Vittorio Hernandez

Yesterday the Australian share market kicked off the session a little higher for the third time this week, only to start losing ground following some disappointing economic data out from China. The latest HSBC Flash Manufacturing PMI came in at 48.7 down from 49.3 points the month before. By the close of trade the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) fell 12 points to 4,106 points.

Earning $1 million every 30 minutes has its disadvantages too. For Gina Rinehart who was named this week by BRW Magazine as the world's wealthiest woman with $29 billion to her name, it meant more public scrutiny of her companies as well as her private life, particularly the ongoing family court feud.

If school bullies destroyed many young lives during their grade and high school days, when it comes to the workplace, it would be their turn to be on the other side of the fence.

A high-profile advertising campaign failed to convince thousands of subscribers to remain with Vodafone.

Qantas and Jetstar will add about 900,000 more seats on its east coast routes by July in a bid to improve the company's finances. The addition of capacity, announced Thursday, is part of the revamp initiated this week by Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce.

The sex trade worker who claimed to have embattled MP Craig Thomson as her client is real, not an imaginary person created to embarrass the legislator. The Daily Telegraph provided more details of the former prostitute whose tell-all interview with Channel 9's Current Affairs may be the final nail to Mr Thomson's crumbling political career.

The Australian sharemarket kicked off the session a little higher for the third time this week, only to start losing ground following some disappointing economic data in China. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) fell 0.3 pct or 12.6 pts to 4106.2. Today, 10 out of 12 sectors finished in the red; however the defensive healthcare industry was the best and rose 1 pct.

Yesterday the Australian share market lost ground for the first time this week, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) down 54.7 points to 4,118 point. Last night Key European index's lost 2-3% after discussions at the European Leaders summit in Brussels made no real headway to resolving the current Eurozone, especially Greek, problems. US markets and commodity prices sold off dramatically at the start of US trade but by the close the major index's had made back most of the early losses. At t...

Although operators of the soon-to-be shuttered smelter plant in Hunter Valley cited the high Australian dollar and weak prices in the international market for aluminium as the short-term reasons why it would close its Kurri Kurri facility, the Opposition seized the closure of the plant to blame again the carbon tax for the economic woes of companies in Australia.

Coal miners employed by the BHP Billiton and Mitsubishi alliance made good their threat to strike on Thursday as over 3,000 started their week-long industrial action.

The Craig Thomson saga continues to unfold like a soap opera as an anonymous female sex trade worker claimed that the embattled MP was her client.

Besides Qantas aircraft maintenance engineers who were at the receiving end this week of Chief Executive Alan Joyce's ax, another victim to the announced revamp of the flag carrier would be the tourism sector in the Northern Territory.

Australian mining mogul Gina Rinehart may have just snagged on Wednesday the title World's Richest Woman, but her earning more than $1 million every 30 minutes was not impressive enough to gain her a seat in Fairfax Media board.

The Australian sharemarket lost ground for the first time this week, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) down 1.3 pct or 54.7 pts to 4118.8. Last night, U.S markets finished flat while European shares managed to gain for the second consecutive day.

The Liberals withdrew on Wednesday a motion to suspend embattled crossbencher MP Craig Thomson from the Australian Parliament. Christopher Payne, the manager of Opposition business, initially sought the suspension of Mr Thomson for 14 days and a possible longer suspension following Mr Thomson's statement of Parliament on Monday.

A former Mac Robertson Girls' High School female student in Melbourne whose face was disfigured in a camp fire filed a lawsuit against the federal government of Australia, the school and the Victorian government.

Yesterday, the Australian share market improved for the second straight day, with The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) up over 49 points to 4,173 points. But in morning trade today the market fell back into the red.

Credit Suisse, in a new report released on Wednesday, warned Australian banks not to lower their lending standards for home loans to make up for the flat growth of lending across the banking industry,

National Australia Bank (NAB) Chief Executive Cameron Clyne blamed on Wednesday the battle for deposits among Australian lenders for the high mortgage interest rates in the country. In effect, he belied claims by the other banks that the European crisis, which caused wholesale funding cost to rise, is the culprit.

The Qantas Monday announcement of the closure of the air carrier's Tullamarine Airport maintenance facility was just the tip of the iceberg. On Wednesday, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce made an even bigger announcement of more revamps in the company.

The Australian sharemarket improved for the second straight day, something which has not happened in around 3 weeks. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) jumped 1.2 pct or 49.1 pts to 4173.5. The market improved as the day wore on and ended close to the highs of the day.

While defending charges over sexual harassment charges filed by staff James Ashby, Australian Parliament House Speaker Peter Slipper continues to perform his duties, but away from the public eye.

The Australian share market started the week stronger and has also gained in morning trade today, Yesterday the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) closed 26 points higher at 4,124 points. Helping to wipe away some of the pain from the 5.6% loss last week.

An official of a sex industry consulting firm dashed hopes of embattled MP Craig Thomson for video footage of people who enter and leave brothels in New South Wales the past six years.

An analysis by Bank of America (BofA) showed that Australian retailer David Jones would be a good buy for now following the drop in company shares at its lowest level since the global financial crisis.

Qantas confirmed on Monday that it will shutter is maintenance hub in Melbourne, which meant engineering jobs would be lost.

The ongoing strike by BHP Billiton (ASX: BHP) miners is expected to reach a peak on Thursday with about 4,000 employees from six mines expected to walk off their jobs following a deadlock in enterprise bargaining discussion.

The shoe is now on the other foot in Australian politics as Opposition leader Tony Abbott is under pressure to remove a Liberal backbencher under investigation for alleged assault.

More Australians are in favour of gay marriages. According to the latest Galaxy poll, half of the survey respondents back same-sex unions while 33 opposite it and 17 per cent are uncommitted,