BUSINESS

By Greg PeelIndustry consultant TradeTech's indicative uranium spot price was set at the end of last week at US$67.50/lb, down US$1.00 from the previous week. This follows a US$4.25 drop the week before and the first drop following the big run-up, of US25c, the week before that.So that makes three down weeks but TradeTech suggests there are signs the spot price is stabilising. Nervous sellers rema...

Admin System Mar 01, 2011

Comments from a Chinese banker pertaining to monetary policy saw the Australian Dollar finish yesterday's local session almost half a cent higher.

Jamelle Agbuis Mar 01, 2011

U.S. stocks were mixed Monday as oil prices paused from their recent rally while investors were encouraged by comments from a top Federal Reserve official.

Jamelle Agbuis Mar 01, 2011

US personal spending rose by a less than expected 0.2pct in January - marking the seventh straight month of gains.

Jamelle Agbuis Mar 01, 2011

With little influential data released during the offshore session the AUD traded fairly flat, opening only slightly higher this morning at USD1.0180.

Jamelle Agbuis Mar 01, 2011

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 95 points or 0.8% while the S&P gained 0.6% to 1327 and the Nasdaq was steady.There was a lot going on in the Monday session to give stocks a further kick along. Firstly it was month-end, when often fund managers push up prices to make their returns more appealing. Given blue chips are in favour at present we can see a bit of influence here in the Dow's outperformance.Then...

Admin System Mar 01, 2011

- Upside risk to tomorrow's Q4 GDP result- Q1 data mixed to date- RBA going nowhereBy Greg PeelBefore we get to the RBA's monetary policy statement for March, let us review some of the recently released economic data.It's at this time of the quarter that economists are furiously rejigging their Australian GDP forecasts, given the raft of quarterly data released only days before the actual GDP resu...

Admin System Mar 01, 2011

No change in the economy's current sluggish pace, judging by yesterday's data.Headline inflation remains reasonably high, driven by the rain and flood damage to vegetables and fruit, business credit is subdued, business stocks rose in the three months to December, corporate profits fell slightly and wages and salaries were up a touch.Nothing will influence the Reserve Bank at its board m...

Admin System Mar 01, 2011

Just when many analysts thought iron ore prices couldn't go much higher there's news of another round of big price rises in the offing.In fact the huge surge in profits seen in the last half of 2010 will be repeated this half, and especially the June quarter with prices up 40% or more above a year earlier.BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and other iron ore exporters are looking for a surprise 20%...

Admin System Mar 01, 2011

Guess which company is now a stockmarket darling, despite a second half profit warning yesterday?Why, it's Queensland railway operator, QR National, the stock many local fund managers spurned in the noisy privatisation late last year.Now they want it because it's showing some potential, but more importantly it is about to be included in a number of major market measurement indexes, and f...

Admin System Mar 01, 2011

Australian company Wesfarmers Ltd (WES) has made a NZ$1 million donation to the Prime Minister’s New Zealand Christchurch Earthquake Appeal.

Sharon Olalia Feb 28, 2011

The Australian Bankers' Association (ABA) said there was a low rate of complaints against banks in information released today from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).

Sharon Olalia Feb 28, 2011

Equinox Minerals Ltd (TSX and ASX: EQN) says it will make an offer to acquire Lundin Mining Corporation for approximately C$4.8 billion in cash and shares.

Sharon Olalia Feb 28, 2011

QBE Insurance, Australia's biggest insurer, reported a net profit after income tax of US$1,278 million, down from US$1,532 million last year.

Sharon Olalia Feb 28, 2011

The Australian market has started off the week a little lower for the fifth day out of the last six. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) is down 0.2 pct or 12.1 pts to 4912.8. Most sectors are in the red at lunch, however the energy sector is gaining quite strongly after a few hours of trade.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 28, 2011

In its first results since a $4.6 billion privatisation by the Queensland government in November, QR National said revenues in the six months to the end of December rose 18 per cent to $1.75bn from $1.48bn.

Sharon Olalia Feb 28, 2011

(This story was originally published on 17th February, 2011. It has now been re-published to make it available to non-paying members at FNArena and to readers elsewhere).- Post-GFC, investors are seeking safer risk/reward profiles- Managed property remains a popular investment- Unlisted trusts have experienced much lower return volatility this past decade than other assets- The burgeoning pool of ...

Admin System Feb 28, 2011

(This story was originally published on Wednesday, 23rd February, 2011. It has now been re-published to make it available to non-paying members at FNArena and to readers elsewhere). - it would seem my personal indicator has once again correctly indicated the share market was overheated- as long as investor sentiment remains positive towards the US economy, any pull backs are likely to remain benig...

Admin System Feb 28, 2011

The Australian Dollar has opened firmer this morning, trading around 1.0150 after touching a high of 1.0185 during Friday night's offshore session.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 28, 2011

The Australian Dollar gained a full cent during Friday's trade as ongoing concern for rising oil prices and political unrest in Libya weaken the US Dollar.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 28, 2011

U.S. stocks rose Friday after three days of losses as shares of Boeing surged and as lessening fears over oil supply helped crude prices stabilize.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 28, 2011

The US economy grew at a revised 2.8pct in the March quarter. The flash estimate had the economy growing at a 3.2pct annual pace and economists had expected an upward revision to 3.3pct.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 28, 2011

The Australian December half earnings reporting season finished today with several large groups reporting interim of full year results See the Diary).But the real story will again be the flood of poor reports, mostly from small miners, that will be released in their hundreds during the day and into this evening.Failure to release reports could see the company involved suspended by the ASX.QR Natio...

Admin System Feb 28, 2011

It's not going to get any easier for global markets in the coming week.Global sharemarkets might have had the roughest week of the year so far last week, thanks to the unrest in Libya and other Middle Eastern countries.This week however they not only have to contend with the deepening crisis in Libya and the impact that will have on oil pries and investor sentiment, but there are a couple of ...

Admin System Feb 28, 2011

The economy dominates Australia this week, with the Reserve Bank board meeting tomorrow, the fourth quarter economic growth figures out on Wednesday, after the current account figures and other data today and tomorrow.In the US there's some important economic data, with the February jobs figures on Friday night, our time, dominating.The events in the Middle East will be watched closely for si...

Admin System Feb 28, 2011

The Australian Dollar has opened slightly stronger this morning, supported by the stronger oil price and some positive Australian investment data released yesterday.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 25, 2011

The Australian Dollar rallied strongly throughout yesterday's domestic session after a surge in local capital expenditure.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 25, 2011

U.S. stocks fell for a third straight day Thursday as worries persisted over turmoil in Libya and how the resulting surge in oil prices might affect the U.S. economic recovery.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 25, 2011

US initial jobless claims fell by 22,000 to 391,000 in the last week. US new home sales fell 12.6pct to 284,000 in January.

Jamelle Agbuis Feb 25, 2011