MANUFACTURING

Ausenco Limited (ASX: AAX), an Australia-based engineering and project management group, today confirmed that it had returned to growth in the second half of 2010.

Toyota Australia today said its LandCruiser, which has the longest history of any Toyota nameplate, has passed 750,000 sales in the country during the 60th anniversary year of the iconic off-roader.

Australia's logistics and supply chain management solutions provider Brambles (ASX: BXB) has announced its bid to acquire IFCO Systems NV for $US1.255 million ($1.27 million) to expand the company's supply chain business in the US and Europe.

Australia's mining giant BHP Billiton is seen targeting oil and gas producer Woodside Petroleum Ltd. to make up for its failed bid for Canada's Potash Corp., a report by Morgan Stanley said.

XStrata Plc was able to secure a controlling stake equivalent to 51.12 percent in Sphere Minerals, while remaining rival China-backed Sin-Tang continues to tighten its grip in its shares in the company top up its holding.

Australian mining firms Brockman Resources Ltd. and Ferraus Ltd. have been offered A$929 million by Hong Kong firm Wah Nam International Holdings Ltd. to increase its shareholdings in the company.

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission will carefully scrutinise the proposed takeover of ASX Ltd. by Singapore Exchange Ltd.

Bega Cheese has bought a $22 million or equivalent to 15 percent stake in the Victorian dairy company Warrnambool Cheese and Butter (WCB).

The Industry Funds Management and the Queensland Investment Corporation has acquired the Port of Brisbane for $2.3 billion, reports said.

Australia's biggest wheat producer AWB Limited (ASX: AWB) has posted a net loss of more than $55 million for fiscal year 2010 as the drought affected the quality of the grains produced and the nearing merger with the Canadian firm Agrium Ltd (TSX and NYSE: AGU).

High-level talks between the United States and Australia will take place today as U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton initiated discussions on China's monopoly of rare earths, which are used as key components in military systems.

Australian coal hauler and transporter QR National Ltd. has received keen interest from foreign investment managers for its $5 billion dollar initial public offering (IPO) before its formal offering on November 22

Qantas Airways Ltd. and engine makers Rolls-Royce Group Plc with Airbus SAS have started an investigation of the malfunctioning plane engine that put 459 people in danger yesterday.

The weak US dollar will continue to fuel the higher prices of commodities considered as the next safest forms of investment.

BVN Architecture, one of Australia's largest architectural practices with offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne, won the Health Category award at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) this evening (Wednesday 3 November) in Barcelona for the Youth Mental Health Building at the Brain and Mind Research Institute (BMRI) in Camperdown, Sydney.

The government of Australia may be willing to compromise and put up new concessions on its proposed minerals resource rent tax that will satisfy the country's mining industry.

Strativity Group, a leading provider of customer experience services, today announced it has opened an office in Sydney to support growing interest from Australian and New Zealand organisations in adopting customer-centric approaches and proactively managing their customer experiences.

The Queensland government has recently granted the approval to Xstrata Zinc Australia's expansion project of the George Fisher Mine in Mount Isa.

Mining firm Xstrata Plc has increased its offer price for iron ore developer Perth-based Sphere Minerals Ltd (SPH.AU) to $3 a share and declared the offer best and estimated at $514 million.

The Australian stock market is gathering mixed leads in today's trading day as the last-minute decline in the Wall Street trading will have some influence, but analysts are more optimistic.

The Australia Pacific LNG consortium of companies has advised relevant landholders, the Queensland Government, Western Downs Regional Council and Maranoa Regional Council of the results of chemical analysis of samples taken from water bores on properties where exploration wells that have recently been hydraulically fracture stimulated in the Surat Basin, west of Miles.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard met with BHP chief executive Mr. Marius Kloppers on Wednesday in an effort to save the agreement signed with the mining industry now on the brink of collapse.

Uranium producer Paladin Energy Ltd has issued an estimated $A304-million worth of convertible bonds to re-pay maturing debt obligations and expand its mining areas in the country and in Africa.

A mixed performance of global stocks is seen to create a bearish mood in the Australian stock markets today.

Leighton Contractors, a wholly owned subsidiary of Australia's largest construction company Leighton Holdings Limited (ASX: LEI), has been awarded $670 million worth of new road work.

Australia must prepare as early as now for the end of the mining boom or else feel the wrath of internal and external pressures on the monetary and fiscal situation of the country, Reserve Bank Governor Mr. Glenn Stevens said today.

Leighton Holdings Limited (ASX: LEI) today said it will be making an application to the Takeovers Panel seeking a declaration of unacceptable circumstances and consequent orders in relation to the proposed takeover bid by Spanish company Actividades des Construcción y Servicios' (ACS) for Leighton's German parent Hochtief AG.

Rio Tinto Ltd's (ASX:RIO) would still pursue its planned Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold project in Mongolia despite some strain with Canadian partner Ivanhoe Mines.

Chi-X Global Inc. is still set to work towards launching in March 2011, in spite the growing threat of a tougher competitive environment with the bid takeover of the Singaporean bourse of rival ASX Ltd.