Vittorio Hernandez

Australian workers are blaming their jobs for their weight problems. A study by Weight Watchers released on Tuesday said the employees particularly cited the job monotony and culture of drinking as the main culprits for their expanding girths.

Western Australia opened its first 24/7 post office in Perth on Tuesday in response to the growing demand for parcel delivery services from items ordered online.

A healthcare crisis looms over Australia in the next 10 years since a new survey released on Tuesday warned that half of nurses in the country plan to quit their jobs in that period.

Rio Tinto (ASX: RIO) investors have joined the growing global trend against excessive executive bonuses and compensation. A new Rio director has started a comprehensive review of the miner's executive pay system and is likely targeting the firm's performance share plan (PSP).

Hundreds of Coles warehouse employees in Somerton, Melbourne went on strike on Monday over work conditions. The striking workers, who initially numbered 300, are protesting the unequal treatment compared to other Coles warehouse facilities from the firm that manages the warehouse.

It was a less than ideal start to the new trading week, with shares losing ground for the third consecutive session. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) fell 0.9 pct or 39.2 pts to 4159.8. Today was also around 20 pct quieter than last Monday. It is important to note that last week was one of the quietest so far in 2012.

Friday night the overseas markets were hit by weak U.S. job numbers and concern over global growth. The all-important U.S. non-farm payroll numbers came in below market expectations as 80,000 new jobs created over the month of June was just not enough to settle markets. European and U.S. investors were also cautious ahead of the new global growth forecasts from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The head of the IMF Christine Lagarde said in a speech on Friday, in Japan, that she will revise ...

A report released on Monday by Ernst & Young on the issues facing miners worldwide warned of further escalation in costs of mining operations in the coming years.

Despite the threat of a $1.1 million fine from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), some Aussie entities continue to gouge residents by blaming the two-week-old carbon tax for large increase in prices.

Andrew Forrest of Fortescue Metals has found an ally in its High Court battle against the mining tax in the Australian state of Queensland. Despite a meeting on Monday between Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Queensland Premier Campbell Newman, the state will go ahead and join Fortescue in the High Court challenge.

Marine scientists from different parts of the world meeting in Cairns this week are urging the Gillard government to step up protection of the Great Barrier Reef.

It seems it takes a lot to excite investors in this current climate. Despite rate cuts overnight from both the European Central Bank and the People's Bank of China, investors sold out of equities today fearing the stimulus wouldn't be enough. There was also some trepidation and profit taking ahead of a key jobs report coming out of the US tonight.

There is apparent wisdom in the practice among many western parents to kick out of their homes their children once the kids turn 18. A study released Friday confirmed that it is stressful for parents to share their home with their adult children.

The first week of the implementation of the controversial carbon tax ended with an announcement by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) that it investigated and sanctioned two solar panel producers.

An application now available in Android phones would allow bank depositors to make limited financial transactions via their phones, email or Facebook. However, the features exclude wireless payments using the Near Field Communication (NFC) technology.

Local stocks are trading in the red on the final session of the week, following weakness in European markets and a mixed finish on Wall Street overnight. The European Central Bank cut interest rates by 0.25pct to a record low of 0.75pct as expected overnight, yet the move failed to excite investors, who instead decided to book profits. US investors were treading water ahead of the key monthly jobs report coming out tonight. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 18.5pts...

Australia's richest woman, Gina Rinehart, sold on Thursday part of her shares in Fairfax Media which had denied her a board seat. However, even if she sold $50 million worth of shares, she is still Fairfax's largest stakeholder since she still owns 14.9 per cent of the firm, down from 18.7 per cent.

Manufacturers have accused supermarket giant Woolworths of bullying them into cutting their costs and prices or else be banished from the shelves.

The local share market closed flat today, ahead of a key European Central Bank meeting where it's widely tipped the ECB will cut interest rates in the Eurozone to a record low of 0.75pct. Wall Street was closed overnight for Independence Day while there was a lack of market moving economic data which also affected guidance. On low volumes, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) closed down 3.9pts to 4209.9.

Queensland Rail wielded its axe on Thursday. However, the axe hit not only ordinary employees, but also high-ranking officials.

Qantas's worst fears of further losing share of the lucrative domestic market were confirmed. Aviation industry reports said that Virgin Australia ferried more domestic passengers in the past 12 months to May compared to Qantas.

The local share market is trading virtually flat at lunchtime in the East, on low volumes. Investors haven't been given a lot of guidance with Wall Street closed overnight for the Independence Day holiday and many treading water ahead of the European Central Bank's rate decision tonight, where it's tipped rates could be cut to a record low of 0.75pct. At lunchtime in the East, the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) is down 10.4pts or 0.2pct to 4203.4.

While the Opposition, the New South Wales government and some businesses such as bakery chain Brumby's are blaming the carbon tax for rise in prices, Australia's retail industry is rejoicing because the carbon compensation caused the sector's growth rate to hit a two-year high.

In spite of promises by Coalition leader Tony Abbott to repeal the carbon tax if the Opposition wins in the 2013 election, big polluters in Australia believe otherwise.

Australian bakery chain Brumby's apologised on Wednesday after being caught by regulators attempting to make more dough by blaming the carbon tax for price increases. Brumby's parent company, Retail Food Group Limited, apologised for the unacceptable error of judgment.

The Australian sharemarket gained for the fifth time in six days today and is trading around two month highs. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) rose by 1.1 pct or 47.4 pts to 4213.8. Despite the gains, investors still stayed away from the market today due to a U.S public holiday tonight (American markets closed tonight).

The carbon tax, despite the support by some large Australian businesses, continues to be the favourite whipping boy of the Opposition and even some state governments.

Overnight overseas markets gained across the board after better than expected factory orders in the US and strong auto sales for the month of June. The US market closed early ahead of the July 4 Independence Day holiday. Commodity prices rallied higher and the Aussie dollar also gained.

Even if the Reserve Bank of Australia's Tuesday decision to hold the overnight cash rate at 3.5 per cent was widely anticipated by analysts, business leaders are still hoping for another rate cut in the coming months.