Tech giant Apple has struck a deal with major publishers in Europe but the European Commission (EC) is reportedly looking into the fine prints of the e-book agreement following allegations of price fixing.
Qatar, currently the world's top liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter at 77 million tonnes per year, stands to benefit the most from the continuing upsurge of LNG prices in the immediate and medium term in the Asia-Pacific Region.
Australian shares gained at the open of trade, The All Ordinaries index rose 35points to 4,357. After U.S. market tracked higher overnight, concerns about the European debt situation are still floating around but a sense of calm has hit the Australian markets today.
The Western Australian (WA) government approved Ichthys $30-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in the state. It would be the first Japanese LNG development scheduled to start in early 2012.
With Europe, China's most important market for exports, already hitting recession, crippled by its countries' maddening debt troubles, the world's second-largest economy may have to consider revising its current trade policies.
China's state-owned steel maker Shougang Group, together with Malaysia's local steel maker Hiap Teck Venture Berhad, will build a $574.25 million integrated steel mill in Malaysia through a joint venture.
A Japanese whale hunting vessel set off Tuesday for the Antarctic seas beefed up by Coast Guard patrol boats in anticipation of another fierce interference from Sea Shepherd's anti-whaling ships and activists.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard bared that a task force has been formed to deal with the kidnapping of a citizen in southern Philippines.
The WA Department of Mines and Petroleum has finally given its stamp of approval to Inpex Corp. of Japan to push the development of its $30 billion Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project off WA's north. A final decision on whether to begin construction within weeks to early next year is expected to materialize.
Australia expects a strong summer harvest of 43.3 million tonnes crops, the Australian Crop Report released on Tuesday forecast.
Woodside Petroleum said on Wednesday that there would be no delay on its $30-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Western Australia (WA) despite an adverse court decision.
Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. will slash production capacity by almost 50 per cent next year at its Empire mine, rendering full-year 2012 production volume to fall to approximately 2.7 million tonnes, down from expected production volume of about 4.6 million tonnes this year.
More could be lost rather than gained unless the government of Ghana reconsiders the planned tariff increases on its mining sector, an industry executive said.
After six sessions of gains, the local share market ran out of puff today. European debt woes were again the focal point for investors, and a key reason the Reserve Bank moved to cut interest rates for the second month in a row. The RBA cited that "the sovereign credit and banking problems in Europe, to which European governments are still seeking to craft a full response, are likely to weigh on economic activity there over the period ahead," as a reason to move the official cash rate lowe...
Mortgage applications filed and processed in Australia went up dramatically in November, according to mortgage broking firm, the Australian Finance Group (AFG) . AFG has registered an 18.4% increase in mortgages processed in November worth an estimated $2.9 billion.
Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has filled up the upcoming board vacancies in the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), naming personalities that experts said know their way on the ins and outs of the financial world.
Global frenzy for gold, considered by many as a safe haven to guard one's personal fiscal health, still has a long way to go.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has decided to slash rates further, pegging the country's benchmark rates to 4.25 percent.
The legal counsels of parties arrested during Occupy Sydney demonstrations are elevating the charges to the High Court for an ultimate ruling.
India, still hot from winning a successful bid to develop the 1.8-billion ton Hajigak iron-ore reserves in Afghanistan in November, is poised yet again to make a business proposition, this time, to develop the country's Aynak copper deposits.
Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull asked Opposition leader Tony Abbott to allow coalition MPs to vote according to their conscience on the same-sex marriage bill. Mr Abbott has not ruled out a conscience vote, but said he will come out with a decision when he reads the legislation.
Overnight US market closed higher after a mid-session glitch that saw the index slide over 50points on the news that the Financial Times, out of London, had reported the rating agency Standard's & Poor's was likely to cut 6 key European nations AAA credit ratings. After the initial shock the market turned higher. Dow Jones Index and NASDAQ both ended stronger.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had conceded defeat in the $215-million Metcash purchase of Franklins Supermarkets. After a prolonged legal battle, a Federal Court judge ruled last week in favour of Metcash despite opposition by the competition regulator.
Peruvian President Ollanta Humala has placed four northern highland provinces under a state of emergency to stop violent protests against a U.S. mining firm that injured dozens of people and forced an airport to shut down.
When the March 2011 earthquake struck Japan and ruined its Fukushima nuclear power plants, not only did it make a global impact on the use and safety of nuclear power plants and accompanying environmental and health hazards, it also altered world market dynamics in the supplies and prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG). And as nations grow more increasingly alarmed and concerned over the planet's rising changing global weather patterns, it is not surprising that many will venture into the us....
Federal Court Justice Michelle Gordon, in a landmark decision on Monday, ruled that late payment fees on credit card charged by the ANZ Bank are considered penalties and is a breach of contract on the part of the customer.
Australian indicators point to a stable economy yet the pressures emitted from Europe may convince the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to implement another rate reduction when its board reconvenes today.
Standard & Poor's placed 15 euro nations on review for a possible downgrade of their credit rating. Included in the review are Germany, France, Austria, Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg which all have AAA credit ratings, but could be cut by one notch.
Bell FX Currency Outlook:
The AUD is slightly stronger this morning after news filtered out of Europe that plans for a new treaty and fiscal rules in the region has been agreed upon.
From Craig James, Commsec Chief EconomistMORNING REPORT (8.00am AEDT) The US ISM services index fell from 52.9 to 52.0 in November - the lowest level in almost two years (January 2010). While new orders rose, the employment reading fell. Any reading above 50 indicates expansion of the services sector. Meanwhile US factory orders fell 0.4pct in October, in line with forecasts.
