AUTO

Think the Peel P50 is the smallest car in the world? Guess again.

In the near-future, delivery trucks will land on soccer fields to deliver goods and services to hard-to-reach places.

With a growing global consciousness of environmentalism and carbon footprints, comes the growth and opening of various green industries that haven’t previously had a chance.

BMW Australia is introducing the new BMW X3 xDrive20i variant into the local line-up. It features the new 2.0-litre TwinPower turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

If you could design the next Hollywood movie star car to rival the Back to the Future DeLorean and Steve McQueen’s 1968 Mustang GT from Bullitt, what would it look like?

The ultra-efficient Volkswagen XL1 will become a production reality in 2013.

Owners of cars exposed to the Fukushima radiation are auctioning off the vehicles around Japan after failing to export and decontaminate them.

AFTERNOON REPORT (4.30pm AEDT)Local stocks managed to erase all of yesterday's gains during Tuesday's session, with fear and caution again at the forefront of investors' minds. Overnight, sentiment wasn't helped by negative commentary from Germany's Finance Minister who warned it was unrealistic to expect a definitive solution to the European debt crisis at this weekend's European Union summit.

MIDDAY REPORT (12pm AEDT)The Australian sharemarket is down 1.6 pct or 71.5 pts to 4266.4, effectively wiping out all of yesterday's impressive gains. Markets tumbled overnight due to concerns that the European debt solution might fall short of expectations.

More than half of Australian mid-market companies are not properly prepared for persistent fluctuations in business conditions, according to the inaugural Commonwealth Bank Future Business Index.

It may not be the most gorgeous and powerful car assembled by man but the French-built ‘De Dion-Bouton et Trepardoux Dos-a-Dos Steam Runabout’ fetched a whopping $4.6 million during an auction held Friday last week in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

AFTERNOON REPORT (4.30pm AEDT)The local share market posted its fourth win in a row today, kick-starting the trading week on a positive note. Investor sentiment remained buoyant after German and French leaders agreed to do all that is necessary to secure the recapitalisation of European banks. Share markets around the Asian region were generally positive, despite ratings agency Fitch cutting the credit ratings of Italy and Spain. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) gained 37.3pts or 0.9pct to 42...

The Australian sharemarket is surprisingly holding up very well despite a fall in U.S shares on Friday. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) is up 1.1 pct or 46.4 pts to 4271.4, adding to the 3.8 pct gains recorded last week.

The share market rally continued today, with local stocks gaining for the third session in a row. Investor optimism was boosted by strong gains in the US and Europe overnight after the European Central Bank announced new measures to provide cash strapped banks with liquidity.

Australian shares leapt the most in almost three years as investor sentiment improved on renewed optimism a solution is near at hand for the Eurozone debt crisis. The local market opened more than one per cent stronger after Wall Street surged for its second straight day, then eased slightly after midday but soared in the last hour of trading. By the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had reached its highest level since September 21, rising 143.4 points, or 3.65 per cent to 4,069.9 and the br...

The Australian share market closed 0.6 per cent lower, with investors starting to hope that the central bank would cut interest rates for the first time in a year next month. The local bourse opened almost one per cent down on a weak lead from Wall Street overnight. By the close on Tuesday both major local indices had made back some of their early losses, with the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index down 24.9 points, or 0.64 per cent, at 3,872.1 and the broader All Ordinaries index dropped 25.1 points, o...

AFTERNOON REPORT (4.30pm AEST)The Australian share market ended what has been another volatile week on a flat note, despite attempting a rally in early trade. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) added 2.2pts or 0.1pct to 4070.1 while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) firmed by 0.3pts to 4008.6.

AFTERNOON REPORT (4.30pm AEST)The recent rally on the Australian share market came to an abrupt end today, although the losses weren't overly significant or surprising. US and European markets closed in the red overnight, as investors looked to square their books ahead of the end of the month and end of the September quarter. A lack of concrete and decisive action from European leaders also frustrated investors. The Australian market, which has gained around 4.5pct over the past couple o...

(4.30pm AEST)Investor confidence remained strong today, with the local market managing to hold onto and add to yesterday's 3.5pct gain. Markets around the Asian region were generally firmer, after the Greek parliament approved a contentious property tax law which is crucial to its austerity plan and its commitments to secure bail-out funds. The local share market lost a little steam in afternoon trade but closed higher by 0.8pct, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) adding 34.2pts to 4097....

MIDDAY REPORT (12pm AEST)The Australian sharemarket is gaining for the second straight day with the ASX 200 index (XJO) up 0.5 pct or 20.5 pts to 4025.1 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) is also 0.5 pct or 22.2 pts higher to 4085.7. Shares improved by 3.5 pct yesterday, breaking three consecutive sessions of losses.

AFTERNOON REPORT (4.30pm AEST)The Australian share market snapped a three day losing streak today, rallying by 3.5pct as investor sentiment was boosted by hopes European leaders will announce fresh measures to address the sovereign debt crisis. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) added 135.9pts to 4063.5, after touching an intra-day high of 4049. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) firmed by 140.7pts or 3.6pct to 4004.6.

MIDDAY REPORT (12pm AEST)As expected, the Australian share market is wiping out yesterday's falls with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) up 2.9 pct or 114.9 pts to 4042.5. Keep in mind that despite the improvement, the market locally has still lost ground for five of the past seven sessions.

Nexteer Australia has received government funding of $63 million to help develop and manufacture its innovative lightweight technology and create more than 250 jobs in Australia.

AFTERNOON REPORT (4.30pm AEST)The local share market has finished the trading week on a positive note, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) adding 7.6pts or 0.2pct to 4277.4 and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) firmer by 6.7pts or 0.2pct to 4194.7.

Swedish Automobile N.V. (Swan) has announced that Saab Automobile AB and its subsidiaries Saab Automobile Powertrain AB and Saab Automobile Tools AB (collectively Saab Automobile) filed for voluntary reorganization with the District Court in Vänersborg, Sweden.

Toyota was Australia's best selling brand in August as the industry's vehicle sales went up 7.3% month-on-month. On a year-to-date basis however, auto sales in Australia is still down 4.4 %

MARKET CLOSE (4.30pm AEST)The Australian sharemarket lost ground for the second time this week, with the ASX 200 index (XJO) falling 1.2 pts or 52.7 pts to 4251.2 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) dropped 1.2 pct or 52.4 pts to 4319.4. This takes the falls for August so far to 4 pct.

MARKET CLOSE (4.30pm AEST)The Australian sharemarket pulled back in the second half of trade to wipe out a portion of yesterday's stellar gains. The ASX 200 index (XJO) fell 0.8 pct or 35.6 pts to 4247.3 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) dropped 0.7 pct or 29.5 pts to 4317.3.

MARKET CLOSE (4.30pm AEST)The ASX 200 index (XJO) rose 2.6 pct or 110.3 pts to 4282.9 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) is up 2.6 pct or 108.9 pts to 4346.8. All sectors managed to post solid gains today, with the energy and mining sectors leading the way.