BUSINESS

Sydney Airport operator MAp Group has reported a 7 percent increase in earnings for the year attributing to passenger traffic, which also rose 19.5 percent.

The Australian stock market is gathering mixed leads in today's trading day as the last-minute decline in the Wall Street trading will have some influence, but analysts are more optimistic.

Analysts are projecting that the Curtis Island liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Queensland by the British Gas Group could exceed the previously headlined cost of $US15 billion and even surpassed that of Santos’ Gladstone cost estimates of close to $US19 billion.

The AUD has opened slightly lower this morning, after rallying towards USD0.9900 overnight.

U.S. stocks slipped in late trading Monday as jitters ahead of U.S. midterm elections and expected moves from the Federal Reserve prompted traders to duck out of a market whose long climb is now raising some eyebrows.

Speculation on Monday the Bank of Japan intervened in currency markets sent the Aussie down to an intraday low of 0.9810 as the greenback strengthened against the Yen.

The US ISM manufacturing index hit a five-month high in October, rising from 54.4 to 56.9.

Kate Vale, Google Australia's Youtube chief and Lars Rasmussen, Google Wave's co-founder, will both be leaving their posts within the Internet company.

Stronger bank and mining stocks saw Australian shares post surprising gains on Monday ahead of Tuesday's interest rate decision and a crucial mid-week meeting of the US Federal Reserve.

Australia's house prices recorded their smallest quarterly rise since early 2009, reinforcing speculations the Reserve Bank of Australia will keep interest rates on hold this week.

Australian stocks have started the trading week on a high, after the Dow Jones Index posted its best October in four years.

Ten Network Holdings Limited (ASX: TEN) says it notes recent media speculation about discussions between it and Mr James Packer and Mr Lachlan Murdoch following the announcement of CPH's acquisition of approximately 18 per cent of the issued capital of Ten Holdings.

Manufacturing activity still contracted albeit at a slower pace in October, amid persistent pressure from a strong Australian currency and sluggish domestic demand, a survey has found.

The AUD has started the week in the mid 0.9800's as the USD weakened on Friday night after the release of the Q3 GDP figure of 2%, which was in line with expectations.

U.S. blue chip stocks edged higher Friday while the Standard & Poor's 500 index fell slightly in a quiet end to a strong October as investors bided their time before the coming week's Federal Reserve meeting and midterm elections.

The US economy grew at a 2.0pct annual pace in the September quarter, in line with market expectations. Encouragingly consumer spending grew at a 2.6pct annual pace.

The Australian share market closed lower on Friday as a slew of upcoming offshore events led to renewed caution among investors.

Amidst its on-going struggle on the domestic front, national carrier Qantas Airways Ltd maintained that the local market is seeing a turnaround while its international operations head the same way but remain patchy.

The Australia Pacific LNG consortium of companies has advised relevant landholders, the Queensland Government, Western Downs Regional Council and Maranoa Regional Council of the results of chemical analysis of samples taken from water bores on properties where exploration wells that have recently been hydraulically fracture stimulated in the Surat Basin, west of Miles.

Self-employment is fast-emerging as a more popular alternative for Australian workers at this time as the new list of the country’s top employers also yielded a trend which shows that seven out of 10 workers would not think twice in ditching their current employment for a new placement.

The Australian share market is trading slightly lower after a mixed session in Wall Street.

New financial aggregates data from the Reserve Bank of Australia show that credit demand remains soft.

Australia's largest investment bank, Macquarie Group Ltd. will pursue further expansion in spite higher staff costs that slashed down first-half profits generated from its core equities trading and commodities businesses.

Private sector home building is set to slump following a large reduction in new home sales over recent months, a survey of Australia's major residential builders, shows.

Integrated forestry company Gunns Ltd (ASX: GNS) today downgraded its full-year earnings guidance.

Ten Network is yet to issue a statement on reports on the resignation of its chairman Nick Falloon following James Packer's joining the company.

The AUD appears to have recovered fromthe steep sell off it suffered after the release of the weaker than expected CPI data earlier in the week.

U.S. stocks fell Thursday despite a large drop in weekly jobless claims as investors moved cautiously before the Federal Reserve's key meeting next week.

During Thursday''s local session the Aussie recovered from a three-week low beneath US97 cents but was still feeling the effects of the relatively benign inflation data released mid-week.