Erik Pineda

Automotive retail and logistic specialist Automotive Holdings Group Ltd (ASX: AHE) said on Friday that it saw soaring full year net profit for 2010 which it attributed to the country’s rising trade conditions.

Airport link specialist BrisConnections Management Company Ltd (ASX: BCSCA) said on Friday that construction of the $5.6 billion Brisbane road project is more than fifty percent complete though it added that the company posted a much lower profit for the current full year.

Contract mining firm Macmahon Holdings Ltd (ASX: MAH) revealed on Friday that it has won an $86 million work project to build a train line for Gindalbie Metals Ltd’s Karara iron ore mining site in the mid-west part of Western Australia.

New Zealand’s giant dairy firm Fonterra announced on Friday that company payout for the 2010/11 season would be from $NZ6.90 to $NZ7.10 per kilogram of milk solids, adding that international prices for its products should remain steady on the forecasted period.

Online car marketing apparently picked up more traffic this year as Carsales.com Ltd (ASX: CRZ) reported on Thursday of soaring net profit for the 2009/10, gaining by as much as 41 percent to $43.2 million as of June 30.

Following its Tuesday announcement of a $US38.56 billion or $A42.89 billion takeover bid for Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, international rating agency Standard & Poor’s listed on Thursday BHP Billiton Ltd’s long term issuer credit ratings in CreditWatch.

Diverse company Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) revealed on Thursday that the company gained a 2.8 percent improvement on its 2010 full-year profit, pushing further the Australian conglomerate’s businesses to promising heights for the second half of the year.

The proposed $70 million direct factory outlet near Hobart Airport would push through as planned despite looming possibility that its developer Austexx could be entering receivership soon.

Japanese carmaker Mazda Motor Corp announced on Wednesday that a total of 315,000 Mazda3s and Mazda5s would be recalled in North America to fix the cars’ faulty power-steering system, which the company said could heighten the possibility of crashes.

Retail property specialist Westfield Group (ASX: WDC) said on Wednesday that it has climbed back to profit status, managing to collect $961 million in net profit from the first six months leading to end of June this year.

As construction activities start picking up in the second half of 2010, steel manufacturer OneSteel Ltd (ASX: OST) said on Tuesday that demand growth for the product could be expected for the rest of the year as the company reported that it gained 12 percent full-year profit for 2009/10.

A study by the Australian Farm Institute (AFI) published on Tuesday found that the country’s agricultural sector is suffering from labour shortage of at least 96,000 full-time workers and an additional skill drought of 10,000 part-time workers.

A study by the Australian Farm Institute (AFI) published on Tuesday found that the country’s agricultural sector is suffering from labour shortage of at least 96,000 full-time workers and an additional skill drought of 10,000 part-time workers.

Sports utility vehicles (SUVs) is fast-becoming the car of choice for most Australians and according to the latest data furnished by the Australian Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday, the month of July alone saw some new 20,405 units rolling out of dealers’ outlets.

A group of university economists issued an open letter on Monday praising the Labor-led federal government for its outstanding handling of the Australian economy during the height of the global financial crisis, which they said saved the country from sliding into the pit of recession.

In line with its pursuit of further growth and expansions, telecom company iiNet Ltd (ASX: IIN) announced on Monday that it gained a 2010 full year net profit of 35 percent to $34.55 million, coming from the $25.63 million garnered in the previous corresponding year.

The global economic crisis has spawned a ‘lost generation’ of unemployed youth, which according to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) would be hard up to recover following the two years of worldwide recession.

Giant construction firm Theiss announced on Monday that it is all set to commence initial design and construction activities on the eastern section of New South Wales’ $825 million Hunter Expressway Project.

With most Australians giving their thumbs of approval to Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan’s handling of the economy, Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey downplayed on Monday the latest survey results, stressing that most of those polled were clueless on the true state of the country’s economy.

Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX: VBA) waited three long years, anticipating for the clear sky that never came, and following losses of millions of dollars, the airline company finally gave up on New Zealand as it announced on Monday that it would halt its flights within the country.

Riding on the heels of soaring demands and prices for its product, steelmaker BlueScope Ltd (ASX: BSL) revealed on Monday that it has achieved a full-year profit of $126 million following its loss of $66 million from the previous corresponding period.

Sydney-based Chameleon Mining NL (ASX: CHM) said on Friday that the state’s Supreme Court would be lifting its receivership filed by its Singaporean litigation funder International Litigation Partners (ILP).

South Korea’s Ssangyong Motor is set to be taken over by Indian firm Mahindra & Mahindra as creditors of the troubled company announced on Friday that the utility vehicle specialist edged out competing bidders from France, Japan and India.

Perth-based Kingrose Mining Ltd revealed on Friday that it has poured its first batch of gold and silver bars from its Indonesian mining project in Way Lingo following the site’s year-long development that cost $13.39 million.

Giant energy firm Chevron Corporation revealed on Friday that it has discovered fresh gas deposits on its Carnarvon Basin offshore project in Western Australia where the company is developing two huge liquefied natural gas LNG facilities.

Deputy Prime Minister Wayne Swan said on Friday that the Liberal Party needs to adhere on today’s 5:30pm deadline of submission for their spending commitments but the opposition refused to budge, accusing instead the Treasury as the source of the leak on their policies.

Giant oil company Chevron dismissed on Friday a workers’ union report of a housing ship that allegedly slammed into a barge off the Pilbara coast and endangered the lives of numerous workers aboard the vessel at that time.

Wine maker Australian Vintage Ltd (ASX: AVG) said on Thursday that it has returned to profit status as consumers shifted their preference for branded wines and a sustained cost-reduction scheme earlier implemented conspired to deliver impressive results for the company.

Tollroad operator Transurban Group (ASX: TLC) announced on Thursday its return to profit for the full year 2009/10 as it reported that the company’s net profit as of June 30 reached $59 .605 million.