BUSINESS

DERM heightens inquiry on UCG as Carbon, Linc and Cougar toe the line

Synthetic gas producer Carbon Energy Ltd (ASX: CNX) said on Friday that it is willing to accept any requests for environmental study on its Queensland facility as the state’s Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) had hinted that it may ask for an environmental evaluation of the company’s Blookwood Creek underground coal gasification (UCG) trial plant.

Focus posts rich mining results

West Australian gold miner Focus Minerals (ASX:FML) has reported outstanding results from initial surface reconnaissance sampling at its Treasure Island tenement in Western Australia's eastern goldfields region.
More news

Suncorp’s $125m windfall

Australian finance, insurance, and banking corporation Suncorp-Metway (ASX:SUN) is in line for a windfall of up to $125 million from the sale of its holdings in two car insurance joint ventures, as it attempts to simplify its insurance business and increase returns.

Federal Court grants Arrows’ demerger scheme for Dart Energy

In an apparent preparation for the looming takeover by Royal Dutch Shell and PetroChina, Arrow Energy Ltd (ASX: AOE) has been granted by the Federal Court to spin off its Dart Energy Ltd unit, in which shareholders would be entitled to one Dart shares for every two Arrow shares that they hold.

Geodynamics reveals near validation of geological model

Upcoming geothermal firm Geodynamics Ltd (ASX: GDY) said on Friday that it is close to realising an operating heat exchanger which should affirm the geological model being utilised by the company on its joint venture Innamincka project in South Australia.

Healthscope near final bids

Two competing private equity groups are set to place their final bids on Friday for Australia's second-largest hospital owner Healthscope Ltd (ASX:HSP) in a $US1.6 billion ($A1.8 billion) deal, according to sources.

Oz Housing Outlook Starts To Soften

Westpac has found the majority of Australians believe house prices will rise in the next 12 months, but it's a smaller majority and price expectations have been tempered.

China develops taste for NSW wine

Kristina Keneally, Premier of New South Wales, has made a visit to Shanghai’s Bright Foods Store to see for herself how NSW’s Hunter Valley wine is doing in the Chinese market, currently the fourth biggest export line for Australia’s wine.

David Jones announces new store expansion in Perth

Department store operator David Jones Ltd (ASX:DJS) said on Friday that it has agreed for a 20-year extension of the lease agreement for the company’s Karrinyup outlet in Perth, revealing that the new deal is “on attractive commercial terms in line with the more favourable David Jones leases.”

AXA holds talks with NAB for new deal extension

A joint statement released on Friday by the National Australia Bank Ltd (NAB) and AXA Asia Pacific Holdings (AXA-APH) revealed that the two companies are currently in talks to negotiate the terms of extending the period for NAB to satisfy competition concerns on its $13.3 billion takeover proposal for AXA.

OZ Minerals lifts gold guidance

Miner OZ Minerals (ASX:OZL) has substantially increased its guidance for gold production to 2012 after better than expected output in the June quarter.

Intoll reports solid revenue

Australian toll-road operator Intoll Group (ASX:ITO) has posted strong June quarter revenue and traffic growth on its two toll roads.

World Market Overview

US stock markets pared session losses Thursday to arrive at a mixed finish as the halted flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico offset poor economic data that dampened hopes for a rapid exit from recession.

Earnings: Nufarm In Trouble

Agricultural chemicals supplier Nufarm is in trouble after its shares plunged 28% in trading yesterday after Wednesday...

Coles-Woolworths war continues

Sales figures for Australian supermarket chains Coles and Woolworths (ASX: WOW) will be studied over the next two weeks to measure the effect of the marketing war waged between the two in the last six months.

Royal Queensland Olive Oil Show results

Gold medals have been awarded at the 2010 Royal Queensland Food & Wine Show's Olive Oil Competition, held from 12-13 July at the RNA Showgrounds. Table olives were in competition for the first time, and alongside one of the leading figures in the Australian olive industry, Mrs Margi Kirkby, as c...

OZ Minerals starts underground project in Prominent Hill

Melbourne-based OZ Minerals announced on Thursday that it is set to commence development works on its underground mine at Prominent Hill in South Australia, which is projected to yield an average of 25,000 tonnes of copper and 12,000 tonnes of gold every year.

Fortescue puts 2 WA projects on hold due to MRRT

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (FMG) said on Thursday that lingering reservations on the proposed minerals resource rent tax were holding back the firm’s final decisions on two impending giant projects at Solomon and Western hub in Western Australia.

Pages