COMPANIES

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) is granting free and open access to its central data repository, FAOSTAT, the world's largest and most comprehensive statistical database on food, agriculture, and hunger, the UN agency announced last week.Previously, it was possible to download ...

Nearly half of all Australian households say they worry over the threat of looming interest rate rises, but only 20 per cent say they expect to have to carry increased debt levels in the next few months.According to the results of the latest survey by Dun & Bradstreet, which polled consumer exp...

Australian banking major National Australia Bank (NAB) embarked on a strategy this year of discounting its standard variable rate, is now starting to reap the rewards of the move, as it acquires a larger share of the home loan market.The number of home loans underwritten by Australia’s fourth larg...

Gindalbie Metals Limited, emerging iron mining firm, projects to shell out $80.4 million in developing its Karara development project worth about $2 billion for the third quarter of this year, which is situated at the midwest area of Western Australia.

IUCN (The International Union for Conservation of Nature) and Australia's third largest mining firm Rio Tinto today entered into a formal collaboration agreement, committing to work together over a three-year period.

Arrow Energy Ltd. said it has not formally received an approved offer from China's state-owned PetroChina of its bid to acquire the A$3.5 billion ($3.1 billion) Australian coal-seam gas producer.

A new study by the APRA (Australian Prudential Regulation Authority) has identified a huge discrepancy between the paid fees by superannuation retail funds and those paid for funds not-for-profit, indicating that retail fees show generation of revenues rather than actual expenses.

The Townsville port is on the cusp of experiencing growth in its iron ore shipments, with the first shipment of two trial batches set to leave the port tomorrow bound for China’s Beilun Port, near Shanghai.

Uranium producer Energy Resources of Australia Ltd (ERA) reported on Tuesday that the Darwin-based company suffered a 36 percent decline in its first half uranium oxide output even as it admitted that expected full year production could be up to 18 percent lower from the results posted last year.

NQBP Corp (North Queensland Bulk Ports Corporation), the government owned construction firm, has announced plans of exploring the viability of building a new Dudgeon Point export terminal, granting rights to Adani Group, an Indian construction firm, to head the project.

Investment manager Aurora Funds Ltd saw a tamed debut at the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on Tuesday as its shares remained untouched by 1100 AEST and with merely 320 shares being traded by 1345 AEST, with its stock price steadying at $2.00 per share.

Andrew Forrest's Fortescue Metals Group stands the Gillard government's proposed minerals resources rent tax (MRRT) should not proceed in its current shape.

Due to large amounts of rainfall this May, farmers of New South Wales are expecting some record-breaking harvest amounts for this winter, the NSW government has said.

A sluggish morning trading affected Australia's stock market S&P/ASX 200 Index as it declined 0.3 percent to 4,397.50 as of 12:48 p.m. in Sydney. New Zealand's NZX 50 Index shed off 0.3 percent to 3,004.56 in Wellington.

Minara Resources has reported its share of nickel produced at the Murrin Murrin mine in Western Australia slumped 15 per cent both on quarter and from the previous year.

Mineral sands explorer Iluka Resources Ltd said on Tuesday that the company’s expected rutile production output from its Murray Basin Stage 2 project in Victoria would be a bit lower as compared to the announced forecast made in February.

Australian companies are set to deal with higher finance rates as the major banks reprice business loans.

National Australia Bank may pump up to 387 million pounds ($A664.79 million) more into its British arm Clydesdale amid increasing pressures from UK regulators to aid local units .

Heavy equipment specialist Emeco Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday that the company’s annual net profit should reach the lower rung of earnings guidance previously announced, effectively matching its targeted range of $40 million to $41 million and only $3 million shy from the maximum $44 million earlier set.

Queensland premier Anna Bligh has confirmed industry talk the state government has been encouraging proponents to combine projects.

Canadian Ivanhoe Mines insists its shareholder rights plan does not violate any of British-Australian Rio Tinto's existing contractual rights.

Australia's major banks are feeling the squeeze of rising funding costs but refuse to increase mortgage rates until after the federal election.

DuluxGroup Limited has performed solidly on its own in its ASX (Australian Securities Exchange) debut on Monday.

The total value of charge and credit card transactions, plus advances, posted at $19.631 billion last May, according to figures released by the RBA (Reserve Bank of Australia) on Monday.

Victorian Premier John Brumby today cut the ribbon on Unibic's new $44 million biscuit and cake facility, which will produce Unibic's whole range, including the new Harvest Kitchen Soft Centre biscuits.The new purpose-built facility is capable of producing 4.5 tonnes of goods per hour, and includes ...

New findings indicate that cocoa flavanols, the bitter antioxidants in cocoa beans, may be an important part of a healthy diet for people with cardiovascular disease, according to research by a team of researchers, including scientists from Mars.The study examined cells called CACs, circulating angi...

National Farmers' Federation President David Crombie today warned that food scarcity is a reality that all Australians will need to face.“Australians need to brace for a future of higher prices for life’s essentials. It’s an inevitable consequence of more mouths to feed and less food to go aro...

One of the largest global managers of fixed income securities, Pimco, says that Australia now offers the most investment opportunities in the developed world.During one of its regular updates to the global bond markets, David Fisher who runs global product management for Pimco also said there was a ...

A research analyst with Macquarie Equities Research says he believes that Australian banking major National Australia Bank will be the first lender to raise its rates after the election.According to The Australian, banks will likely raise their interest rates prior to the Federal election, but accor...