BUSINESS

- Recent threats and events have had a noticeable impact on US consumers appetite for discretionary durable goods- Surveys by the Consumer Metrics Institute show another decline in spending was occurring prior to events in Japan- Is there a parallel between human errors made at Chernobyl and Fed policies post the GFC? News And The Consumer, Reflections On Chernobyl And The EconomyBy Consumer Metri...

Virgin Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX:VBA) is expecting its 2011 financial year profit to fall to a net loss of between $30 million to $80 million.

Apple has announced that iPad 2, the second-generation of its third post-PC device, will go on sale in 25 additional countries this Friday, March 25.

- The market is fearful of Shell's desire to sell its Woodside stake- The market is not ascribing value to Woodside's ambitious developments- Woodside is struggling with funding, but Shell needs projects- Perhaps the solution is to swap one for the otherBy Greg PeelGlobal oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell has a problem. Once the global leader in liquid natural gas, Shell is finding its position ...

The Australian Dollar has opened firmer this morning, trading north from yesterday’s levels through USD 1.0100 after continued support from investors seeking higher yielding assets.

Boeing and United Continental Holdings, Inc. has entered into an agreement to modify United Airlines' 777 fleet with a Performance Improvement Package with the aim of achieving greater fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.

Six companies that own and operate some of the largest networks in the world - Deutsche Telekom, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Verizon, and Yahoo! - has announced the launch of the Open Networking Foundation (ONF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a new approach to networking called Software-Defined Networking (SDN).

Ratings agency RBS has upgraded Westpac Banking Co., shares from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating after equities research analyst noted confidence in the bank. The research note was presented to investors on Monday.

The Australian Dollar was supported yesterday by firmer commodity prices and a return to risk after last week's co-ordinated G7 intervention to curtail the surging Japanese Yen.

The International Monetary Fund has reportedly left its forecasts for the global economy unchanged with growth tipped at 4.4pct in 2011 and 4.5pct in 2012.

By Gavin Wendt, Founding Director & Senior Resource Analyst MineLife Pty LtdThe reactions of financial markets around the world to the horrific events that have taken place in Japan have been reasonable and entirely predictable. Markets that were already nervous from the ongoing political unrest in MENA, ongoing European debt woes, rising oil prices and fears of an outbreak of inflation, have used...

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 17 points last night or 0.2% while the S&P lost 0.4% to 1293 and the Nasdaq lost 0.3%.After several sessions featuring large moves, first to the downside and then to the up, Wall Street decided to take a break last night. There was news to digest but nothing much to change the current situation. Volume was anaemic.In Japan, power has now been restored to all six reactors a...

Australia's senator Nick Xenophon has filed a motion today seeking a parliamentary inquiry into the proposed takeover-merger of the ASX Ltd. (ASX) by the Asian bourse Singapore Exchange Ltd.

Strategic Airlines, Australia’s newest domestic and international airline, has acquired a Brisbane engineering maintenance facility and new corporate headquarters in Brisbane.

Australia has moved to reassure consumers that food imported from Japan was safe to eat, saying the chance of products being affected by radiation was 'negligible'.

Marex Group Ltd, the international broker of commodity derivatives, financial futures and foreign exchange, which is majority-owned by JRJ Group and its partners, Trilantic Capital Partners and BXR Group, has reached agreement with Imarex ASA to acquire its 100 per cent holding of Spectron Group Ltd for approximately 94.5 million pounds.

Creating an early scenario of bargaining before formal negotiations begin in the second quarter of this year, Australia's Transport Workers' Union is seeking an assurance from the management of Qantas Airlines for job security.

National dwelling commencements fell again in the December quarter, reinforcing the urgent need for governments to address supply side policy failures, according to Master Builders Australia, the peak building and construction industry association.

Facebook has been deleting the accounts of its underage users, at a rate of up to 20,000 globally being wiped out each day, which the social media company said is only one of its numerous ways of policing its 630-million strong followers worldwide.

Andrew Jenner CEO of Astra Investimentos, announced today the launch of the Astra Agro Fund L.P. The fund has signed a strategic advisory agreement with Rabobank Brasil and will invest primarily in privately held agribusiness companies in Brazil. [Jenner] says recent global and local trends in food staples make the commodity-rich country a compelling investment opportunity.

Wealth manager Australian fund manager AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) said a unit has launched a A$600 million floating rate subordinated exchangeable note to partially fund its takeover of AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd's Australia and New Zealand businesses.

Iron ore junior BC Iron Ltd (ASX: BCI) has asked the Takeovers Panel to challenge the validity of Regent Pacific Ltd’s purported termination of the Scheme Implementation Agreement (SIA) between the companies as announced on Tuesday 15 March 2011.

- Beijing increases its reserve ratio for the ninth time in 12 months- Another rate hike already priced in- Economists at odds over the ongoing pace of tightening measuresBy Greg PeelLast Friday the People's Bank of China announced yet another increase to the reserve requirement ratio for depository institutions, this time by 50 basis points. That's the third RRR hike this year and the ninth in tw...

By Greg PeelI updated the uranium spot price situation late last week in the wake of the nuclear reactor crisis which had seen uranium producer stocks taken to the cleaners. ("Uranium Update")At that point the immediate response in consultant UxC's indicative price had been a 10% price fall to US$60/lb, but after a week of trading fellow consultant TradeTech has dropped its previous indicative pri...

The Australian dollar has opened stronger today trading at 1.0050 following news that the dangerous situation in Japan is easing.

Google has announced a partnership agreement with Sprint Mobile to integrate Google Voice into the mobile phone's applications. In a press statement, Google said the firm has been working to bring an integrated Google Voice experience to your mobile device by building mobile apps, introducing Google Voice Lite, and most recently Number Porting.

Westpac Banking , which closed at $116.74 on Election Day, has since fallen 3.3% to its most recent close at $112.83.

The Australian Dollar (1.0050) moved slowly and steadily upwards in Asian trade yesterday as commodities in general started the week on a firmer foot and news out of Japan confirmed that 2 out of the 6 reactors at the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant were under control.

US existing home sales fell by 9.6pct in February to an annual rate of 4.88 million - a near nine year low and more than double the fall analysts had expected. The supply of homes available for sale rose to 8.6 months.