BUSINESS

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) signed a deal to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) total of $12.5 billion. While Google has assured that the Android will continue to be open source, and thus available to other smartphone makers, questions remain as to how Google will beef up its newly owned Motorola when the Android platform is also being 'freely' made available to Motorola's rivals.

Acer Group Inc., the Taiwanese firm known for the Aspire desktops and laptops, is joining the tablet war with its the 7-inch Acer Iconia Tab and is hoping to cash in the surging demand for smartphones with the wild looking Acer Iconia Smart.

Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) signed a deal to acquire Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: MMI) total of $12.5 billion. While Google has assured that the Android will continue to be open source, and thus available to other smartphone makers, questions remain as to how Google will beef up its newly owned Motorola when the Android platform is also being 'freely' made available to Motorola's rivals.

MARKET CLOSE (4.30pm AEST)The ASX 200 index (XJO) rose 2.6 pct or 110.3 pts to 4282.9 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) is up 2.6 pct or 108.9 pts to 4346.8. All sectors managed to post solid gains today, with the energy and mining sectors leading the way.

EFTPOS Payments Australia Limited (ePAL), the company that manages one of Australia’s largest popular debit system, reiterated that its new interchange fees will not be passed directly on to the consumer or retailers.

Insurance Australia Group will acquire a 20 percent strategic interest in China-based general insurer, Bohai Property Insurance Pty Ltd (Bohai Insurance), for an estimated price of A$100 million or RMB687.5 million.

Virgin Australia launched on Monday its Capital Connect daily shuttle services between Canberra and Sydney, which offer up to 10 return services each day between the cities with guests receiving complimentary in-flight snacks and drinks.

Leighton Holdings Ltd (ASX: LEI) posted an after tax loss of $409m for the 2010/11 financial year, but targets to bounce back with its string of new projects on hand.

(This story was originally published on Friday, 12th August, 2011. It has now been repeated to make it available to non-paying members at FNArena and to readers elsewhere).

Australia's manufacturing firm Manassen Foods has been reported negotiating a deal with China's second largest food company Bright Food Group Co.

Newcrest Mining, Australia's biggest gold producer, has posted a 63 percent jump in its annual profit, driven by higher gold prices and the acquisition of Lihir Gold last year.

While Washington was busy holding the global markets hostage and placing billions in badly needed R&D funding on the chopping block, a new report from REN21

For the first time in a fortnight, investors will start the trading week without the threat of a major market slump.

It's another big week for the markets and economy here and offshore. Will the markets settle, or will we face more of last week's craziness?

Gold and oil both finished a difficult week down at the close on Friday for differing reasons.

In spite of industrywide speculation that Apple will announce the next-generation iPhone on September, new reports have moved the launch back to October.

US retail sales rose by 0.5pct in July - the biggest gain in four months - and in line with the consensus forecast. Excluding autos, sales rose by 0.5pct - above the consensus forecast of a 0.2pct rise. But consumer sentiment fell sharply to a 31-year low in August, dropping from 63.7 to 54.9.

U.S. stocks closed higher Friday as an upbeat retail sales report trumped a weak reading on consumer confidence, capping one of the most volatile weeks in Wall Street history.

There are more iPads rival tablets sitting in warehouses and stores than current demand for those products. What can rivals learn to advance? Perhaps a review of Economics 101 would give more than just clues to the iPad's success.

Prime Minister David Cameron said on Thursday that government was considering blocking the use of social media services like FaceBook, Twitter, BlackBerry Messenger to prevent riots.

Virgin Australia pilots have secured pay rises of up to 28 percent. The Australian and International Pilots Association, which represent Qantas long-haul pilots, has today congratulated VIPA - the union representing Virgin Australia and V Australia pilots - and Virgin Australia CEO John Borghetti for successfully negotiating the airline’s first enterprise agreement.

Australia's securities watchdog released on Friday a new guidance that demands more disclosure on some investment instruments that lures a lot of investors because of the promise of high returns.

Media mogul Rupert Murdoch gave his most explicit statement yet on who will succeed him as News Corporation chief and it is not James.

New Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) laws are set to be rolled out on 1 January 2012, and contain fundamental shifts from what has been mandated in the past.

- Domino's Pizza FY11 result better than expected- European operations improving, impacted by forex moves- FY12 guidance suggests more solid growth- Brokers lift forecasts, targets and ratingsBy Chris ShawAfter guiding to a 15% increase in earnings for FY11, full year net profit for Domino&apos...

GS1 Recallnet, a new national product recall service to remove potentially harmful grocery, food, liquor and other products from the supply chain, was launched Australia-wide August 10, 2011.

Suddenly the same analysts and 'experts' who have been negative on Telstra, are fans after the company reported a smaller than expected fall in earnings for the year to June 30; a result that included rising revenues and profits from mobile phones and telecoms.

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 423 points or 4.0% while the S&P gained 4.6% to 1172 and the Nasdaq jumped 4.

By Greg Peel"Citi economists are mindful that declining confidence could see activity weaken further and consider a cut in rates possible, though it isn't in their forecast, and they expect any easing would be fairly limited, given the economy's still strong medium-term outlook".