Vittorio Hernandez

Fifteen New Zealand miners remain trapped in three refuge areas underground at a Newmont Waihi gold mine on Tuesday. The 15 are part of a group of 28 miners deployed at the site. Thirteen of the workers have escaped the blaze.

The Australian sharemarket improved for the second consecutive trading session, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) up 0.6 pct or 24.9 pts to 4143.2. This is the first time this month that shares have recorded two straight days of gains. Despite the improvement, today was yet another extremely quiet day for local markets (one of the quietest sessions of the year). This was partly due to a public holiday in Japan. The Tokyo Stock Exchange is considered to be the world's fourth largest stock ex...

While a new report released on Monday acknowledges that the carbon trading scheme is needed for Australia to meet long-term targets that would reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is not sufficient to cut the cost of clean technologies to generate sufficient electricity and replace coal.

On Friday we saw most global share markets rallying higher after the Chinese economic data was not as bad as investors had feared. European and US markets helped by the news out of China reinvigorating commodity prices and better than expected numbers from Key US banks. JPMorgan Chase beat the street with is quarterly results despite the firm increasing the cost of its one off trading loss that has now cost US$5.8 billion and set to climb. California's largest bank Wells Fargo also thrilled t...

Many Australian businesses, particularly those outside the resources sector, are suffering from revenue and profit squeeze due to increasing cost of energy, expected to worsen with the imposition of the carbon tax on July 1 and huge investments in energy networks.

While more Australian men are shifting to careers within the lucrative resources sector, there are also a rising number of Aussie women who are venturing into Outback jobs.

After introducing in 2011 the 24/7 postal services for parcels ordered online, the Australia Post is taking its service to another level by linking farmers and consumers.

The Victoria Supreme Court will hear on Monday a petition by Toll Holdings, which operates the Cole Warehouse in Somerton, Melbourne, to issue an injunction to stop the blockade set up by striking workers.

There was nothing frightening about Friday 13th, with sharemarkets improving for the first time in seven trading days thanks to economic news out of China not surprising investors. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose by 0.3 pct or 12.3 pts to 4118.3. The XAO is one of the main ways to measure market performance in Australia. Despite today's gains, shares locally have slumped by 1.7 pct over the past five days, are only a touch weaker so far in July and are flat in the 2012 calendar year.

One unintended consequence of boom in ecommerce is a corresponding increase in credit card fraud cases. Reports said that in 2011, over one million cases of card fraud were recorded in Australia.

The former Treasury Secretary, Ken Henry, encouraged Australian businesses to have an open mind for offshoring to help them survive the current economic and commercial global environment. By sourcing more of the products from overseas, he said the businesses - especially those in the manufacturing sector - would offset the squeeze they experience from the mining boom.

Australian unions are gearing up for a battle with Opposition leader Tony Abbott after he disclosed on Wednesday plans to revamp the country's flexible workplace agreement system.

Local stocks are trading marginally higher at lunchtime in the East, ahead of the release of key Chinese data. After six sessions of losses, investors are moving back into the market with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) firmer by 8.8pts or 0.2pct to 4114.8.

While all major Australian airports were the subject of various complaints by air travelers, because of the sheer volume of passengers and planes it handles, Sydney Airport topped the list.

The chances that shoppers at Coles would find half-empty shelves at the supermarket giants' different outlets became higher as the strike at its Melbourne warehouse entered its fifth day on Friday.

Local stocks closed in the red for the sixth session in a row today, posting the Australian share market's longest losing streak since November last year. Weaker than expected jobs numbers hurt investor sentiment while falls on US share markets and reports China is considering reducing state steel output contributed to the negative tone. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) closed down 29pts or 0.7pct to 4106.

The Australian share market closed marginally lower yesterday and overnight market were held back once again by Eurozone concerns and lack of immediate stimulus help from the US Federal Reserve.

A study by an Edith Cowan University School of Management research team estimates a 25 per cent annual turnover rate for the 50,000 fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) workers in Western Australia.

Besides promising to repeal the carbon tax if the Opposition would win the 2013 election, Coalition leader Tony Abbott also vowed changes in work flexibility arrangements which would benefit Australia's tourism industry.

If BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP) will pursue its Olympic Dam expansion plan, the venture would produce sufficient uranium to fuel one-third of the global demand for use in nuclear power plants, according to South Australia Mineral and Resources Minister Tom Koutsantonis.

Coles put in place on Wednesday a two-pronged strategy to address the worsening labour row at its warehouses. It asked Fair Work Australia (FWA) to assume jurisdiction over the problem, while Toll Holdings made a new wage offer to the striking workers.

The Australian share market closed marginally in the red today, its fifth consecutive session of losses, although volumes were very low. Falls on offshore markets overnight contributed to the negative mood, although there was some buying in retail related stocks on the back of a pick-up in consumer sentiment. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) finished the day's trade at 4135, down 3pts or 0.1pct.

A survey by consulting firm Hay Group forecasts that Australian workers could expect a 4 per cent salary increase in the next 12 months. The estimated is based on its analysis of salary data from over 440 organisations and 270,000 jobs in the past year to February.

The Australian sharemarket is losing ground for the fifth straight day, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) down 0.2 pct or 9.9 pts to 4128. Despite the falls, the last week and a half has been extremely quiet on markets, so the losses cannot be taken too seriously.

Australians should brace for the not-so-favourable business trends to remain in place for a longer period of time, a Treasury official warned on Tuesday.

On the second week of the implementation of the carbon tax, Treasurer Wayne Swan said the $23 per tonne carbon price is now a reality which Australians would have to judge its impact on their lives.

The arena for a price war is no longer limited to grocery shelves between supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths. It has gone up 30,000 feet into the Australian sky as Qantas and Virgin Australia battle for corporate travelers.

The industrial action at the Coles warehouse in Melbourne entered its third day on Wednesday with Toll Holdings, the operator of the facility, threatening striking workers with legal action.

It was yet another extremely quiet session on the Australian sharemarket today, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) down 0.5 pct or 21.9 pts to 4137.9. This did not come as a huge surprise due to the falls on most global markets overnight and the lack of interest in shares in Europe and the U.S.