BUSINESS

The local share market is posting solid gains in early trade, despite a subdued night on global share markets after China posted its largest trade deficit in more than two decades. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 40.8pts or 1pct to 4329.

Saudi Arabia's property market is hot. Other places may worry, but the oil Kingdom is rolling in money. Result - a property boom.

China had its biggest monthly trade deficit 22 years in February: a massive $US31.5 billion as imports soared.

A quieter, less hectic week is ahead of us here and offshore after the flood of data and the triple treat on Friday of the good US jobs data, the successful Greek bond swap and some good inflation figures from China which then reported a huge trade deficit for February on Saturday.

Fitch downgraded on Tuesday the credit rating of the Macquarie Group by two notches to A- from A. The cut was part of the rating agency's review of the largest financial institutions in the world.

MORNING REPORT (7am AEDT - Due to the change in daylight saving hours in the US - Wall street now closes at 7am AEDT)The US employment trends index rose from 106.0 to 107.5 in February. The US federal budget deficit totalled $232 billion in February, above forecasts near $229 billion and above the $223 billion deficit in February 2011. The widening of the deficit in February was blamed on an additional day this year compared with a year ago. In the fiscal year to date the deficit is $581bn,...

By Greg PeelThe now familiar geographical and price differential in the global spot uranium market has continued to narrow, notes industry consultant TradeTech, such that the premium offered for European U3O8 is not as wide as it was a couple of weeks ago over the pervading sell price for US UF6.

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 37 points or 0.3% to 12,959 while the S&P was little changed at 1371 and the Nasdaq lost 0.

Now with Apple's new iPad boasting a more powerful processor and a screen resolution that is better than an Xbox 360 or a PlayStation 3 will gamers soon be ditching consoles for iPads?

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) releases on March 16 its next generation iPad, which features a higher-resolution display, a new processor, and support for high-speed 4G LTE data networks. Apple correctly says in an ad that the new iPad is "resolutionary," as it boasts of a retina display -- a 2,048-by-1,536-pixel display that has four times the number of pixels of the previous models. However, the device is far from being revolutionary. The third generation iPad doesn't have the Siri pers...

Popular photo sharing app Instagram announced that its Android version is nearly ready and will be available soon to Android subscribers.

New Zealand’s Telecom has cut 400 jobs in 2011, most of which are out of redundancies while others were resignations that were not replaced, the company said in its latest report.

Global travel agency operator Flight Centre has rejected allegations that it attempted to arrange price fixing deals with specific airlines, calling the charges filed last week by government regulators as 'stupid'.

Guided by findings of a new research study, Australia will expand its tourism machinery to include enticing those in China's growing second-tier cities which ironically have a population bigger than New York City in the U.S.

Glencore International offered to buy Canada's largest grain company, Viterra, for $5.3 billion, the Sunday Telegraph reports.

It is not just interest rates that are changing at Westpac, but also within the managerial level officials. The changes, announced on Friday by Westpac Chief Executive Gail Kelly, were timed with the release of the lender's 2011 annual report.

The Australian share market has started the trading week on a subdued note, following continuing concern about the Greek debt situation and on news China has recorded its worst trade deficit in 20 years. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 9.5pts or 0.2pct to 4291.

The potentially damaging labour dispute in Brisbane Airport has been solved after Qantas demanded a contractor, BCS Infrastructure Support, to sort out the problem. Latest report said BCS offered electricians, baggage support staff and mechanical fitters belonging to the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) higher pay.

The Australian Dollar was pushed temporarily lower throughout local hours on Friday and a surprising trade deficit for the month of January was reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

By Kathleen Brooks, Research Director UK EMEA, FOREX.comThe markets have brushed off the Greek news from the weekend including the repercussions from the debt swap and the Eurogroup meeting later today that is set to rubber stamp the release of the second round of bailout funds for Athens.

By Kathleen Brooks, Research Director UK EMEA, FOREX.comHighlights:- What now for the euro?- To hike or to cut? A global central banker's dilemma- Why the rise in oil prices should grab our attentionWhat now for the euro?The debt deal agreed by Greece and its private sector bond holders to wipe...

It has been a busy week for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), the world's most valuable tech company. On Wednesday, it unveiled its next generation iPad, which features a higher-resolution display, a new processor, and support for high-speed 4G LTE data networks.

Glencore, bent on securing enough support from Xstrata shareholders, has taken an offensive stance on its quest to push through with the highly touted 'merger of equals' worth $US36 billion amidst spirited opposition from investors of the target firm.

Some 600 jobs will be lost in the insurance industry over the next three years as Insurance Australia Group (IAG) revealed on Friday plans to reduce its workforce to counter the high costs that hit the firm last year.

Australian users hooked on social media activities breached the six billion mark in 2011, according to a marketing report recently released by Internet research company Experian Hitwise.

ANZ Bank announced on Friday that it would raise it fixed home loan interest rate by 20 basis points to 6.34 per cent. It is the first among the big four to adjust interest rates after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) retained this week the current overnight cash rate at 4.25 per cent.

Local stocks are tracking higher on the final day of the trading week on growing optimism Greece will receive enough support for its debt swap deal. Private sector creditors are expected to sign off on the agreement by 5pm AEDT. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 18.4pts or 0.4pct to 4280.6.

Embattled Australian flag carrier, Qantas, is back to square one after it stopped talks with Malaysia Airlines for a premium carrier in Kuala Lumpur. Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce explained the bog down of talks to failure of both airlines "to reach mutually agreeable commercial terms."

Economists warned on Friday that the country's unemployment rate would continue to rise in the coming months. They explained their outlook to jobs generation moving at a slower pace compared to the growth in labor force.