COMPANIES

Ford and Toyota have separately announced production suspension at their plants in the Philippines due to parts shortages

Asian regional markets are mixed in the last hours of trading in Australia, Singapore, and Japan as investors kept a "wait and see" attitude and bearish sentiments spilled from European and U.S. markets.

Australian insurance companies sent their key officials to London last week to meet with sponsors and urge them to renew their July reinsurance contracts.

Citi has appointed Scott Southall to the role of Head of Global Transaction Services (GTS) for Australia and New Zealand.

Microsoft Bing is seen overtaking Google as more users are making the switch to the Bing powered research on the Internet.

Australian brand development powerhouse, lime door brands has signed a global deal with international burlesque star and fashion icon Dita Von Teese.

The Australian and International Pilots Association (AIPA) is seeking clarification from Qantas management on behalf of the travelling public over whether the QF50, which made an emergency landing at Sydney airport today, was actually a Qantas flight or not.

Anglo-Australian miner Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) says its operations were affected by ongoing weather-related issues during the first quarter.

Australian renewable energy company, CBD Energy (ASX: CBD), has disclosed to the ASX it would finalise its joint venture with two of China's largest renewable energy companies and pursue A$6-billion worth of renewable energy projects in the coming years.

A key measure of Australian consumer confidence bounced modestly in April as people grew more optimistic on the economy for the year ahead and felt better placed to buy major household items.

To secure Australia energy supply requirements, the government has declared its largest area for offshore petroleum exploration in more than a decade.

The Australian dollar’s upsurge has affected Foster’s beer business, subjecting the company to a shareholders’ vote by month end that will divide the company into halves. SABMIller shows interest on the great divide.

Workers at the Royal Dutch Shell BV's fuel refinery at Clyde and Gore Bay Terminal in Greenwich, Sydney, NSW are in danger of losing their jobs as the company would likely convert its facility to a fuel import terminal.

An Australia-wide research study into fraud committed by bookkeepers has revealed new evidence of the size of the problem and its devastating impact.

Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) says it has entered into agreements with Shell Development (Australia) Pty Ltd to bring Shell into the Chevron-operated Wheatstone Project as a natural gas supplier and equity participant.

After completing a major review of its operations and asset base which has resulted in a revision of the profit forecast for the 2010/11 financial year, Leighton Holdings Ltd (ASX: LEI) says the group now expects to report a loss of $427 million for the financial year versus its previous guidance for a profit of $480 million after tax.

Australians are missing out on more than $4 billion in unpaid interest annually by placing their money in low-interest bearing accounts, according to new data released today.

Australia is closely watched by other countries in the Asia-Pacific as to how it will implement a very tough anti-smoking law that seeks to discourage the habit and promote a more healthy lifestyle.

Barely a month after his announced retirement from the Macquarie Group, chairman David Clarke has succumbed to his lingering illness today at age 69.

Toyota Australia has lowered the price of its Prius petrol-electric range as hybrid technology begins to enter the mainstream.

NBN Co says it is on track for the September commencement of commercial super-fast broadband services with the signing of the first retail service providers to connect to the new network for trials on mainland Australia.

Anglo-Australian Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) says it has given the go ahead to spending US$238 million to advance a feasibility study for extending the life of Kennecott Utah Copper’s Bingham Canyon Mine in Salt Lake City, and for the purchase of related long-lead time equipment.

Mining experts are convinced that the global supply deficit could further push copper prices higher until the year 2013 to the benefit of mining companies world-wide, mining experts attending the CRU World Copper conference in Sanitago, Chile said today.

Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC) and The Export-Import Bank of China (China Eximbank) have signed an agreement to promote close cooperation.

A security breach at the Qantas domestic terminal in the Melbourne Airport has prompted the evacuation of passengers this morning causing some delays for thousands of passengers.

Australia's Rio Tinto Mining Ltd has strengthened its bid obtaining 49.49 percent of all the shares of Riversdale Mining Limited (Riversdale), the company announced late Wednesday.

Microsoft and Toyota Motor Corp. (TMC) have finalized an agreement to infuse digital capabilities into the Japanese auto maker's cars hosted in the Internet "cloud."

Global miner Rio Tinto Group (ASX: RIO) says its wholly-owned subsidiary Rio Tinto Jersey Holdings 2010 Ltd (RTJ) has obtained an interest in 49.49 per cent of all the shares of Riversdale Mining Ltd as of a short time ago

Australian telco giant Telstra (ASX: TLS) says it is launching a new high-speed mobile Wi-Fi hotspot to enable Australians to connect multiple mobile devices to the internet when they’re on the go.