Vittorio Hernandez

Octogenarian Ernie Whitfield of New South Wales is considered strong for his age. Similar men in the same age bracket would probably be confined in a convalescent home, wheelchair-bound or walking with the aid of a cane. However, at 84, Mr Whitfield even beat intruders who entered his home armed with a hammer and a knife taken from Mr Whitfield's kitchen and demanded money.

Due to projections that the country's resource boom will have a peak earlier than anticipated, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) downgraded Australia's growth forecast for the year to June 2013 to 2.75 per cent from 3.5 per cent.

Passengers of Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Tiger Airways suffered on Saturday from chaos as the check-in system in Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney Airport crashed for two hours due to a computer glitch.

The Australian sharemarket ended in the red for the second straight day this week, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slipping by just 0.4 per cent or 19.7 pts to 4482.5. The value of shares traded was significantly higher than usual today. Over the past five sessions local shares eased by just 0.15 per cent, making it the third consecutive week of losses. So far this month, the XAO is down 1.3 per cent; equities have still improved by 8.89 per cent in 2012 which is 4 per cent better than Ameri...

Local stocks are trading in the red today, with most of the damage being done by Westpac (WBC and the National Australia Bank (NAB), which are trading without rights to their dividends. Overnight, US markets rose at the open then traded lower, as investors focused on the so-called "fiscal cliff" with tax increases and spending cuts to occur from the 1st January.

To indicate the growing use of Instagram among social networking sites, in the Tuesday election in the U.S., over 100,000 photos taken with the photo application was tagged with #iVoted and 150,000 with #election2012.

Since the launch of Apple's iPad Mini in 34 countries, combined sales of the device and the iPad fourth generation averaged 1 million units daily in the past three days.

While the role of Facebook and Twitter in helping elect and celebrate the Wednesday poll victory of U.S. President Barack Obama has once more been emphasised, the newbie social networking site Google+ appears quiet and out of the political equation.

The advantage enjoyed by online retailers based overseas over bricks and mortar stores insofar as Australian consumers are concerned may soon be removed. A plan by the federal government to collect the general sales tax (GST) for purchases abroad may just level the playing field for both kinds of retailers.

A stress test conducted by the Australia Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) showed that all major banks in the country passed it. APRA Chairman John Laker, in a Thursday speech in Brisbane, declared that another global economic meltdown would not result in significant losses for Aussie lenders.

If 18-year-old Kristen Neel of Georgia were a quiz bee contestant, she probably would easily lose if the questions were on current events.

The Australian sharemarket fell for the first time in five sessions, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) slipping by 0.7 per cent or 32 pts to 4502.2. No sectors were spared from the selling; however local shares are coming off an impressive winning streak, with equities (shares) ending in the red for just two of the past nine sessions.

Local stocks have followed global markets into the red, as investors bailed out of equities overnight. The Dow Jones Index recorded its worst trading session for 2012, with investors concerned about how the US government would tackle the so-called "fiscal cliff" and help avoid America heading back into recession. Uncertainty over the Greek parliament vote on austerity measures also contributed to a sell-down. Early this morning, the Greek government secured enough votes in parliament to ap...

The Wednesday U.S. presidential election proved that a face-off looms between social media networking sites Facebook or Twitter similar to the tight battle between Democrat candidates Barack Obama and Republican bet Mitt Romney.

Apple and Samsung have been battling across the market and in legal matters to prove which is winner, iOS or the Android OS. However, the real winner is determined by sales of its devices, including new releases.

A fifth Australian bank will likely soon join the ranks of the Big 4, the monicker for Westpac, National Australia Bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia and ANZ Bank.

Australians will likely be reading more juicy details of the Rinehart family court feud in 2013. On Wednesday, New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Paul Brereton adjourned the multimillion dollar lawsuit over the family trust to March 2013 for pre-trial directions.

Australian politicians lost no time on Wednesday in congratulating U.S. President Barack Obama for his successful reelection just hours after media reports confirmed the poll results in the U.S.

The Australian share market closed higher today, receiving a spike in the last hour of trade as news networks called the 2012 US Presidential Election a Democratic victory. Barack Obama himself tweeted "Four more years", with the projected decision sending the market up 0.7pct.

The Australian sharemarket is improving for the fourth straight day and for the seventh time in eight sessions, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) up 0.3 per cent or 12.3 pts to 4516. Almost all sectors are higher; however volume of shares traded remains light ahead of the results from the U.S Presidential elections.

The yearend holiday is fast approaching and this early, some people are drawing up their Christmas shopping list. People, after all celebrate Christmas not only with food, decorations, events, and travel, but also with gifts. Today's techie generation inevitable includes high tech gadgets and devices as much appreciated Christmas gifts.

Apple, the technology world's Goliath, lost in a legal battle with a David in the form of a Mexican tech firm that rolled out a mobile device named iFone.

The dread of math is a common problem among students the world over. Many students have complained to their teachers and parents that the mathematical problems they need to solve on their exams or seatwork are causing them headaches.

While the name laptop connotes that this device be placed on a person's lap while computing, doctors have warned against the practice because of its potential damage to male sperm.

Australia's livestock export sector has never been at a more precarious situation as the industry battles brutal and inhumane ways that the animal imports undergo in other countries.

The Australian sharemarket rose for the third straight session and for the sixth time in seven days. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) edged higher by just 0.2 per cent or 10.1 pts to 4503.7. Despite the improvement, investors weren't overly interested in equities with the Melbourne Cup demanding much of the attention. There were only $2.7 billion worth of shares traded today; around 25 per cent less than yesterday.

English import Green Moon won on Tuesday the 2012 Melbourne Cup at the Flemington Racecourse, giving horse owner Lloyd Williams his fourth win. Ridden by jockey Brett Prebble, who flew from Hong Kong for the race, Green Moon dashed to lead in the final 400 metres and beat favourites Fiorente and Jakkalberry.

The experts were correct in their forecast that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will retain the current 3.25 per cent overnight cash rate when the central bank's monetary committee met on Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday, Nov 6.

Local investors are hedging their bets today, ahead of arguably one of the busiest days of the year. At 3.15pm AEDT the "race that stops the nation" will see millions of Australians leave their desks to watch the Melbourne Cup, while tonight in the US, the hotly contested 2012 Presidential Election gets underway. Also of significance to market watchers, is this afternoon's interest rate decision at 2.30pm AEDT. Money markets are now factoring in just a 47pct chance that rates will be cu...