MARKETS

-Advertising spending to improve-But mostly in new media-Publishers face strong headwinds-TV advertising to reboundBy Eva BrocklehurstTraditional media is on a downhill road, advertising spending is choppy, debt levels are high.

The positive atmosphere around the local stock market has continued to build at the end of the week. In the last 2 days there have been a number of setbacks, yet the upward momentum of the index has prevailed.

Following on from a quick pullback yesterday, the local market is improving for the 11th time in 12 trading sessions. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is up 0.7 per cent or 36.6 pts to 4937.6. The market is anticipating economic news out of China between 12pm (AEDT) and 12.45pm (AEDT) which could drive markets this afternoon.

By Rudi Filapek-Vandyck, Editor FNArenaI joined Twitter. Not because I am curious what this celebrity has to say about her kids, or to read that another one is waiting for a connecting flight, impatiently.

On the 30th of January, Imperial Tobacco Group Plc. informed that the first-half profit would decline because of black market sales and the deepening crisis in Europe. Along with the announcement on the half-year profit outlook, the Europe's second-biggest tobacco company revealed that Robert Dyrbus had resigned from his position.

On the 31st of January, Royal Dutch Shell PLC informed that it saw a 13 percent jump in profit for the fourth quarter. As it was underlined by the Europe's biggest energy company, increased costs in both exploration and output were balanced by high refining margins. However the profit for the final fiscal quarter did not meet with analysts' estimates due to weaker prices in North America.

On the 29th of January, Anglo American PLC informed that it would write down $4 billion on its Minas-Rio iron project in Brazil after conducting a review of the scheme.

By Peter Switzer, Switzer Super ReportThere's no more appropriate time for a market review and outlook statement for the month ahead.

By Jonathan BarrattCotton has had a really turbulent time over of the last 24 months and so have the producers who at some stage have been producing the commodity at a loss.

By Greg PeelThe Dow closed down 49 points, or 0.4%, while the S&P lost 0.3% to 1498, with the Nasdaq flat.

Like sugar, global prices of coal are expected to go up in the coming months as an aftermath of the flooding of the Australian state of Queensland on the last week of January.

As beautifully as the sun shines, it always sets. This is one way to poetically describe what took place on the Australian sharemarket today. After 10 consecutive sessions of gains, the local market slipped into negative territory. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) eased by 0.4 per cent or 18.1 pts to 4901.0.

The Australian share market seems unlikely to make it 11 wins in a row, following falls on Wall Street overnight. Despite a flat start and entry into positive territory, stocks are in the red at lunchtime in the East. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 15.7pts or 0.3pct to 4903.4.

-Insurers can withstand this flood-Flood impact worst for Suncorp-Minimal impact so far on mines-Some coal haulage delaysBy Eva BrocklehurstWhatever the weather we'll weather the weather, whether we like it or not.

Farmers and other stakeholders in Australia's sugar industry have expressed concern over the bitter taste the current Queensland flood will have on prices of this sweet commodity.

By Greg PeelThe Dow fell 44 points, or 0.3%, while the S&P lost 0.4% to 1501 and the Nasdaq dropped 0.

-Share price fall creates opportunity, say stockbrokers-Confidence for gas sales extension-Wet gas demand underpinned-Bauer-Lycium on line in AprilBy Eva BrocklehurstOil and gas explorer/producer, Drillsearch ((DLS)), offers a buying opportunity, according to stockbrokers, following a review of the ...

The Australian share market made it ten wins in a row today, the longest winning streak since 14-28th July 2009 when stocks had 11 sessions of gains. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose 8.3pts or 0.2pct to 4919.1pts, its highest level since late April 2011.

The local market is improving for the 10th straight session, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) 0.2 per cent or 11.8 pts higher to 4922.6. July 2009 was the last time the market enjoyed such a long winning streak and shares are trading at their highest levels in 2 months.

Everybody's worried about America's middle class. Some say they're hurtin'. Others say they're disappearing. Most want to help them out.

For 2013, oil and gas seem to be the "in" resource in Australia, while iron ore and coal are "out." Even Gina Rinehart, Australia's richest person, is jumping into the oil bandwagon by investing $4.25 million in Lakes Oil (ASX: LKO) by purchasing the company's unsecured notes.

By Greg PeelThe Dow rose 72 points, or 0.5%, while the S&P gained 0.5% to 1507, although the Nasdaq, weighed down by some poor mid-cap tech stock results, closed not quite a point lower.

Having risen 1.3% last week ,the local share market maintained its constructive note, rising by more than 1 on the Tuesday, the first day of a holiday shortened week . The Australian stock market tradeded at new 21-month highs despite the news pulse from US and European hemespheres being less than positive.Every sector measured by the ASX registered solid gains. The impact of the east coast storms was the main focus for insurers and miners as investors attempted to 'bottom line' the matter...

Ryanair witnessed strong profits in its third fiscal quarter ended December as the company enjoyed extensive pre-holiday reservations. The increase in fuel prices, however, did not seem to affect the profits of the airline.

Former French President Nicholas Sarkozy is the latest high earner to do a runner from France. He wants to set up a private equity fund in London and will be escaping the 'tax the rich' environment in his former home. French actor Gerard Depardieu broke the same news a few months ago.

The maker of Cartier jewelry Richemont SA posted its third quarter results showing that sales in the period grew by approximately 5 percent at constant exchange rates and about 9 percent at actual rates.

As more and more people wake up to the dangers of fluoride, chlorine, pharmaceuticals, and the many other toxic compounds found in municipal water supplies, the market for bottled water has exploded. But in the process, some major food and beverage corporations have unwittingly begun peddling that very same tap water in bottles as "pure," a deceptive labeling term that is the subject of a new trade controversy in Europe.

The Australian share market continues to trade at 20 month highs, resuming trade after the Australia Day long weekend on a positive note. Investors are focusing on strong gains on offshore markets at the end of last week, rather than the subdued finish during Monday's session on Wall Street. In early trade, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose above 4900 points for the first time since early May 2011, after the Dow Jones Index added 1.8pct over the course of last week.

At last! The UK Green Deal energy efficiency scheme is due to be entirely launched on the 28th of January. The green initiative has been strongly backed by Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister, and Ed Davey, the Energy Secretary.