BUSINESS

The Reserve Bank of Australia's quarterly monetary policy statement released today suggests the current pause in interest rate rises could be prolonged.

Sleep management specialist ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD) said on Friday that it achieved record revenue and income for the financial year 2009/10, reporting an operating income of $US240.4 million and a net income of $US190.1 million for the 12 months leading to June 30

The local share market fell today on thin trading volume ahead of US job data due to be released tonight.

Property investment firm Mirvac Industrial Trust (ASX: MIX) said on Friday that a default would most likely occur on its $123.5 million debt facility following the company’s forced re-negotiations in extending the facility’s maturity date on August 7.

Rio Tinto delivered a better than expected interim result and along with increasing earnings estimates brokers are viewing favourably the company's return to a focus on growth.

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) has welcomed the Federal Court's move to dismiss a case to a non-union workplace agreement affecting its iron ore operations, while the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said it was considering a High Court appeal.

Downer EDI (ASX:DOW) saw its shares rise upon finalising a $3 billion contract with Australian miner Fortescue Metals Group (ASX:FMG).

The New Zealand Commerce Commission announced in a draft report published on Friday that no further regulations would be required on Telecom New Zealand’s two backhaul links as the connections were already subject to competition.

Australia's construction sector dived in July, with firms in the commercial and engineering sectors reporting particularly difficult conditions, according to data released today.

Overnight, US markets fell marginally after an unexpected rise in weekly jobless claims and sluggish retail sales data.

New claims for unemployment insurance in the US rose by 19,000 last week to 479,000, ahead of expectations for a result near 455,000.

U.S. stocks fell slightly Thursday as investors traded cautiously ahead of the government's nonfarm payrolls report due Friday morning.

The AUD traded quietly overnight, within its recent range as investors remained sidelined ahead of US payrolls data tonight.

Demand for higher yielding assets dampened on concern China's bank stress tests will reveal losses, softening the Australian Dollar during Asia.

Australia's leading tea brand Lipton Quality Black have grown at a rate faster than the market since its maker Unilever decided to procure tea from sustainable plantations.

Wall Street hung slightly lower all session on little volume. Dow down 5. (Locked for subscribers until 10:00 AEST)

Rio Tinto has well and truly recovered from its self-inflicted near death experience in 2008-09 that saw it almost fall ...

So much for the idea that gambling is a recession-proof industry; it hasn't been in the US where many casinos have colla...

The National Australia Bank bid for AXA Asia Pacific just won't go way for a rest, it keeps coming back to remind us of ...

There are a growing number of gold bears emerging from hibernation.If we believe that despite the slowing US economy, th...

On the face of it, news of a possible halt to Indian iron ore exports is good news for the likes of BHP Billiton, Rio T...

Agriculture and Food Minister in WA Terry Redman today detailed two leading crop research and development facilities to be established in the State's Central Wheatbelt.The two facilities, based at the Department of Agriculture and Food's Merredin research station, will play an important role in the ...

Out of control property taxes combined with rising costs of living are trashing the dream of homeownership for tens of thousands of Australians, according to REINSW, a major professional association for real estate agents and other property professionals in the country.

Around one million people in Siyang County, China, are now benefiting from the capacity of poplar forests to restore marginal flood plains and stabilize the banks of the Yellow, Huai and Yangtze rivers. Large swaths of planted poplar trees now protect fields once ravaged by floods, wind, sandstorms ...

The Australian stock market is set for a flat start after an unexpected rise in jobless claims and weak retail sales data in the US resulted in a moderately lower Wall Street.

A glance through the latest expert views and predictions about commodities, with Goldman Sachs lifting its zircon estimates, analysts updating on the natural gas and iron ore markets and arbitrage activity in copper.

Global banking giant HSBC says that competition is intensifying in the small and medium enterprise (SME) market, and is now targeting export orientated customer with turnovers of up to $10 million.HSBC has established a new division called HSBC Business, which it says will adopt a product driven rat...

Currency focused funds are finding the foreign exchange markets a difficult place to find returns according to new data which has been released.According to the Parker Index, which is a highly respected measure of currency fund returns, currency focused funds had their weakest performance since Augu...

A senior executive from Microsoft says that highly organized syndicates are infiltrating developer programs around the world to defraud the company