BUSINESS

The US National Homebuilders Association housing sentiment index eased from +16 to a 15-month low of +14 in July.

The Australian Dollar opens marginally higher against the greenback this morning at 0.8675.

After almost 50 years of attachment on Australia’s foremost media group, John B Fairfax is set to retire from the board of Sydney-based Fairfax Media Ltd (ASX: FXJ) as the company announced on Monday that the long-time board member would waive re-election bid for this year’s annual general meeting.

Singapore-based commodity trader Olam International Ltd. has expressed plans to buy into NZ Farming Systems Uruguay Ltd. offering NZ$109.6 million ($77 million).

Foodbank has hit a record high for donations, receiving over 2.3 million kg of food from Woolworths over the past 12 months, thanks to a 'reverse logistics' initiative to reroute non-saleable products from the supermarket's outlets.The initiative brings non-saleable products from 825 metro and count...

The 2010 Nielsen Convenience and Impulse Report suggests a 'softened' convenience and impulse market, with a modest sales growth of 3.3%, and sales down by 0.5% from the quarter to the same period last year."While the usual suspects including carbonated beverages, ice cream, snack foods, cigarettes,...

UK-based online retailer Edible has made a specialty out of unusual and sometimes daunting foods, specialising in unusal delicacies and weird epicurean delights.Featuring departments for insects, aphrodisiacs, carnivores, herbivores, herbs and spices, apothecary products and even an English Garden c...

New Zealand dairy has drawn attention from international buyers, with Singapore-based agribusiness and food ingredients group Olam International making a takeover bid for NZ Farming Systems Uruguay, and China's Bright Food Group buying a 51% share in Synlait.Bright Food's NZ$82 million purchase of t...

The Australian central bank has signalled that interest rates may be held steady over the next few months, if inflation data which is to be released next week is in line with forecasts. “The important question for the board at its next meeting would be whether the new information materially change...

A new report authored by Commonwealth Bank suggests that whilst the job market is stronger, consumer spending is at its weakest level since the height of the global financial crisis.The Commonwealth Bank Business Sales Indicator (BSI) fell by 0.3 per cent in trend terms in June after a similar decli...

Non bank financial company GE Capital says raising finance for smaller lenders continues to remain difficult for smaller lenders when compared to the major banks.Skander Malcolm who runs GE Capital in Australia says that because the banks have large depositor bases they were able to fund raise more ...

The Australia 200 CFD Index closed 1.5% lower at 4358.3, with industrial and consumer discretionary names leading the market lower.

Synlait Milk Ltd., a New Zealand milk processing firm, will now have better chances of doubling its capacity at its South Island plant because of a new offer from Bright Dairy & Food Co.

The Australian dollar fell to the lowest in more than a week as Prime Minister Julia Gillard set an election on August 21, which analysts said will prompt the central bank to refrain from raising interest rates next month.

Singapore-based commodity trader Olam International Ltd. has expressed plans to buy into NZ Farming Systems Uruguay Ltd. offering NZ$109.6 million ($77 million).

Futures traders have put their bets on the Aussie dollar gaining on the US dollar, figures from the Washington-based Commodity Futures Trading Commission show.

Oil and gas producer Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) said on Monday that it has acquired a $2 billion bilateral bank loan facility which it intends to use in boosting the company’s balance sheet flexibility and expansion plans that include its Gladstone liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Queensland.

The Farnborough International Airshow is set to start on Monday and on that backdrop, giant aircraft producers Boeing and Airbus are waiting in the wings while equally hoping that huge contracts would come their way amidst the emergence of much stiffer competition between the two rival companies.

Singapore-based commodity trader Olam International Ltd. has expressed plans to take control of NZ Farmin Systems NZ Farming Systems Uruguay Ltd. offering NZ$109.6 million ($77 million).

Australian mining exploration and development firm Aquila Resources has high hopes to produce hard coking coal from its Washpool project but needs would require $320 million of capital investment.

Following the tragic death of its entire board and its consequent voluntary trading halt in June 21, Sundance Resources Ltd (ASX: SDL) stocks plummeted as the company re-emerged from a month-long market trading respite.

Analysts are warming towards the idea of more US dollar weakness, but at the same time risk aversion is back, and on the rise.

Australian hospital operator Healthscope Ltd. has approved of the for A$2 billion ($1.7 billion) offer of Carlyle Group and TPG Capital.

Africa-focused resource firm Riversdale Mining Ltd (ASX: RIV) announced on Monday that it has completed the first phase of the firm’s $276 million capital raising which should be partially allocated for the accelerated development of its Benga project in Mozambique.

Stockbrokers seem to be initiating coverage on Peet with a Buy rating.

Australian hospital operator Healthscope Ltd. has approved of the for A$2 billion ($1.7 billion) offer of Carlyle Group and TPG Capital.

On Wall St, US markets slumped during Friday evening's session as a report showed consumer sentiment had dropped to its lowest level in a nearly a year and earnings reports disappointed market expectations.

U.S. stocks face a volatile week with a torrent of earnings due, facing up against concern about the economy's underlying strength.

US consumer sentiment fell from 76.0 to 66.5 in July, well below expectations of a result near 74.5.