BUSINESS

- Asciano delivers expected weak March quarter results- Revised full year earnings guidance means minor changes to earnings estimates- Value on offer but some earnings headwinds remainBy Chris ShawPorts and rail group Asciano ((AIO)) yesterday reported March quarter results the market viewed as soft...

Confidence levels have returned to small to medium-sized enterprises after the destabilising floods in December and January, according to National Australia Bank’s (ASX: NAB) SME Quarterly Survey for the March quarter.

Dow Jones Indexes, a leading global index provider, has announced The Global Dow, which measures the stock performance of 150 of the world's leading companies, will become the underlying index for State Street Global Advisors' SPDR Global Dow ETF, effective May 2, 2011.

Large hedge funds with over $10 billion in assets under management (AUM) typically purchase $40 million or more in professional liability insurance coverage, nearly 200% more than medium funds between $1 billion and $3 billion in AUM according to a benchmark study by SKCG Group, the risk management and insurance advisor to some of the world's largest hedge funds.

Todd Leih has joined 400 Capital Management as a partner and senior member of the portfolio management team. Todd joined the Firm from Jane Street where he was a senior portfolio manager for distressed fixed income structured finance strategies. Prior to Jane Street, Todd was a senior trading and risk manager at Banc of America Securities focusing on non‐agency mortgage credit and derivative strategies.

Brisbane and Perth have both seen price falls of more than 3% over the last year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

NAB has extended its offer to pay the $700 mortgage early exit fee charged by CBA and Westpac for customers who choose to switch to NAB.

Australian Treasurer Wayne Swan said next week's federal budget is forecasting an additional 500,000 jobs, with the aim of reducing the nation's unemployment rate to 4.5%.

CEO of Employer Brand International Brett Minchington said that social media, like job boards, newspapers and employee referrals, need to be part of an integrated recruitment strategy and measured for business impact.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 3 points while the S&P lost 0.2% to 1361 and the Nasdaq fell 0.3%.Ding dong, the witch is dead.

The Australian dollar moved to a new 29-year high on Friday as the dollar continued to slump against most major currencies. The combination of stronger than expected inflation data during the week from Australia, combined with a dovish outlook from the FOMC has continued to drive investors into high yielding currencies.

Markets around the world welcomed the announcement from US President Barack Obama, that the Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden had been killed.

U.S. blue-chip stocks closed out their best month of the year Friday, as first quarter earnings reports sent major indexes to fresh multiyear highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 47.23 points, or 0.4%, to 12810.54, its highest close since May 2008. The blue-chip measure surged 4% during the month and extended its winning streak to five straight months. The Dow is now up almost 11% for the year.

Business lending is on the rise in Australia, according to figures from the banking regulator, but an industry expert said the data for March is yet to be indicative of the prevailing trend

Australian house prices fell 1.7 per cent in the March quarter, national official data showed.

National Australia Bank (ASX NAB) is extending its offer to pay the $700 mortgage early exit fee charged by CBA and Westpac to their customers who want to switch their mortgages to NAB’s lower standard variable home loan rate.

Shares of Sony surged as it returns with some services on its PlayStation Network (PSN). This after the company offered incentives to users whose online personal information is at risk.

By Greg PeelThe Japanese earthquake and tsunami occurred in March and the ensuing uncertainty and panic surrounding the Fukushima reactor led to a sharp drop in the spot uranium price.

- Strong Aussie dollar hurting ResMed - Revenues and margins weaker in March quarter - Broker views remain divided on the stockBy Chris ShawSleep disorder group ResMed ((RMD)) delivered third quarter results last week, the result showing expected weakness in revenues and some margin pressures given ...

Credit agency Moody's Investors Service on Monday affirmed Australia's top rating for its government debt citing the country's strong economic outlook despite a risky local bank's borrowing overseas.

The Australian dollar continues its march upward trading in the 1.0990’s this morning after equity markets, gold, oil and commodities in general continue to trade higher and the USD remains weak.

More Australian women are buying property alone, according to new research.

By Rudi Filapek-VandyckThe TD Securities – Melbourne Institute Monthly Inflation Gauge rose by 0.

At the end of its annual general meeting, ALTIN AG (SIX: ALT, LSE: AIA), the Swiss alternative investment company, commented on its final results for 2010. In a generally gloomy financial environment, ALTIN achieved a very positive investment performance in 2010 of +12.47%, easily outperforming the funds of hedge funds index, HFRI FoF (+5.67%). Its highly liquid portfolio allows its manager to follow a dynamic management approach and to take advantage of the investment opportunities.

Cosmos Technologies, the product development arm of Indus Valley Partners, today announced the addition of a new product - "Cosmos Cash Master" to its product suite.

The Alternative Investment Management Association (AIMA), the global hedge fund association, has launched an initiative to engage with the Brazilian hedge fund industry and announced the appointment of a local representative, Michelle Noyes of BRZ Investimentos.

Sean Thomson, senior residential adviser at www.wbpproperty.com, says it’s possible to boost your home’s value with just a few strategic, low cost renovations.

Urban taskforce CEO Aaron Gadiel is arguing that the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics confirms that Sydney's housing shortfall is "running well short of government projections".

Consumer confidence in the U.K. has been severely shaken, only a wedding of such pomp and ceremony as that of the future King of England can pull the nation out of the doldrums, even if only for the day. Whether the country's collective euphoria can translate into economic goodwill, however, is in question.