BUSINESS

Australian Rail Track Corporation (ARTC) has reported that the limited train movement of the west line track near Wodonga has resumed its run this morning, 6am, Sydney time.

The Australian share market has surged today, on news that the ASX (ASX) has entered into an agreement to merge with the Singapore Exchange (SGX). At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 57pts or 1.2pct to 4776.6.

Leighton Holdings Limited (ASX: LEI) today said it will be making an application to the Takeovers Panel seeking a declaration of unacceptable circumstances and consequent orders in relation to the proposed takeover bid by Spanish company Actividades des Construcción y Servicios' (ACS) for Leighton's German parent Hochtief AG.

A sense of urgency to pay down home loans ahead of rate hikes combined with low personal savings is seeing many Australians embrace credit cards as a means of meeting everyday expenses, new data suggest.

Rio Tinto Ltd's (ASX:RIO) would still pursue its planned Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold project in Mongolia despite some strain with Canadian partner Ivanhoe Mines.

US stocks closed mixed on Friday as good corporate earnings were weighed against concerns over the dollar as G20 finance ministers held talks in South Korea in a bid to avert a currency war.

The Aussie opens higher on Monday at 0.9850 and received a boost after comments by U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at the weekend's G-20 conference.

Chi-X Global Inc. is still set to work towards launching in March 2011, in spite the growing threat of a tougher competitive environment with the bid takeover of the Singaporean bourse of rival ASX Ltd.

Canadian Equinox Minerals Limited (TSX and ASX: EQN) ("Equinox") has announced that it has completed an agreement Australia's Resource Group Limited (ASX:CGG) ("Citadel"), under which Equinox proposes to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of Citadel by way of a recommended takeover offer (the "Offer"). The Board of Citadel has recommended unanimously that Citadel shareholders accept the Offer, in the absence of a superior proposal.

The Singapore Stock Exchange is set to offer some A$8.4 billion deal to Australia's ASX that targets to build one of the biggest exchange trading hubs in the Asia-Pacific as competition stiffens in the local arena.

The Australian share market ended the week higher on Friday, led by miners and the banking sector.

The local share market managed to notch up a win for the final session of the trading week, on the back of a positive offshore lead. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) gained 23.2pts or 0.5pct to 4719.6 while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) added 25.3pts or 0.6pct to 4648.2

Toyota Australia decided on a recall after all, as the carmaker revealed on late Friday that it was going along with its parent company’s announcement in Japan of up to 1.5 million vehicle recalls across the globe.

Another player emerged in the ongoing Channel Ten share market swing drama as a note lodged to the Australian Securities Exchange on Friday showed that Birketu Pty Ltd moved to increased its stake on Ten Network Holdings Ltd (ASX: TEN)

New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Friday pieced together the roller-coaster ride experienced by Australian businesses during the global financial crisis that sunk much of its pangs on the local economy from late 2008 to the best part of 2009.

Farmer-Shareholders of food producer SunRice are seriously considering the $600-million offer of Spanish firm Ebro Foods.

BHP Billiton Ltd chairman Jac Nasser is upbeat that, despite the heightening currency and global trade disputes, emerging markets from across the world have shown significant and exciting growth prospect.

Amazon Web Services LLC (AWS) announced that developers and businesses will be able to take advantage of a new free usage tier for a full year.

Chi-X Global Inc. is preparing a unique trading platform that could provide the fast and efficient platform beneficial to Australian and foreign investors keen on participating in the market action worldwide.

More stringent auditing requirements for self-managed super funds (SMSFs) foreshadowed in the Cooper Review will needlessly increase costs, the national accounting firm Chan & Naylor argued on Friday.

Currency and equity markets are on the up trend at today's trading as markets speculate that the G-20 summit scheduled this weekend in South Korea will resolve the currency devaluation issue.

The chain of recall issues that Toyota has been facing this year appears yet to be broken as the world’s number one carmaker announced this week that up to 1.5 million car models need to be rechecked for possible brake system failure.

The AUD rallied yesterday before retreating again overnight to below USD 0.9800.

U.S. stocks bounced higher in a day of choppy trading Thursday as encouraging corporate earnings overshadowed jitters over recent currency fluctuations.

The US Philadelphia Fed index rose from -0.7 to 1 in September. Despite still being weak sub indices including new orders, shipments and employment all improved.

Growth and inflation figures released from China supported their move to increase interest rates earlier this week. Chinese GDP expanded 9.6% for the previous quarter, exceeding expectations, while inflation accelerated at its fastest pace in 23mths at a rate of 3.6%.

Nokia revealed to its employees that it plans to accelerate its transformation and increase effectiveness. Nokia's plans will directly result to the laying of an estimated 1, 800 employees globally.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission will look into the recent purchase of billionaire Mr. James Packer's acquisition of an 18% stake in Ten Network Holdings Ltd. (ASX: TEN.AU).

A decline in new business registrations sent the number of actively trading businesses in Australia 1 per cent lower in 2008/09, according to data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).