 9.1pct.

Investors dumped stocks and sent Treasury yields to record lows Friday as a dismal jobs report renewed fears of a recession.

According to various sources, online retailer Amazon.com is selling its own tablet brand -- a 7-inch tablet at first -- that would have an entry-level price of $250. Sure it's more expensive than the $99 HP TouchPad, but the TouchPad sale is only temporary as it HP is only getting rid of remaining inventory.

By Rudi Filapek-Vandyck, Editor FNArenaI joined Twitter. Not because I am curious what this celebrity has to say about her kids, or to read that another one is waiting for a connecting flight, impatiently.

Still H-P CEO Leo Apotheker's decisions, which some say border on the impulsive and the decisive, are raising more questions than answers.

Three of the most innovative apps for mobile phones are now available in the market.

At this year's IFA, the world's largest consumer electronics and home appliances show, Samsung CEO Choi Gee Sung said Samsung would never acquire webOS. Korea-based Samsung already has the Bada mobile OS, which is popular in China and other parts of Asia, and it's relying on Google's assurances that it remains committed to Android partners. Motorola also has a deep portfolio of patents that can be used for Google's counterstrike against Apple and others.

Half of the wealthiest people in Asia will be from China by 2015, shows the latest Julius Baer Group and CLSA Asia Pacific Markets study published on Aug. 31.

Metcash expects to conclude its acquisition of Franklins by end of September 2011.

Hitachi, Sony, Toshiba merge their LCD businesses and with200 billion yem funding from Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) aims to develop next generation technologies

IFA, the world's largest consumer electronics and home appliances show, could be host to a device that would topple Apple's iPad.

Glencore announces plans to acquire Optimum Coal as the company is bullish of coal demand in the international market

Rent at Pitt Street Mall in Sydney jumped 33 percent putting it in the fourth spot among the world's most costly real estate properties, Cushman & Wakefield said in its latest report.

Woolworths' retail liquor giant ALH Group has acquired the Compass Hotel Group Ltd's portfolio of 12 hotels and bottle shops in Perth.

Unable to reach a pay hike agreement, Toyota Australia workers go on strike cripping the Altona manufacturing plant

Toyota Australia was forced to stop production at its Altona vehicle manufacturing plant today as employees took protected industrial action in the form of a 24 hour stoppage.

National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB) has been granted by Bank Indonesia, the Central Bank of Indonesia, a licence to establish a representative office in the country.

The developer of the award winning game "L.A. Noire" has entered administration according to a report from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

Jetstar, Australia's low cost carrier, is looking at expanding presence in China to fuel the company’s long-term growth

CSR has announced a restructure of its Viridian Glass business that will cause about 110 redundancies, in a bid to lift profits.

Demand for fixed interest rate home loans increased by less than 1 percent of approvals over August despite lenders offering large reductions to the cost of their fixed term loans, according to one of Australia’s largest independently-owned mortgage broker.

Telstra Corporation is far from being alarmed over the assessment issued this week by the country’s consumer watchdog, stating that the present form of its structural separation undertaking (SSU) leaves more room for improvements.

A brief ray of sunshine shone on overwhelmed retailers with the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealing that retail stores sales increased by 0.5 percent in July beating the predicted 0.3 rise by economists.

ASIC has launched another surveillance program aimed at ferreting out unlicensed credit providers.

Japan's newest Prime Minister, Yoshihiko Noda, has revealed the members of his new cabinet in Tokyo on Friday after being sworn in as the country's third leader in a short span of less than a year.

The commercial market is quiet, but the next few months could see a flood of interest .

The FBAA will not consider a merger with rival body the MFAA, and the industry is in fact better off with two separate representative associations, according to FBAA president Peter White.

If anyone needed proof of the unique Australian obsession with property as a method of quick capital gain, they need look no further than hit TV show "The Block."

Samsung launched what it calls the "largest screen size with smartphone portability" on Thursday at the IFA technology show in Berlin.