BUSINESS

The Australian Government plans to announce a price on pollution this weekend as the central element of a comprehensive policy to tackle climate change, cut pollution and drive the transformation of the Australian economy to a clean energy future.

Australia's mining boom strengthened the country's trade surplus that has hit a seven-month high to A$2.33 billion ($2.5 billion), from a revised A$1.62 billion surplus in April, the Bureau of Statistics said in a report in Sydney on Tuesday.

Australia's Lynas Corp. took in a new shareholder as Japanese bank Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group has taken close to a 10 percent stake in the mining firm worth $324 million.

A joint research conducted by Australian and European experts suggested that banana cross-breeding will lead to improved production and make the crop more robust in deflecting pests and diseases.

By Greg PeelEuropean stock markets continued the upward push last night, responding to Friday's strength on Wall Street and the agreement by EU officials to rubber stamp the release of the E12bn tranche of funds for Greece on the weekend.

A spur of new orders for goods gave a glimmer of hope to Australia's services sector industry in June and possibly in the coming months.

The softness in the Australian labour market was underlined by yesterday's ANZ job ads survey for June.

No rate rise today, and possibly not in August.

Non-bank margins may be unviable as a result of the government's ban on exit fees, Aussie CEO Stephen Porges has claimed.

With thin market conditions last night due to the US Independence Day Holiday, the AUD is fairly unchanged this morning currently trading around USD1.0730.

- The uranium spot price is under pressure once more- Excess supply is expected in the medium term post Fukushima- Goldman Sachs does not nevertheless see a longer term Chernobyl impactBy Greg PeelAt end-May, the global spot uranium price indicator as derived by industry consultant TradeTech had ris...

The U.S. dollar was modestly lower in holiday-thinned trade Monday as the euro brushed aside concerns triggered by Standard & Poor's warning on Greece's debt. Standard & Poor's warning that a debt rollover plan for Greece would be akin to a default rattled markets and negated the positive momentum seen after euro-zone ministers approved funding for Greece this past weekend.

A stress test conducted by the European insurance regulator, EIOPA, has revealed that 10pct of European insurers would need to raise fresh capital in the event of a severe economic shock.

A big week for most markets, especially in the US where a relief rally saw the best gains in two years and European markets had their best week in a year.

The HIA has forecast a "chill wind" for residential building activity over the next year.

U.S. stocks surged Friday, notching the biggest weekly gain in nearly two years, as a strong reading of manufacturing activity lifted investor spirits ahead of the long holiday weekend.

Google's popular e-mail service is getting an upgrade. According to the official Gmail blog Google is now going to make Gmail as "beautiful as it is powerful". This is part of Google's effort to bring users a more focused and effortless experience on its products.

Apple's dominance in the smartphone and tablet markets has led to many competitors singling out the tech giant as their public enemy number one. Microsoft has been locked in battle with Apple for software and computer needs while Google's Android smartphones is going head to head with the iPhone for control of the smartphone markets. The iPad has run away from other tablets. How exactly can Apple's rivals compete with Apple?

FNArena has added another video to its Investors Education section on the website.Risk assets have done it tough since late April.

Franchising is set to overtake manufacturing in terms of employment numbers within 10 years, according to Brian Keen founder and director of How To Franchise Simply.

Demand for fixed interest rate home loans hit its highest level in five months in June 2011, reaching 12.3 per cent of all approvals for Australia’s independently-owned mortgage broker, Mortgage Choice.

(This story was originally written and published on Wednesday, 29th June 2011. It has bee re-published to make it available to non-paying members at FNArena and to readers elsewhere).

Tiger Airways intends to cooperate with Australia’s aviation regulator following the suspension of its domestic services within the country on Friday last week as ordered by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).

A dramatic turnaround in builder sentiment is seen as Australia’s building and construction industry loses the cushioning effect of government stimulus programs, according to Master Builders Australia’s June quarter 2011 national survey.

Australia’s consumer inflation rates remained flat in June that may reduce the pressure on the central bank to increase benchmark interest rates in the near term, according to the private-sector led survey by TD Securities and the Melbourne Institute.

Attorney-General Robert McClelland today released new research which shows nearly one in six Australians have been a victim or known somebody who has been a victim of identity theft or misuse in the past six months.

A debate will take place in Canberra today about whether or not quotas should be introduced in Australia to place more women in senior roles.

The manufacturing sector in Australia has begun its positive production kick in four months in spite the difficulties in coping with the high value of the Australian dollar and subdued local demand.

Greece seems to be behind us, but the US debt ceiling brawl continues towards the August 2 deadline.