BUSINESS

Apple stores have a basic set-up. You go in the pristine environment and everything is neatly organized by each product. The iPods, iPhones, MacBooks and iPads are all arranged in their own sections and next to each product is a small piece of paper enclosed in plastic that shows the product's specs and price. Apple has decided to do away with this piece of paper and is now going hi-tech by replacing this with iPad 2s.

Australia’s forest industry showed mixed signals in the 2009-10 financial year with softwood log harvest up, housing starts increasing, broadleaved plantation harvest remaining constant, and a further decline in broadleaved native log harvest and woodchips exports.

The Australian sharemarket is pulling back for the second time this week, with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) down 0.9 pct or 40.9 pts to 4682.

The Gillard Government appears to be taking credit for National Australia Bank’s recent move to sell discounted mortgages online.

Come November, Jetstar passengers will be confronted with electronic self-service tools as they print their own tickets and tag their own baggage. This campaign is included in the new cost-cutting measures from the low budget airline.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) has finally relaxed its tough rules towards employees using social media, following pressure from bank employees to amend heavy-handed elements of the policy.

Wesfarmers Ltd’s forecast production for its Curragh mine has been cut by the company because of the recent rainfall and mechanical difficulties.

The Aussie fell sharply last night but found support at 1.0480/500 in what now appears to be a bullish wedge formation. While taking long positions is against the short-term trend, traders expect to see a small counter-trend rally in the near term. Traders will be looking to promptly take profits on any long positions, while a break of 1.0480 will be very bearish.

It's hard to know what hurt the Elders share price the most yesterday, the downgrade of the outlook or the general sell-off across the market, led by banks.

Investors would do better to worry about the continuing drought in central and southern China than another dip in a key manufacturing index for May.

Markets across Asia sold off yesterday with financial and big miners taking a whack from nervous investors.

The AUD is weaker this morning after some poor data releases and continued concerns about Europe saw investors move towards the USD in safe haven trading.

By Greg PeelThe week before last, a rumour ran around the spot uranium market suggesting that the US government's Portsmouth clean-up contractor Fluor-B&W had found a buyer for the full amount of uranium the Department of Energy intends to sell to cover the clean-up cost.

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 130 points or 1.0% while the S&P fell 1.2% to 1317 and the Nasdaq fell 1.6%.Grimsvotn.

Australian burrito chain Mad Mex has seen a successful uptake on its month-long Cinco de Mayo Big Burrito challenge, reporting over 2000 of the one-kilogram burritos sold at its nine outlets in NSW, Queensland and Victoria.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today announced the findings of a major study analyzing the impact of information-based energy efficiency programs at eleven utilities across the country. The report identifies energy reductions that could generate billions in savings for Americans and reduce carbon (CO2) emissions by more than 8.9 million metric tons per year if extended nationwide.

Peak horticulture body Growcom has called for the urgent integration of food policy and programs by the federal government to plan for future food security.

Institutional investors are increasingly bullish on using Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) in their portfolios. When looking to invest in ETFs, U.S. institutions turn most often to iShares, BlackRock's ETF business.

New barriers to international clearing could be erected by proposed new regulations for over-the-counter (OTC) derivatives in the European Union, according to the Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the global hedge fund association.

- Authorisation granted for US LNG export- Shell to build the Prelude FLNG facility- Xeres has Woodside confident re Pluto-2By Greg PeelAs noted in The New Global LNG Dynamic, the Japanese earthquake suddenly provided some new impetus for Australia's burgeoning LNG industry, which was beginning to s...

Commodities will undergo another bull run once financial markets fully appreciate the threat of a global rise in inflation, according to Dighton Capital Management, one of the world's leading managed futures fund managers.

Australia is on the cusp of an employment skills shortage in the information and communications technology sector, according to data from the Information Technology Contract and Recruitment Association (ITCRA).

U.S. stocks suffered steep losses as investors' concerns over the financial health of European governments triggered a flight to safer assets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 130.78 points, or 1.05%, to 12381.26, with all but one component, McDonald's, in the red. Technology and energy stocks led the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index to a slump of 15.90 points,

The average woman is still not being paid the same as the average man, according to a recent report by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

US equities were under pressure during the last week gyrating in a tight range as commodities and currencies pushed and pulled equities up and down. Outside influences such as European debt concerns, and weak US housing data offset strong earnings data from Wal-mart and Home Depot.

As the trading week begins, two lingering concerns are playing havoc with the common currency Euro, pushing it broadly lower and resulting in a record low against the safe haven Swiss Franc.

In London trading today, the FTSE has been experiencing heavy, broad-based selling.

Markets across the globe racked up big losses yesterday and overnight.

The Australian share market ended the day deeply in the red at a two-month low as finance stocks lost the most ground amid widespread selling.