BUSINESS

Feature: Living With Expensive Oil

The gradual disintegration of Libya, coming after the collapse of the regimes in Egypt and Tunisia, plus demonstrations in Algeria, Bahrain, Yemen and talk of unrest on Saudi Arabia has combined to send oil prices higher.The AMP's chief strategist and economist, Dr Shane Oliver looks at expensive oil and what it means.Oil prices are surging again. While US West Texas Intermediate is lagging d...

Australian Dollar Outlook 24/02/2011

The Australian Dollar has opened unchanged from late yesterday, despite the developments in the Middle East, which is weighing heavily on risk tone and associated risk asset classes.
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Could Oil Spike US$20 Per Barrel?

- Unrest In Middle East boosting oil prices - ANZ Sees scope for further US$20 per barrel jump if unrest continuesBy Chris ShawWhen signs of unrest in Egypt first emerged late last month the oil market began to aggressively price a risk premium into the crude oil market. As ANZ Banking Group notes, this risk premium has seen both Brent Crude and West Texas Intermediate Prices spike by close to US$...

A Hot Construction Junior

- Global Construction posts strong interim result - DJ Carmichael lifts earnings forecasts and price target - Maintains Buy ratingBy Chris ShawCommercial and residential construction group Global Construction Services ((GCS)) delivered an 86% increase in net profit compared to the previous corresponding period, DJ Carmichael viewing the profit of $9.1 million as a high quality result.Earnings were...

A Hot Construction Junior

- Global Construction posts strong interim result - DJ Carmichael lifts earnings forecasts and price target - Maintains Buy ratingBy Chris ShawCommercial and residential construction group Global Construction Services ((GCS)) delivered an 86% increase in net profit compared to the previous corresponding period, DJ Carmichael viewing the profit of $9.1 million as a high quality result.Earnings were...

Results: Coke's Fat 2010 Profit

Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd shares rose yesterday after the company delivered on its lowered guidance for the year to December, and indicated that it had made a solid start to 2011.The shares finished up 31c or, 2.7%, at $11.68.That's still around a dollar under the 52 week high of $12.74 set late last October before the company first warned that the cool, mild and wet weather was having an impact o...

Results: Coke's Fat 2010 Profit

Coca-Cola Amatil Ltd shares rose yesterday after the company delivered on its lowered guidance for the year to December, and indicated that it had made a solid start to 2011.The shares finished up 31c or, 2.7%, at $11.68.That's still around a dollar under the 52 week high of $12.74 set late last October before the company first warned that the cool, mild and wet weather was having an impact o...

IAG downgrades FY11 guidance due to Christchurch earthquake

Insurance Australia Group (ASX:IAG), Australia's top home and car insurer, has revised its FY11 insurance margin guidance down to 8 to 10 per cent from 9 per cent to 11 per cent in the wake of the disastrous event in Christchurch, New Zealand.

A Turning Point For Mirvac

- Mirvac interim result better than expected - Forecasts lifted in line with guidance update - Recommendation upgrades on relative valueBy Chris ShawProperty development group Mirvac ((MGR)) delivered an interim operating profit of $200.1 million, a result boosted by higher net operating income and lower interest charges and showing better than expected numbers from the investment management and h...

Why Hedging Isn?t a Dirty Word for Precious Metals Anymore

- Producer's hedging their precious metals prices is making a return- So far the come-back appears limited to by-product producers - This favours gold over silver this year Why Hedging Isn’t a Dirty Word for Precious Metals Anymore…By Tony D’Altorio , Investment U Research Tuesday, February 22, 2011For years, hedging was a dirty word among gold and silver miners. It meant they h...

Australian Dollar Outlook 23/02/2011

The Australian Dollar has opened weaker this morning, currently trading around the parity level after trading to a low of 0.9970 in the offshore session.

Daily Forex Forecast 23/02/2011

The Aussie opens lower today at 0.9975 after another session of risk aversion on speculation political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa will intensify.

World Market Overview 23/02/2011

The Standard & Poor's 500 stock index posted its biggest intraday drop of the year Tuesday as escalating tensions in the Middle East and North Africa sent oil prices soaring.

Death In West Texas

(This story was first published on February 15, 2011. It has now been re-published to make it available to non-paying members at FNArena and to readers elsewhere).-Egypt is not responsible for the spread between WTI crude oil and European Brent- West Texan Intermediate has lost its relevance because of specific circumstances- Crude oil in most other price benchmarks is priced around US$100 per bar...

Death In West Texas

(This story was first published on February 15, 2011. It has now been re-published to make it available to non-paying members at FNArena and to readers elsewhere).-Egypt is not responsible for the spread between WTI crude oil and European Brent- West Texan Intermediate has lost its relevance because of specific circumstances- Crude oil in most other price benchmarks is priced around US$100 per bar...

The Overnight Report: Wall Street Catches Up

By Greg PeelFNArena's thoughts and best wishes go out to our mates across the ditch at this time.The Dow fell 178 points or 1.4% while the S&P dropped 2.1% to 1315 and the Nasdaq shed 2.7%.The two juxtaposed images which were most stark to me over the past 24 hours are that of an idiot sitting in a car with an umbrella to prove he was still in Tripoli and that of two Libyan fighter planes landing ...

The Overnight Report: Wall Street Catches Up

By Greg PeelFNArena's thoughts and best wishes go out to our mates across the ditch at this time.The Dow fell 178 points or 1.4% while the S&P dropped 2.1% to 1315 and the Nasdaq shed 2.7%.The two juxtaposed images which were most stark to me over the past 24 hours are that of an idiot sitting in a car with an umbrella to prove he was still in Tripoli and that of two Libyan fighter planes landing ...

The Economy: Business Confidence, Conditions Fall

Business conditions softened noticeably again in the December quarter under the weight of sagging profitability and ahead of the impact of the January floods in Queensland and northern Victoria, and Cyclone Yasi at the turn of the month and early February.Business confidence fell back in the December quarter, all but returning to its mid-year softness.The National Australia Bank business survey fo...

US economy back on track

Is the US economy really on the rise? Are American consumers becoming more gung-hoed and spending on lattes and other luxuries given up during the downturn?

Rescue efforts intensified in Christchurch

The New Zealand dollar was shaken and dropped for the first time in five days after an earthquake hit the city of Christchurch, destroying parts of the central business district and cutting off some telecommunication lines connecting the city.

Earthquake hits Christchurch, NZ anew

Christchurch City in New Zealand was devastated by another earthquake with a 6.3 magnitude that sent residents into panic as aftershocks were strong.

BHP Billiton to acquire Chesapeake's Shale assets

Resource giant BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP) has agreed to acquire all of Chesapeake Energy Corporation's (Chesapeake) interests in the Fayetteville Shale, USA, including the midstream pipeline system, for US$4.75 billion, which BHP Billiton expects to fund from the Group's cash resources.

Rio Tinto's Pilbara operations derailed by storms

Australia's third largest mining firm Rio Tinto has announced that production at its coastal operations in the Pilbara region continue to be hampered by ongoing weather issues associated with Tropical Cyclones (TC) Dianne and Carlos, that are likely to impact on shipped tonnage for the first quarter of this year.

Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary 2 visit Sydney in tandem

Hundreds of people have gathered on the Sydney Harbour foreshore to welcome massive ocean liners as they arrived today. Cunard’s newest ocean liner, Queen Elizabeth, arrived in Sydney for the first time this morning, following her larger sister, Queen Mary 2.

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