Sharon Olalia

Australian submarine- and ship-building company ASC announced today the appointment of Paul Gay as General Manager for its Air Warfare Destroyer Project.

Sir Richard Branson launched the first phase of Virgin Money's new range of banking products this morning, heralding a new era of competition for the Australian banking industry.

More than 50 percent of Australian executives are being negatively affected by late payments, according to a survey by Dun & Bradstreet.

Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX:NCM) has signed a Heads of Agreement to obtain at least a 7.1 per cent stake in British firm Sumatra Copper and Gold Plc.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Monday that Nissan is recalling 46,000 units of the 2009-2010 Cube due to possible problems with fuel spilling during rear end collisions.

UK's financial services giant Virgin Money has selected Sydney for its new headquarters in Australia.

Eight out of ten Australians are concerned about a lack of infrastructure and affordable housing amid the expanding and ageing population, according to new research findings.

Queensland-based coal mining company Macarthur Coal Ltd (ASX: MCC) has abandoned a $110 million deal to buy out CITIC Resources' interests after some minority interests failed to give up their pre-emptive rights in the project.

Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) expects to post a decrease in annual profit in fiscal 2010. The company said it forecasts better performance next year and has made changes to its executive team.

Top central bankers and regulators around the world said yesterday they had agreed on new standards to ensure the banking system could survive any new financial crisis.

The Australian currency opened higher on Tuesday as a lift in US homes sales bolstered growth assets such as equities and commodity-driven currencies.

The Australian stock market is likely to open stronger after the Dow Jones hit a two-month high overnight.

The Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) issued a statement today calling for all politicians to address the true migration issue with honesty, clarity and good faith.

A Sydney company director has been fined $16,900 for underpaying eight of his former staff. The employees, who received no money at all for weeks on end, were underpaid a total of more than $31,000.

Wesfarmer's Coles has announced in a company statement today that it has signed a new two year agreement as the exclusive supermarket sponsor of Network Ten's MasterChef Australia.

The Directors of data and transaction services company Connxion Ventures Limited (ASX: CXN) today announced that based on June billings and unaudited financial accounts, full-year revenue for 2010 are now expected to be $12.6 million, a 14.5 percent increase on the previously announced forecast of $11 million.

Australia's largest project development and contracting group Leighton Holdings (ASX:LEI) said today that its wholly owned subsidiary Leighton Asia has secured a A$172 million contract for the provision of mining services at the Martabe Gold Mine in North Sumatra Province, Indonesia.

Electrical and furniture retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX:HVN) has posted a moderate rise in full-year sales, although its fourth-quarter figures were hit by weaker consumer sentiment.

The Australian bourse was floating in morning trade after higher-than-expected sales figures from Wesfarmers and gains in banking shares.

A contraction in lending to small and medium enterprises in favour of households is starting a dangerous trend for the Australian economy, said National Australia Banks' (ASX: NAB) head of business banking Joseph Healy.

Labor has given, under its latest climate change election promise, $1 billion in tax breaks on investments in energy-efficiency measures for commercial building.

Australia's CEOs are squeezed to defend their earnings forecasts as the profit reporting season takes shape and optimism mounts that some top companies will post profit growth for the first time since the global financial crisis.

Australia's major retailer Wesfarmers (ASX: WES) says it had a strong performance over the year after boosting sales by 4.3 per cent at its Coles supermarket business.

The Australian share market is expected to open stronger today, bolstered by gains on Wall Street last Friday.

A coalition government will cut down Australia's immigration intake back to a reasonable level, according to shadow treasurer Joe Hockey.

Australia's business leaders have rejected a plan by the coalition government to slash immigration intake, accusing Liberal head Tony Abbott of risking the nation's future economic viability for his short-term populist strategy.

Junior and mid-tier miners are set to launch this week their advertising campaign against the Gillard government's minerals resource rent tax (MRRT).

Christina Applegate is pregnant with her first child with musician fiance Martyn Lenoble.

Angelina Jolie, who raises six children with partner Brad Pitt, will only allow the youngsters to see her in Shark Tale and Kung Fu Panda.