COMPANIES

Doug Campbell has advised that he will be leaving the National Broadband Network team for personal reasons and retiring at the end of the year.

Leighton Holdings Ltd subsidiary (ASX: LEI) John Holland has snared the contract to deliver works between Glenfield South and Leppington for the South West Rail Link project by the New South Wales Government's Transport Construction Authority (TCA).

Fraud loss on credit cards declined slightly while scams on debit cards increased, the Australian Payments Clearing Association (APCA) Payments Fraud data show.

Several banks in Australia have taken the opportunity to help people affected by flooding.

Media group Fairfax Media Ltd formally announced the resignation of chief executive Brian McCarthy from his position, pushing the media business into an international search for a replacement on the man who served the company for a number of decades.

Virgin Blue Group of Airlines has signed on as joint major sponsor of the Gold Coast Suns for 2011, three weeks after the airline group was named as the official airline and partner of the Australian Football League's (AFL) from next year.

Newcrest Mining (ASX:NCM) temporarily suspended operations in its Bonikro mine in Cote d'Ivoire, after contested elections in that country.

Sigma Pharmaceuticals (ASX: SIP) says it expects its annual wholesaling revenues to decrease by approximately 10 to 15 per cent from February next year, as a result of a decision by one of its major suppliers.

Reports published by a British newspaper over the weekend have suggested that mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd is eyeing Sydney-based Riversdale Mining Ltd for a billion-dollar acquisition deal.

The popularity of fixed term home loans rose in every state during November this year to hit 10.9 per cent of approvals nationally, according to customer data from Mortgage Choice, Australia's largest independently-owned mortgage broker.

MAp Group, formerly Macquarie Airports, announced today that its foreign ownership level has fallen from 37.3 per cent to 37.2 per cent.

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) today announced a recommended and unconditional on-market cash offer for all of the issued and outstanding shares of Impress Energy Ltd (ASX: ITC) that it does not own.

Two giant resources companies are poised to join forces and combine their resources in exploring the mineral riches of China in a joint agreement announced on Friday.

Global miner Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) said today it has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Chinalco to establish a landmark exploration joint venture in China.

Again proving their worth as industry leaders in automotive sales, Toyota Motors and sports utility vehicles led the pack anew in the overall motor vehicle sales in November that slightly boosted Australia’s car market in the month.

Australian contractor John Holland, a wholly owned subsidiary of Leighton Holdings Ltd (ASX: LEI), today announced it has been selected as the preferred proponent for the management of the Country Regional Network (CRN) by the NSW Government's Country Rail Infrastructure Authority.

International miner Equinox Minerals Ltd (TSX and ASX: EQN) said today it intends to declare its recommended takeover offer for Citadel Resource Group Ltd free of all defeating conditions if Equinox receives an interest in Citadel shares of more than 50 per cent on or before 5pm Western Australia Standard Time on December 16, 2010.

Striking an out-of-court settlement on the celebrated sexual harassment case against David Jones Ltd was only appropriate, according to the luxury retailer.

Qantas Airways Ltd is seeking for financial compensation on losses it incurred due to the Airbus engine troubles that hounded the airline’s numerous flights and forced its entire A380 fleet from flying for a number of weeks on November.

The federal government needs to define its exact policy on carbon pricing, skilled immigration concerns and the controversial mining tax in order to lend some level of certainty in the Australian economy.

Australian farm chemicals maker Nufarm Ltd said on Thursday it sees its first-half operating results to return to the black this year, with first-quarter earnings well ahead of the previous corresponding half.

The Trent 900 engine that powers the Airbus A380 superjumbos could be afflicted with manufacturing defects that could lead to engine failure and a potential mid-air disaster.

Retailers would have to double, if not triple, their efforts to get customers through the doors and confident to shop before any Christmas cheer returns to the sector, the industry body said today.

Giant retailer Coles Supermarket has bemoaned of the protracted five days shutdown spread throughout the two-week long holiday break for business establishments this December in South Australia.

Airbus is all set to deliver three freshly-built A380s to Qantas Airways this December and future deliveries, according to the aircraft manufacturer, would be fitted with new engines and meet completion target at the same time.

Thiess, an Australian mining contractor wholly owned by Leighton Holdings Ltd (ASX: LEI), announced today it has won a landmark $5.5 billion mine development and coal mining contract in India.

ESCO Corporation, a global provider of engineered consumable products, announced today the acquisition of all of the issued and outstanding shares of Austcast Pty Ltd in Brisbane, Australia, and its subsidiary Newlcast in Dunedin, New Zealand.

Global miner Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) on Wednesday gave the green light to a further US$1.2 billion investment in its drive to lift annual iron ore production capacity in Western Australia's Pilbara region to 283 million tonnes per annum (Mt/a).

Up to 5000 bank clients of National Australia Bank (NAB) flooded its official website to file damage claims arising from NAB’s computer system glitch that started on Wednesday morning last week and extended onto the early part of the current week.