MARKETS

Coal producing miners better get their act together and prepare this early for a possible weather disturbance of a returning La Niña.

Minutes from the last US Federal Reserve meeting highlighted that Fed officials discussed a fresh round of bond purchases among other tools to stimulate activity. However officials seemed to be holding back from a third round of QE. The minutes reiterated that the Fed had become a lot more concerned about the economic outlook.

U.S. blue-chip stocks drove higher Wednesday, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average into positive territory for 2011 as investors grew optimistic about plans to recapitalize euro-zone banks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 192 points, or 1.7%, to 11609 in afternoon trading, while the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index climbed 22 points, or 1.9%, to 1218 and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 41 points, or 1.6%, to 2624.

The recent rally on the share market came to an end today, with the share market posting its first loss in six sessions. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) eased by ..pts or ..pct to ... while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) fell ..pts or ..pct to .. The XAO gained 8.9pct between last Tuesday and yesterday's close.

Asia-Pacific trading of gold futures climbed higher Wednesday after Slovakia's rejection of the improvements to the European Financial Stability Facility.

The worsening economic outlook in developed countries has pushed the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries to slash its global oil demand growth projections.

Oil futures dropped for the first day in the New York Mercantile Exchange, cracking a six-day longest gains run this year.

The Australian sharemarket is pulling back for the first time this week, with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) down 1 pct or 42.2 pts to 4246.6. Most sectors are lower, with the miners the worst performers in percentage terms.

The crude-oil output by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) fell in September, as member-nations Saudi Arabia and Nigeria voluntarily decreased production.

By Alexander Green, Investment U's Chief Investment StrategistIn his new book, The Great Crash Ahead, self-styled "economic futurist" Harry Dent warns equity investors to cup their groins.

It was seven months to the day yesterday since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in northeastern Japan, which then triggered the Fukushima nuclear crisis and crunched the economy.

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 16 points or 0.1% while the S&P was steady at 1195 and the Nasdaq gained 0.7%.

U.S. stocks bounced between small gains and losses a day after the Dow Jones Industrial Average posted its biggest advance in two months. The Dow shed 16 points, or 0.1%, to 11417, in Tuesday afternoon trading, following a 330-point surge Monday.

US chain store sales rose by 4.8 per cent in the latest week compared with a year earlier according to Redbook Research but sales so far in October were down 0.6 per cent on September.

The British Chamber of Commerce (BBC) described that the economy of the UK started weakening during the third quarter of 2011 and is now displaying signs of declining further.

The local share market made it five wins in a row today, notching up the longest string of advances since early April. Hopes European leaders are closer to a long-lasting solution to the sovereign debt crisis gave investors a positive offshore lead, while sentiment was also boosted by a pick-up in business conditions and confidence, and ahead of the US reporting season which kicks off tonight. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose 26.5pts or 0.6pct to 4288.8 while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) added...

Analysts and individual investors may be caught in an instant frenzy whenever there's a decline posted in the prices of commodities, but the low rates are attractive enough leading to higher transport costs to stockpile on these commodity products.

Despite the solid rebound in market confidence last week (well, up to Friday night in the US), the European debt problems haven't gone away.

MetaQuotes Software Corp. today launched its new mobile trading platform MetaTrader 5 Android, which allows users to trade on financial markets even when away from their desktop computers.

The Australian sharemarket is gaining for the fifth straight day with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) up 0.6 pct or 24.1 pts to 4286.4. Despite the improvement, shares gave away some of their earlier gains as the XAO was up 1 pct after half an hour of trade.

- FOREX.com expects further deterioration in global growth outlook- Risk aversion levels will thus also remain elevated- US dollar, yen and Swiss franc may strengthen on risk aversion- Risk assets such as commodities unlikely to be favouredBy Chris ShawEntering the final quarter of 2011, FOREX.

By Greg PeelWhen we talk of talk of "the uranium spot price", we talk of the "U3O8 equivalent" price. However, not all traded and consumed "uranium" is in the form of U3O8, with UF6 being another molecular form.

By Christopher Vecchio, Junior Currency AnalystTalks between French and German leaders have led to a wave of parliamentary action across the Euro-zone's members to expand the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF).

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 330 points or 3.0% while the S&P jumped 3.4% to 1194 and the Nasdaq soared 3.

The ongoing economic debacle in Greece is becoming more costly for the nation’s population.

Gold prices regained its footing on Monday posting a 1 percent uptick upon announcement that France and Germany are fast tracking updated fiscal strategies to alleviate the debilitating debt crisis affecting the Eurozone. The spot gold price is predicted to float between $1,596 and $1,677 during the day.

Renewable energy is poised to grow faster than other electric generating alternatives, accounting for nearly one-third of the world's electric generating capacity by the end of 2035, with China and India projected to consume one-half of that energy growth. The burgeoning prices of crude oil and populist concerns over climate change are also seen to boost the shift to use cheaper and cleaner fuels.

First it was Standard & Poor's, then a fleet of private economists; finally it was the IMF delivering the bad news that everyone knows: developed Europe is in trouble and the various economies are sliding towards a new recession.

In the current economic climate organisations cannot afford to relax their search for talent - it's a case of secure the best and brightest, or have yours taken.