BUSINESS

Queensland Rail did not achieve its coal-hauling obligations to the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal at Mackay, Rio Tinto Coal Australia claims, as the industry continues to battle the planned $3 billion float of QR's freight operations.

New Zealand's yearly account deficit was tapered off to its smallest amount in more than 20 years in the fiscal year to March, as exports grew and foreign investors declined.

Lincoln Minerals announced plans to forfeit mining operations on its iron ore products and use the Port Lincoln wharf to export products for two years once funds and approvals are set in place.

An alliance composed of APA Group, Japan's Marubeni and Origin Energy emerged as a key candidate for the Alinta Energy bid.

Telecommunication company Telstra agreed to cooperate with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on the investigation on its share price movements after it sealed a contract on the National Broadband Network.

Brisbane-based Suncorp-Metway Limited plans to double its new life insurance business for the next three years by starting its services on direct sales and financial advice markets.

Q3 is shaping up as a highly volatile quarter dominated by economic data and government decisions, argue Gain Capital's Brian Dolan and Jane Foley.

Retailers are urging the State Government not to interfere on dictating trading hours despite an agreement where some stores are allowed to open until 9pm on weeknights.

A weak US housing number added to a growing renewal of general concern last night as the S&P500 fell through its 200-day moving average amidst weak volume. Dow down 148. (Locked for subscribers until 10:00 AEST)

The Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union said it will support the proposed resources super profits tax if the Federal Government agrees to put out some funds to improve the mining towns.

Four years of work by Western Australian researchers has opened the door for exports of Australian grapefruit to one of the world's biggest markets.Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman said the decision by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries was welcome news, potentially wo...

Newly Weds Foods Inc. has acquired food ingredients manufacturer Witwood Food Products Ltd for an undisclosed sum.The combination of the two businesses - both of which have manufacturing sites in Sydney - will give customers across the globe access to a range of innovative new products and technolog...

Banc-assurance group Suncorp-Metway is seeking to more than double the size of its current life insurance business over the next three years, as it expands its presence in direct sale and financial planning markets.

Leighton Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday that the company is right on track to reach its expected after tax full year profit of $A600 million and coupled with a total of $29 billion as total revenue.

Australia's Treasury chief Ken Henry has called on all economists and tax experts to lay down their guns and focus on the current proposals such as the resources super profits tax.

The ACT government auctioned off two significant city sites on Monday; the land and property services expert handling the sale was caught off guard by the apparent disinterest shown by national property developers.

A land and property services analyst in Canberra was appalled by the lack of national interest and support from property developers in the auction of two key city sites last Monday.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) reported on Tuesday that the nation’s commodity export earnings would increase by up to 23 percent to $202.5 billion in 2010/11 as compared to last year’s forecast of $164.1 billion.

A Perth-based miner told media today that selling its West Kalgoorlie gold assets will further strengthen the company to focus on its Goldfields iron ore project.

DMC Mining Ltd’s directors said today that they are inclined to accept the offer of Cape Lambert Resources Ltd to acquire their stocks and options at 53 cents per shares, for a total takeover bid of $46.04 million.

Leighton Holdings Limited subsidiary Thiess Services announced on late Monday the value of the work contract on Victoria's M89 ring road upgrade has been set at $623 million.

China’s central bank has indicated over the weekend that the yuan would be more flexible in the coming days, though it gave clarification that significant changes should not be expected and at the last check, the Chinese currency still stands at about 6.8 against the US dollar.

Self-made billionaire Ken Talbot's roots can be traced back 40 years ago when he first started in the mining industry. He became one of the prominent figures in the mining industry in Queensland, and went on to become one of Australia's richest men.

The West Australian Premier is satisfied with the results of the royalties deal with two giant Australian iron ore miners.

Google Voice, the popular VoIP voicemail, and messaging service is now open for anyone in the U.S. Previously, the service was invitation-only.

GUD Holdings Ltd offered up to $83.8 million to takeover Dexion Ltd in bid to diversify the company’s portfolio even as Dexion hinted on Monday that its board of directors are ready to accept the proposal.

Sales of new motor vehicles slid by 3.2 percent in May, according to the latest figures furnished by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Monday, but CommSec economist Savanth Sebastian characterised the decline as a mere statistical hiccup and not an indicator of weakening consumer confidence.

Federal Treasury Secretary Ken Henry told media on Monday it is too early to write off all prospects of the resource super profits tax after it was introduced to the mining sector.

Grange Resources reported today that no further rockfalls occurred so far on its Savage River ore mine pit, located in Tasmania’s west coast, since close to half million tonnes of rock cascaded down to the site on Thursday last week.