POLITICS & POLICY

Seven West Annual Net Profit Surge Almost 100% After Acquisition

Seven West Media Ltd, Australia's largest locally listed media company, said its takeover by West Australian Newspaper Holdings in 2011 has helped lift its first full year net profit to $226.9 million, up by 97.1 per cent over the previous year's $115.1 million.
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U.S. Urges WikiLeaks Founder Julian Assange to Face Up Legal Woes

The U.S. State Department has accused WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of sidestepping the real issues surrounding his legal predicaments even as a key Labor figure sounded off grave concerns on the prospect of the Australian national getting a fair trial in the United States.

HDF Board Recommends $1.4B APA Takeover Bid

As expected, the board of Australia's Hastings Diversified Utilities Fund (HDF) has recommended on Tuesday the A$1.4 billion ($1.46 billion) bid of gas distributor Pipeline Consortium APA Group, a day after rival suitor Pipeline Partners Australia (PPA) bowed out from the chase game.

Why did CEO Joyce of Qantas Turn Down Pay Perks

Alan Joyce, chief executive officer of labour beleaguered Qantas Airways Ltd., has decided not to accept his bonus and pay rise for this year, in what could be a fitting gesture in light of the continuing massive fiscal crisis affecting both local and international companies.

Global Markets Overview - 08/21/2012

U.S. STOCK MARKETSU.S. stocks took a pause Monday, with the Dow industrials ticking down for the first in three sessions, as telecommunications and consumer-discretionary shares fell. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gave up 3.56 points, or less than 0.1%, to 13271.64.The blue-chip benchmark had capped its sixth-straight weekly advance on Friday, putting it within striking distance of multi-year highs.

Australian Dollar Outlook - 08/21/2012

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar had a very quiet night with markets noticing the effect of the traditional summer holiday periods in the Northern Hemisphere.

Pipeline Consortium APA Group Near To Win Takeover of HDF

Pipeline Consortium APA Group could most likely win the takeover battle over Hastings Diversified Utilities Fund (HDF) after rival bidder Pipeline Partners Australia (PPA) announced on Monday it no longer plans to match APA's raised bid.

China Yancoal Suspends Expansion Plans in Australia

Poor prices of coal in the world market spurred by a continuing weak demand from the Asian market had prompted China-backed Yancoal Australia to suspend its expansion plans in all its seven mines in Australia.

Gu Kailai, Bo Xilai's Wife, Nets Prison Life Sentence

Gu Kailai, wife of former Politburo top contender Bo Xilai, was given a suspended death sentence on Monday, concluding a brief but high-profile murder trial that China watchers said was both a political and criminal proceeding.

Global Markets Overview - 08/20/2012

Stocks inched forward Friday to cap their sixth straight weekly gain, finishing a hair short of multiyear highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 25.09 points, or 0.2%, to 13275.20, about four points shy of its mark on May 1, when it set a more-than-four-year high.

Australian Dollar Outlook - 08/20/2012

Australia: The AUD has been the beneficiary of global central bank and institutional buying in recent weeks. This has been due partly to Australia's relatively higher interest rates and yields on Commonwealth and state government bonds as compared to other developed economies.

Coalition Says No Surplus Will be Delivered on 2013

The latest Treasury’s admission that Australian surplus cannot be supported by current levels of federal revenues only proved that the May budget presented by Treasurer Wayne Swan was grossly unrealistic, the Coalition said.

3rd Quarter Profit of Australia's ANZ Up 10%

Cost cuts and a business expansion in Asia have proven to be an effective business strategy for the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group as third-quarter profit jumped 10 per cent from a year ago.

More Mining Taxes Could Mean More Job Cuts in Queensland

For every cause, there will always be a corresponding, resulting effect.With prices of commodity on the downhill, coupled with growing operating costs, Queensland miners may be forced to slash jobs if only to be able to comply to a proposal to increase mining royalties in the Australian state.

Molycorp Shares Slip Further on Financing Plan

Shares of Molycorp Inc. dropped to a year low on Thursday after the cash-strapped rare earths miner announced on the same day plans of selling a combination of stock and debt in order to raise as much as $517.5 million to help fund operations at its California mine.

Global Markets Overview - 08/17/2012

Technology stocks helped drive the biggest advance for the Dow in almost two weeks after investors took comfort in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's stated commitment to hold together the euro zone. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 85.33 points, or 0.7%, to 13250.11, and the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index added 9.98 points, or 0.7%, to 1415.51.

Australian Dollar Outlook - 08/17/2012

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar moved modestly higher overnight as comments from German Chancellor Angela Merkel lifted sentiment in another quiet session.

Tony Abbott Demands More Govt Resolve in Enforcing Immigration Policy

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has assailed federal authorities for lack of strong resolve in handling serious border protection affairs in light of reports that the crew of a cargo ship that rescued asylum seekers off the Indonesian waters were intimidated by some of the refugees.

BHP Hints of More Job Cuts

Saddled by the continued deterioration of the global market, coupled with a slowing appetite from its major market importer, BHP Billiton has warned it would need to undertake more job cuts at its Australian operations.

China Posts Biggest FDI Decline This Year In July

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in China for the month of July has narrowed down by 8.7 per cent compared to a year ago, latest data released by the Commerce Ministry on Thursday showed, affirming what could really be a slow economic rebound for the Asian country.

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