US industrial production rose by 0.2pct in August, in line with expectations. Capacity use edged up from 74.6pct to 74.7pct. The Empire State manufacturing survey eased from +7.10 to +4.14 in September, below expectations for a result near +8.0.
U.S. stocks rose Wednesday as encouraging forecasts from Kraft Foods and McKesson boosted investors' expectations of how the corporate sector is faring in the weak economy.
Origin Energy Limited (ASX: ORG) and PNG Energy Developments will undertake an 18-month feasibility study for building an 1800 megawatt power plant on the Purari River in the Papua New Guinea (PNG) highlands.
Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser proudly announced that the multi-billion-dollar float of Queensland Rail is rolling according to plans.
Control over time-billing practices should be in place before external controls and greater regulation will be imposed on the entire legal profession.
Trading at the Australian share market is expected to strengthen today after Wall Street rebounded.
The Australian currency was half a cent stronger at Wednesday noon and trading near a two-year high after the greenback weakened on reports of US quantitative easing overnight.
The Australian dollar reached a five-week peak against the yen on Wednesday, while holding not far from two-year highs on the greenback, as Japan stepped in to sell yen.
The Australian stockmarket ended Wednesday with its strongest performance in over four months, bolstered by regional markets and with National Australia Bank and gold miners posting solid gains.
Origin Energy (ASX: ORG) announced today it will sign an agreement with the governments of Papua New Guinea and Queensland to support the potential development of a renewable hydroelectricity project.
China admitted on Wednesday that the $US38.5 billion or $A41 billion proposed takeover bid of Australian giant mining firm BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX: BHP) for Canadian fertiliser maker Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan has elicited considerable attention from the Chinese government.
BHP Billiton Ltd (ASX: BHP) chief executive Marius Kloppers said on Wednesday that the federal government should start treating carbon price as revenue neutral since effective measures on carbon emission reduction would mostly lead to considerable cost impact on consumers.
Japan is selling yen to stem a rise that is threatening economic recovery.
Gold mining firm Focus Minerals Ltd said on Wednesday that the company’s annual profit for fiscal 2010 soared by more than 300 percent as its newly-refurbished treatment plant paved the way for better-than-expected output that led to a 50 percent increase on its production rate.
Analysts from Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) said on Wednesday that giant mining firms BHP Billiton Ltd and Rio Tinto Ltd could soon be eclipsed by the soaring iron ore production of Fortescue Metals Group Ltd.
Mark McInnes, former chief executive of Australian department store David Jones Ltd (ASX:DJS), has disposed about a fifth of his shares in the company since his departure in June, in order to raise $1.2 million to settle a tax obligation linked to his hasty exit.
The Australian stockmarket was half a per cent stronger at Wednesday noon, as higher prices for base metals and gold bolstered resources shares.
A slight increase of 0.1 percent in skilled job vacancies was seen in September.
Consumer confidence had a surprising dip in September, according to data released today.
Margaret River producers added its voice to the snowballing opposition on the planned coal mining exploration in the area, apparently convinced that the proposal will eventually lead to the destruction of the local agricultural industry.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey puts Sydney residents as the richest in the country.
Australian conglomerate Woolworths Ltd (ASX: WOW) announced on Wednesday its issuance of up to $US1.25 billion ($A1.33 billion) worth of US bonds that the company said would be utilised to refinance its existing debt facilities.
The mines have been an attraction even for those who glitter in the corporate world.
September 16 marks the sixth month that Clem7 toll tunnel in Brisbane has formally opened its road for vehicular traffic yet its operator, RiverCity Motorway Group (ASX: RCY), was not bent on celebrating the milestone for apparent reasons.
The Challenger Financial Services Group will be reopening its Howard Mortgage Trust and “recommence commercial lending” through a restructuring scheme.
Postgraduate studies may be expensive but the return of investment is great when one returns to the workforce.
Junior mining firm CGA Mining Ltd (ASX: CGX) reported on Wednesday that its Masbate gold venture in central of Philippines has been ramping up the project’s throughput, chalking up consistent gains that surpassed so far earlier projections.
U.S. stocks were mostly slightly lower Tuesday as investors worried about the economy despite better than expected signs from the retail sector that boosted Best Buy, J.C. Penney and Kroger. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 17.64 points, or 0.17%, to 10526.49, its first drop in five sessions.
The Australian Dollar has out-performed the other major currencies over the past week, and this continued last night, with the AUD setting a new 2 year high of 0.9450 following rumours that the US Federal Reserve will announce quantitative easing measures as early as November.
US retail sales rose by 0.4pct in August, above expectations for a 0.3pct gain. Excluding autos, sales were up 0.6pct with food stores and gasoline stations doing best. And US business inventories rose by 1.0pct in July, the largest increase in two years. Stocks are at 14-month highs.
