SERVICES

From Morrison Securities: U.S. stocks finished barely changed in Friday's session to cap a strong week after the U.S. unemployment rate unexpectedly dropped and European leaders and central bankers redoubled efforts to tackle the sovereign-debt crisis.

A Chinese airliner took off from Osaka's international airport without clearance from air traffic controllers sparking an investigation by civil aviation authorities from the two countries.

Qantas unions blamed mismanagement of the national air carrier for its $200 million loss for the second half of the financial year. The unions said Qantas should not blame the strikes for the loss, which Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce pinpointed as one of the reasons behind the red ink.

Employees of Fremantle walked off their jobs on Friday dawn as scheduled as part of their move to improve working conditions and seek a 6 per cent salary increase over the next three years.

From Morrison Securities: U.S. stocks were little changed in afternoon trading Thursday, a day after a blowout rally, as headlines from Europe kept traders on the defensive but strength in the technology sector limited losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 6 points, or 0.1%, to 12049 recently, shaving off a sliver of the previous session's 490-point surge.

Industrial disputes filed by employees and workers in Australia rose to 66 during the September period resulting in more working days lost and industries paralyzed, according to the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Research in Motion announced on Tuesday that it will launch a new security software that will bring the same security and management features found in the company's BlackBerry smartphones to Android and iOS phones and tablets.

Fair Work Australia (FWA) may likely have another tough labor dispute to handle soon following the collapse of talks between Fremantle Port workers and management. The port workers have announced a 48-hour strike beginning at dawn of Friday.

Manufacturing activity remained flat in November according to the latest Australian Industry Group - PwC Australian Performance of Manufacturing Index (Australian PMI®). The Australian PMI® was broadly unchanged, up just 0.4 points to 47.8, to remain below the 50 points level separating expansion from contraction.

Minmetals Resources Limited (HKSE:1208) ("MMR") has appointed mining industry stalwart Anthony Larkin as an independent non-executive director of the company to further strengthen the board's project risk assessment capabilities.

The 74,000 employees of French IT firm Atos will no longer email each other to cut the time they spend in handling emails.

Australia Post Chief Executive Ahmed Fahour knows how to turn a problem into an opportunity. He showed his success on Tuesday when the agency he heads opened its 24/7 operations that relies heavily on delivery and pick up of parcels ordered online by Aussies.

Qantas passengers again faced delays even if the unions and the air carrier's labor dispute is under arbitration with Fair Work Australia. The culprit this time was computer outage.

Doubt is being cast over the fairness in choosing the new seven wonders of the world as the organiser's costly requirements to win the slots meant that only natural places in countries that can afford the expenses are more likely to win the highly commercialized global contest.

Despite union opposition, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce said the national carrier still plans to push through setting up a hub in southeast Asia and to fast track plans to enter into closer alliances with other airlines.

In reading the biography of "Steve Jobs" written by Walter Isaacson one gets to grasp the man is no god, he was quite human in all aspects that some readers would actually be disappointed of the truths revealed.

Qantas assured its passengers on Thursday that the strike-prone flag carrier would not suffer from another industrial action for the next four years.

New Zealanders are planning to cut on their holiday travel plans in the next 12 months. A report by Roy Morgan Research, a market research and public opinion survey firm in Australia, explained the reduction in travel plans to the weaker consumer confidence.

Qantas's brand was damaged more by the strikes than the shutdown of the fleet by its chief executive, former Qantas Chief Executive Geoff Dixon said on Wednesday.

From Stan Shamu, Markets Strategist, IG MarketsGlobal markets extended their losses overnight on deepening concerns about the European debt crisis, after a poorly-received German debt sale. Germany failed to find buyers for 35% of the bonds it offered at an auction. There was also a swathe of disappointing economic data, with European services and manufacturing output shrinking for a third month, US durable goods orders falling and unemployment claims topping forecasts.

While the Australian Industry Group (AiG) recognizes the importance of road safety, the group opposes the planned establishment of a Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.

Oil and gas field service provider Titan Energy (ASX: TTN) is going public by listing in the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on Dec 7. The company hopes to raise $5.45 million capital by issuing 5 million shares at $1 per ordinary share.

Aussie business owners' dissatisfaction with the Federal Government has soared to a three year high with the majority of Aussie SMEs (56%) now dissatisfied, up from 31% in August 2010. This is the highest dissatisfaction level recorded by the Business Monitor since June 2008, accprding to the latest research from the MYOB Business Monitor Special Report released on Wednesday.

Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce and some aviation experts are of the opinion that Fair Work Australia (FWA) would rule in favour of the air carrier to settle the industrial dispute with unions.

The Australian government has assured mining companies and opposing sectors their demands will be met in the final version of the proposed mining tax bill.

Australia's leading Internet venture fund, Future Capital Development Fund (FCDF) has announced it has invested in another Internet company, TheAgendaDaily.com ("Agenda") - a hybrid media / commerce business which successfully offers customers engaging daily recommendations alongside exclusive member only sales.

Another victim of Friday's fire at the Quaker Hills Nursing Home in Sydney died Monday night bringing the death toll to eight.

The 21-day period for Qantas management and unions to agree on new contracts lapsed on Monday with no negotiation extension made by the parties, so the dispute will now have to be settled by the Fair Works Australia (FWA).

With the forwarded drawdown from $300 million worth of funds to prop up its operations, Australia's OneSteel Ltd scrambles to turn around its operations within 12 months, according to reports.