Sharon Olalia

CSR Ltd (ASX:CSR) Australia's biggest sugar milling company, says the Overseas Investment Office (OIO) in New Zealand has given the greenlight for the sale of its sugar division to an overseas buyer.

Global miner Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) is to invest in its Canadian aluminium smelters to improve production efficiency through modernisation and expansion.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) today confirmed executing sale and purchase agreements with the NSW government to acquire the retail businesses of Integral Energy and Country Energy, and entering into GenTrader arrangements with Eraring Energy, for $3.25 billion.

Oil and gas explorer Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) has secured majority control of Impress Energy Limited (ASX: ITC) by lifting its relevant interest in Impress to above 50 per cent.

The sharp fall of national dwelling commencements in the September quarter reinforces the urgent need for governments to address supply side policy failures, according to the peak building and construction industry association.

The Australian government's banking reform package failed to address lack of competition in the banking sector, the lobby group for non-bank lenders says.

PanAust Ltd (ASX:PNA) today increased its production guidance for 2010 to approximately 67,000 tones of copper at an average cash cost of less than US$0.90/lb of copper after precious metal credits, estimated from 60,000oz of gold and 500,000oz of silver in concentrate.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) said it is fixing the late processing of accounts, which has left some retail and business customers unable to access accounts.

Boosting competition alone will not satisfactorily address banking issues, the Finance Sector Union today told a Senate inquiry into competition within the Australian banking sector.

AGL Energy Ltd (ASX:AGK) confirmed today it has not acquired any assets in the New South Wales government's sale process for its energy retail businesses and electricity gentrader contracts.

The forecast for Australian commodity exports in 2010-11 has been downgraded by $3.8 billion off the back of a poor end to the winter cropping season and lower gold, iron ore and metallurgical coal exports, according to the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES).

The exodus of key Qantas Airways (ASX: QAN) executives continues as Virgin Blue (ASX:VBA) poached another senior staff of the flying kangaroo.

Regulatory interventions may be politically popular but risk being counterproductive, bankers warned today.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) says it will move into the Western Australian fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) resources air charter market, with agreement reached for the airline to purchase local operator Network Aviation.

Leighton Holdings Ltd (ASX: LEI) says its consortium has been selected as preferred proponent for New Royal Adelaide Hospital PPP project .

Full account number portability may address several banking issues, but major challenges remain, according to a leading market research agency.

Australia's building and construction industry is concerned that the federal government's banking reform could pose a threat to business sector lending.

Property investment company Charter Hall Retail REIT (ASX:CQR), formerly Macquarie CountryWide Trust, has entered into a conditional agreement to sell its 60 per cent interest in a US portfolio of 32 properties, owned in partnership with Desco Group and Regency Centres.

Australian iron ore producer Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) today priced its previously announced offering of senior unsecured notes.

The Australian share market has coasted to a flat close as investors sat on the sidelines ahead of key economic data due out of China.

The local share market closed flat today, as losses from the miners offset gains made in financial stocks.

Sandfire Resources (ASX:SFR) says the mining lease for its wholly-owned DeGrussa Copper-Gold Project has been formally granted by the West Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP), paving the way for development and mining to commence next year.

Property developer Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR) has acquired Harold Park Paceway, Sydney, to be developed into a 1,200 lot masterplanned community, representing total forecast revenue of over $1 billion.

Construction materials specialist James Hardie Industries SE (ASX: JHX) announced today its chief executive, Mr Louis Gries, sold 148,000 James Hardie shares on 9 December 2010.

Sir Ron Brierley is stepping down after a 20-year reign as chairman of investment firm Guinness Peat Group plc (GPG) at the close of business today.

Origin Energy (ASX: ORG) said potentially toxic chemicals discovered in coal seam wells pose no major health risk after tests of water from its Australia Pacific LNG coal seam gas fields.

Oil and gas explorer Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) Beach said today it has increased its relevant interest in Impress Energy Ltd (ASX: ITC) to above 45 percent, as a result of continued strong on-market acceptances by Impress shareholders.

Caltex Australia (ASX: CTX) says it expects that the volatility in exchange rate will hit its full year profit for 2010.

Westfield (ASX:WDC), one of the world's biggest shopping mall landlords, said its combined operational segment earnings are expected to be 93 cents per security, comprising 74.6 cents for Westfield Group and 18.5 cents for Westfield Retail Trust.