BUSINESS

While China's economy is still booming compared with other world economies, the World Bank has once again cut China's growth forecast to 8.2 percent.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed up 33 points or 0.3% while the S&P gained 0.1% to 1320 and the Nasdaq lost 0.

Although operators of the soon-to-be shuttered smelter plant in Hunter Valley cited the high Australian dollar and weak prices in the international market for aluminium as the short-term reasons why it would close its Kurri Kurri facility, the Opposition seized the closure of the plant to blame again the carbon tax for the economic woes of companies in Australia.

Growth will be Hewlett Packard's (HP) core vision over the next two years and the company's new business plan includes the upcoming release of a Windows 8-powered tablet computer later this year and the phased separation of thousands of workers.

By Greg PeelHSBC reported today its "flash" estimate of its independently calculated Chinese manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) fell to 48.

Homesales.com.au has launched 'Investment Property Search', a new free service specifically aimed at property investors.

It seems that Chinese buyers have the buying power in today's market. That includes Chinese-speaking Australians who hail from China and other parts of Asia Pacific.

The latest Android version which is known as Android 4.0 or Android ICS (Ice Cream Sandwich) is something that Android users have been waiting for a long time now ever since it was announced to the public. Though Android ICS was already announced 6 months ago, not all smartphones have been updated to the latest Android version.

Let the recriminations begin! And then the show trials!

Brightsource Energy has abandoned its IPO. Citing adverse market conditions stemming from a lack of public interest/funding in greentech solar companies, the company withdrew its plans to become listed and offer shares on the NASDAQ last month.

The rise to prominence in the automotive industries for Hyundai KIA Automotive Group (HKAG) was capped by the acquisition of Kia Motors in 1998.

In Pamplona, Spaniards run with the bulls. In Athens, Greeks run on the banks. Yes, folks a good, old-fashioned bank run is underway in Greece.

Coal miners employed by the BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi alliance made good their threat to strike on Thursday as over 3,000 started their week-long industrial action.

Besides Qantas aircraft maintenance engineers who were at the receiving end this week of Chief Executive Alan Joyce's ax, another victim to the announced revamp of the flag carrier would be the tourism sector in the Northern Territory.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 6 points while the S&P closed up 0.2% to 1318 and the Nasdaq gained 0.

Rumors about Apple's new iPhone 5 are circulating the web as many people are setting high expectations about this new offering from Apple. Aside from possible specifications and features, rumors about the possible release date are also spreading like wildfire in the Internet.

The World Bank has picked on Australia for its over-dependence on its resource exports to China, which could eventually hamper growth in the Asia-Pacific Region to 7.6% this year.

Microsoft is all set to deploy a re-engineered Windows system on its new Windows 8, which replaces the highly successful Windows 7.

Credit Suisse, in a new report released on Wednesday, warned Australian banks not to lower their lending standards for home loans to make up for the flat growth of lending across the banking industry,

National Australia Bank (NAB) Chief Executive Cameron Clyne blamed on Wednesday the battle for deposits among Australian lenders for the high mortgage interest rates in the country. In effect, he belied claims by the other banks that the European crisis, which caused wholesale funding cost to rise, is the culprit.

The Qantas Monday announcement of the closure of the air carrier's Tullamarine Airport maintenance facility was just the tip of the iceberg. On Wednesday, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce made an even bigger announcement of more revamps in the company.

From pandas to thoroughbreds, flying animals and wildlife is big business. But there is a dark side.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao has called for stimulus policies that would boost the nation's slowing economic prospects.

The United States has allowed China to purchase government debt directly from the Treasury Department.

House prices in Kiev, Ukraine’s capital, rose sharply during the year to April 2012. But market experts doubt this can be sustained, with the economy slowing, and a political crisis over the incarceration of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down one point while the S&P was flat at 1316 and the Nasdaq fell 0.3%There are all sorts of troubles in Tech Land, with the Nasdaq last night's worst performer following Monday's big Apple-led rally.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday charged a former executive at Yahoo! Inc. and a former mutual fund manager at a subsidiary of Ameriprise Financial Inc. with insider trading on confidential information about a search engine partnership between Yahoo and Microsoft Corporation.

The corporate marriage between search giant and Android developer Google Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) and former mobile phone leader Motorola Mobility Holdings Inc. (NYSE: MMI) closed is now official.

China appears to be heading Japan's way as a Chinese conglomerate revealed on Monday a $US2.6 billion deal that would give the group majority ownership of AMC Entertainment Holdings, one of the biggest operators of cinema complexes in the United States.