Esther Tanquintic-Misa

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

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.

China, the world's biggest consumer of iron ore raw material, on Monday launched its own iron ore price index in a bid to gain a foothold in the global pricing of the raw commodity.

Older women might want to rethink before drinking that multivitamin pill, as a study by the Archives of Internal Medicine revealed taking multivitamins, folic acid, iron and other supplements increases death risks.

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.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees has endorsed the proposed Malaysia swap plan in a boost for the Australian government.

Global prices of copper and uranium are likely to go down in the coming years as is expected from the oversupply that will be boosted by the planned expansion of Australia's Olympic Dam by global mining company BHP Billiton Ltd.

Even the high-flying corporate executives of Australia had been hit by the global fiscal crisis affecting most companies and firms to downsize their operational costs.

Spurred by the death of its founder five days ago, Apple's yet to be launched iPhone 4S is practically off the shelves and sold off the Australian market as consumers take aim of the gadget more as a last hold on the memory of Steve Jobs.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is keeping a close watch on the country's major supermarket chains, airports and the telecommunications sector to ensure these service providers do not abuse their market power in the delivery of their services to the paying public.

Have skis. But where's the snow?The Australian government and populace may need to consider diverting some of its focus from staging a continuous mining boom to augment its economic stability, to laying down immediate strategies to curb global warming if it wants to save its world-renowned Australian Alps.

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.

Negligence and ignorance of Zambian labor laws by Chinese mining firms had pricked the temper of Zambian president Michael Sata, in spite admitting Chinese investments are helping his country move towards economic growth and stability.

Extract Resources Ltd. is poised for a major investor confidence boost this week as share prices already climbed 10 percent Monday morning amid reports that China Guangdong Nuclear Power Corp (CGNPC) had re-opened talks to acquire Extract's biggest shareholder, Kalahari Minerals, even as CGNPC had earlier stated it is not keen to a takeover bid into the Perth-based miner.

Copper prices are expected to rebound in six weeks. In a survey of 15 respondents by Bloomberg, 10 copper traders and analysts see the prices of the commodity growing by next week, while five others forecast a fall. The survey is the most bullish reading taken on the commodity since August.

The mining industry is caught in a web of regulators' rift as the Australian Securities Exchange and Joint Ore Reserves Committee clash over whose reporting standards should be followed.

The Asian and Australian operations of the Fitness First gym chain has been put up on the sale market for $1 billion.

Small- and medium-sized Australian businesses stand to gain a hold in the country's future fiscal policies and regulations with the launch of a non-profit organization governing body.

In what seems to be a sudden change of minds, the government of Mongolia had abandoned its plan to acquire a larger stake allocation in the Oyu Tolgoi copper-gold project, ultimately boosting the share prices of its developers, global miners Rio Tinto PLC and Ivanhoe Mines Ltd.

Lack of appropriate funding from Melbourne state has forced the Box Hill Hospital to reduce the volume of its elective surgery by 8 percent this year, forcing the closure of an operating theatre and a 32-bed ward.

Qantas Airlines has finalized a $9 billion deal to purchase 110 of Airbus's A320 aircraft as it gears for its expansion plans into Asia.

Australia better get its mining regulation and investment policies in perfect shape and order as well as skilled manpower to the double as global coal demand is seen to be bolstered not only by China, but coal hungers from India as well.

The average Australian has ceased being productive compared to a decade ago, in spite of longer lifespan, better education and higher income.

A website targeting to attract workers to Australia's mining industry has been launched as the promise of making at least 750,000 new jobs in the next 20 years will follow Australia's metals and minerals boom.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard joined the list of Chiefs of nations condoling with the world on the demise of Steve Jobs, honoring the latter as an "incredible global innovator."

At least 22 safety issues were uncovered in a forced safety audit being conducted at the $5.6 billion worth Brisbane Airport Tunnel Link.

Shares of coal miner New Hope Corp. spiked on Monday by as much as 14.6 percent after it announced it had received "a number of preliminary and incomplete proposals from third parties" interested on a prospective takeover of the company.

International investors wanting to study possible metals and minerals investment projects in Australia but don't know where to find ample information may now turn to the Australia Metals & Minerals Industry Wall Map - 1st Edition.