A new legislation passed into Parliament focuses on supporting Australians with disability in terms of finding work. This new legislation entitled The Social Security and Other Legislation Amendment (Disability Support Pension Participation Reforms) Bill 2012 introduces new participation requirements for Disability Support Pension (DSP) recipients who are capable to be employed. The bill also highlighted a much flexible law that allows DSP recipients to work for at least 30 hours a week and stil...
Mary Elaine Ramos
Feb 17, 2012
The Australian sharemarket had its worst day of 2012 today, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slumping by 1.6 pct or 70.2 pts to 4257.2. It was also one of the busiest days on the local market this month with around $5.8 billion worth of shares exchanging hands throughout the session.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 16, 2012
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) Chief Executive Ian Narev said on Thursday that the bank is not ruling out an independent interest rate cut if global financial conditions would improve.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 16, 2012
The raging two-year drought that continues to affect Chile has made copper producers concerned as to how to source electricity generation to adequately support their operational requirements.
Esther Tanquintic-Misa
Feb 16, 2012
The raging two-year drought brought by La Niňa that continues to affect Chile has made copper producers concerned as to how to source power generation to adequately support their operational requirements.
Esther Tanquintic-Misa
Feb 16, 2012
The Australian share market lost ground from the open of trade today, in line with falls on the U.S. markets overnight. All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 1.5 pct or 64.4pts to 4263 at lunchtime. All market sectors were in the red with the biggest slides occurring in the S&P/ASX 200 Materials sector off 2.17 pct and the best performing sector of the day being the S&P/ASX 200 Telecom Services sector helped by market heavy weight, Telstra Corporation Limited (TLS) up $0.02 to $3.43 cents a share a...
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 16, 2012
Tuning out the uncertainty cast by the Greek debt default and further quantitative easing in the U.S. will be difficult for the local Aussie markets to overcome on Thursday as profit-taking dominates in the early hours of trade and signalling a sluggish start.
Christine Gaylican
Feb 16, 2012
Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian dollar edged its way towards USD1.0800 during yesterday's local session but is back down under USD1.0700 this morning.
Christine Gaylican
Feb 16, 2012
U.S. stocks were on pace for their steepest fall of the year, as questions about the latest Greek bailout added to concerns about industrial stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled 111 points, or 0.9%, to 12768, in late Wednesday afternoon, after rising for five out of the past six days.
Christine Gaylican
Feb 16, 2012
The Australian sharemarket was trading in the red until some upbeat comments from the head of China's central bank gave the market a boost. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose by 0.2 pct or 8.5 pts to 4327.4. Most sectors gained some ground, however the miners and health care stocks held the market back.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 15, 2012
India, in a bid to support government revenues in light of a deepening and stretching fiscal deficit, plans to sell some of its interests in state-run firms, Dow Jones Newswires reported, quoting an unnamed senior official connected with India's finance ministry.
Esther Tanquintic-Misa
Feb 15, 2012
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) ordered on Tuesday giant telco Telstra Corporation to reduce the wholesale pricing of its asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) service.
Erik Pineda
Feb 15, 2012
Australia has further improved on the social condition of its indigenous population four years after the country expressed its deep regret over the disadvantages suffered by the nation's original settlers.
Erik Pineda
Feb 15, 2012
Indian Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee admitted that the country's inflation rate is still at a high and hopes that it could lower in March.
Esther Tanquintic-Misa
Feb 15, 2012
The Australian stock market on Wednesday will try to put away the lacklustre sentiments generated by the U.S. and European indices overnight with a focus on a few earnings reports due to be released today.
Christine Gaylican
Feb 15, 2012
Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian dollar traded in a choppy fashion overnight, in sync with its European counterpart, after yesterday's sovereign ratings downgrades by Moodys.
Christine Gaylican
Feb 15, 2012
From MORRISON SECURITIES PTY. LTD:
U.S. stocks fell Tuesday as investors considered weaker-than-expected retail sales data and watched for progress in Europe over Greece's debt.
Christine Gaylican
Feb 15, 2012
Shareholders of Murchison Metals have approved on Monday the sale of the company's 50 percent interest hold in the Jack Hills iron ore mine and its affiliated Oakajee Port and Rail project in Western Australia to joint venture partner, Mitsubishi Corp of Japan. The deal was worth A$325 million ($347 million).
Esther Tanquintic-Misa
Feb 14, 2012
An undisclosed company has offered a A$165 million ($177 million)takeover bid to WestSide Corporation, one of many coal-seam gas (CSG) exploration companies in Australia's Queensland state, effectively prompting shares of the company to jack up on Tuesday.
Esther Tanquintic-Misa
Feb 14, 2012
The Australian market wiped out yesterday's gains and fell 0.9 pct or 40.5 pts to 4318.9. Yesterday, global markets performed well following the Greek parliament's decision to pass tough new austerity measures.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 14, 2012
The 88-year-old grandstand at the only historic cricket ground in Wellington has been marked with an 'earthquake prone' warning by the city council. The Basin Reserve grandstand is now being assessed to find out the extent of work needed to make it safer in the event of an earthquake.
Arlene Paredes
Feb 14, 2012
Nickel miner Western Areas reported on Tuesday a 64 per cent decline in its first half net profit due to lower prices of the commodity. From July to December 2011, the firm logged a $24.1 million net profit, down from $67.2 million compared to the same period a year ago.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 14, 2012
Despite the prospect of defeat meeting their initiatives, two Australian lawmakers introduced separate bills on Monday supporting the federal legislation of gay union in the country.
Erik Pineda
Feb 14, 2012
Korea Gas Corp (KOGAS), South Korea's state-run gas company, announced on Monday it would be importing in 2012 a total of 36.46 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG), or 1.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas, presumably to ensure a steady and constant supply of the commodity for domestic purposes.
Esther Tanquintic-Misa
Feb 14, 2012
Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced on Tuesday an ambitious 20-year plan that aims to double the city's economy to $217 billion by 2031. The growth, which includes boosting job creation, would ride on the back of the state's resources boom.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 14, 2012
Prime Minister Julia Gillard insisted on Tuesday that her acceptance speech was not prepared two weeks before she assumed the post vacated by Kevin Rudd, belying an earlier interview that suggested otherwise.
Erik Pineda
Feb 14, 2012
While hundreds of jobs continue to be shed across Australia since the start of February as businesses complain of the strong currency and weak consumer confidence, workers in Holden would enjoy up to a 22 per cent wage increase spread over the next three years.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 14, 2012
Rising funding costs prompted major Australian banks to lift their mortgage rates despite the freeze on cash rate imposed last week by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).
Erik Pineda
Feb 14, 2012
National Australia Bank (NAB) and Commonwealth Bank on Monday joined ANZ Bank and Westpac in raising their interest rates. That means the big four had decided to be independent of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) overnight cash rate decisions.
Vittorio Hernandez
Feb 14, 2012
Bell FX Currency Outlook:
The AUD rallied yesterday after the Greek Parliament passed the austerity measures required by the European Commission, but failed to breach 1.0800.
Christine Gaylican
Feb 14, 2012
