BUSINESS

Bankers today cautioned Australian customers about a recurring telephone survey scam which is using an organisation's name in an attempt to defraud bank customers.

An increasing number of Australians are shifting from personal loans to credit cards, particularly for lower sums, a new report by an independent market analyst shows.

Australian manufacturing activity contracted in November due to the ongoing impact of the strong Australian dollar, rising interest rates and skill shortages, new data show.

Flamboyant Virgin Group owner Richard Branson has decided to re-enter the media business via the glossy electronic magazine Project, which is exclusively intended for the iPad and purportedly targeting millions of audience currently owning the now ubiquitous Apple gadget.

Median property prices in Brisbane continue to drop for the fifth month in a row with a 0.2 percent slide in October.

U.S. stocks wavered between small gains and losses Tuesday as investors tried to reconcile continued worries over the European sovereign debt crisis with encouraging data on U.S. manufacturing and consumer confidence.

The AUD has opened lower this morning as investors move out of risk for safe haven assets such as the USD.

The Australian dollar is struggling to hold its own above 96 cents of late as economic headlines are dominated by risk.

US consumer confidence rose from 49.9 to 54.1 in November - ahead of market expectations and its highest reading in five months. The expectations index also rose to a six month high.

National city home prices rose in the country by 0.3 percent after a 0.1 percent rise but growth is expected to slow down when the Reserve Bank's rate hike in November affects the market says RPData-Rismark.

Australian national grocery, liquor and hardware wholesaler, distributor and marketer, Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS) has lifted earnings before interest, tax and amortisation (EBITA) 7.7 per cent from $184.9 million to $199.4 million for the six months to October 31, 2010.

ACT shift workers are now set to celebrate Christmas Day with their loved ones as the ACT government officially declared that December 25, which falls on a Saturday, is a public holiday.

The Australian share market slid on Europe's sovereign debt woes and lower commodity prices, with the energy sector one of the few bright spots.

Shoppers be warned as ‘fresh produce’ sitting on Australian supermarkets shelves could have been there for almost a year, with the consumer advocacy group Choice calling on consumers to be vigilant on their shopping trips.

Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) governor Glenn Stevens confirmed that the Australian economy is facing the prospect of dealing with a rising national income, thanks to the resurging resources boom, yet he warned that the surplus run must be utilised to further shore up the savings account of the federal government.

Budget carrier Jetstar has decided to reduce the frequency of its service flights between Darwin and Singapore and business leaders in the Northern Territory appears less than amused with the surprise move made by the airline.

House prices remain concerning even with a bounceback in dwelling approvals in October. Government action is needed to remove supply-side impediments that will otherwise have dire consequences for housing affordability, according to Australia's peak body for the building and construction industry.

Mixed economic indicators in the September quarter appear to deliver contrasting impacts on the upcoming gross domestic product (GDP) report this mid-week as rising government expenditures are expected to add up on the GDP figures while retreating export volumes are anticipated to detract some percentage points from the national account.

Australia' total number of dwellings approved jumped 9.3 per cent in October 2010, after falling for six consecutive months in seasonally adjusted terms, Building Approvals data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed today.

One of Melbourne’s prime retail spaces located in the central business district will be up for public auction on December 15, 2010.

Local stocks have followed global markets into the red today, on worries Europe's debt crisis could worsen.

National current account deficit rose $2,417m to $7,830m in the September quarter 2010, new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show.

Prime Adelaide retail area, Rundle Mall, has seen rent for their top spaces increase by 26 percent compared to September 2007 figures.

Short-term forecasts for Sydney's north shore predict that vacancy figures will slowly decline because of increasing demand coupled with low supply according to a report made by commercial real estate services firm CB Richard Ellis in its Sydney Metropolitan Office MarketView.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd admitted a rise on the cost of its Pluto Foundation LNG Project and a bit delay on the commencement of the facility’s production activity.

New Zealand should now be able to resume apple exports for the first time since 1921 to its biggest trading partner after the World Trade Organization top court ruled on Monday that Australia's 89-year-old ban on imports of Kiwi apples are unscientific and break international trade rules.

Six days after a system glitch that delayed millions of transactions, National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) said on Tuesday it has corrected all affected accounts.

With a lack of price sensitive information released during the offshore session last night, the AUD has weakened as lingering fears of debt contagion in Europe saw risk aversion trading come into play and investors reduce their holdings in the riskier AUD.

Brisbane City Council has received a proposal to build a 32-storey hotel in the central business district addressing the city's lack of quality hotel rooms compared to Sydney.