Vittorio Hernandez

When Motorola launched its Android phone, the Droid RAZR, in late 2011 techies were asking if it could help propel the phone manufacturing firm to the top position it once enjoyed?

Following on from an uneventful session yesterday, the Australian sharemarket rose by 1.1 pct or 45.1 pts to 4206.6 today. The defensive healthcare sector was the lone sector to lose ground for part of the session only for it to improve in the second half of the session with all other sectors.

The year 2011 will go down in Qantas's history as one of its worst. It was the year that saw the air carrier hit by several strikes from pilots, ground crew and aircraft engineers. As a result, Qantas Chief Executive Alan Joyce unilaterally grounded the air carrier's fleet for two days, causing major disruption in travel plan of Qantas passengers.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) killed last week about 300 Asian honey bees found on a cargo ship in Townsville, which came from Port Moresby. The operation was made after DAFF biosecurity officers inspected shipping containers and the vessel which subsequently led to the extermination of the bees.

Ginia Rinehart is probably the 2010 decade's new icon of wealth, comparable to what Christina Onassis was in the 1970s and 1980s. At age 25, Ms Rinehart is set to become the sole heir of the richest person in Australia with $10 billion to her name. However, it would not come easily because of court cases from her siblings who are locked in a legal battle with their mother, Gina Rinehart.

The Australian sharemarket is gaining for the first time this week following yesterday's flat start to trade. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) is up 0.9 pct or 36.2 pts to 4197.7 despite the lack of a decisive lead from global markets overnight. Shares in the U.S ended higher this morning while European equities (shares) finished mostly lower.

More Australian retailers are set to join in 2012 the online bandwagon. The shift to e-commerce over traditional bricks-and-mortar stores confirms the truth behind the cliché - If you can't beat them, join them.

The Australian sharemarket was quite indecisive today with shares starting off in the black, only to remain in the red for most of the session and finish the day a little lower. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) fell 0.1 pct or 3 pts to 4161.5.

Amid a plan by China to start collecting a $1.55 per tonne carbon tax, the measure is becoming more unpopular in countries and regions where it has been imposed or would soon be collected.

Despite the threat of another global contraction due to the European debt crisis, employment prospects in Australia's mining industry continue to be high. To address the manpower shortage in the booming sector, employers have become creative in attracting the best talents from other industries.

The Australian sharemarket has been unable to make up its mind this morning with shares gaining in the first hour of trade only to track lower at lunch. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) is currently down 0.3 pct or 10.6 pts to 4153.9. Almost all sectors are weaker with the industrials the biggest losers so far.

Amid Australia's resources boom which led to higher export activities, the workers in the country's seaports are becoming more restive as evidenced by increased strikes toward the end of 2011 and another round of industrial actions at the start of 2012.

It certainly has been a volatile week for the Australian sharemarket. We kicked off the year in positive fashion with shares improving for two consecutive sessions. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) rose by 1.07 pct on Tuesday (the first trading day of the week) followed by a 2.03 pct improvement on Wednesday. The situation went a little pear shaped in the later part of the week though with the XAO slumping by 1.01 pct on Thursday. Shares today dropped by 0.8 pct or 32.1 pts to 4164.5.

In 2011, Samsung released powerful smartphones designed for different users and for different purposes. For 2012, there are speculations that the successor of Galaxy S2 will be released - the Galaxy S3. It is expected to be far more superior and powerful than all of its Galaxy relatives especially against the Nexus.

Adelaide Port workers who struck on Thursday got the support of the International Transport Federation (ITF) in their ongoing labor row with port operator DP World. The ITF spoke against the lockout of employees.

An Australian government plan to brand the Anzac Day celebration has little support in the country.

Wesfarmers reported on Friday that its coal export prices for the first quarter of 2012 would go down 19 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2011.

Elders International, a major exporter of Australian beef, complained of difficulty in planning its foreign shipments because of the unclear import permit policy by Indonesia.

Yancoal Australia asked the Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) to either delay or lower the level of its interest in coal mining in New South Wales and Queensland.

The Australian sharemarket has been flirting with both positive and negative territory for much of the morning but has spent most of its time in the red. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) is down 0.5 pct or 22.8 pts to 4173.8.

Australian carmakers are forecasting that the industry will hit one million unit sales in 2012. However, the bulk of the sales will be small cars based on changing consumer preference.

The Australian sharemarket gave back part of its weekly gains today with all sectors ending the session in the red. The All Ordinaries index (XAO) slumped by 1 pct or 42.9 pts to 4196.6. It is important to remember however that shares rose by over 3 pct over the first two trading days of the week (Tuesday and Wednesday).

The kidnapers of Australian adventurer Warren Rodwell had sent a ransom note to his Filipina wife asking for payment of $2 million ransom in exchange for his freedom.

Australian stevedoring firm DP World locked out for 24 hours on Thursday striking Adelaide port workers.

Prices of weaner steers reached $895 and weaner heifers $870 on Wednesday at the opening of the Wodonga yearly weaner and grown steer sale. The prices of steers were at 305 cents per kilogramme and 256 cents for heifers due to the strong demand from northern and Victorian buyers.

Tiger Airways Australia is eyeing Avalon Airport as its second hub because of the strong performance of the budget air carrier in 2011. In the seven-month period March 27 through Oct 31, Tiger added 380,000 seats to its four current routes.

While gold's glitter partly dimmed toward the last few months of 2011, a study released Wednesday predicted that diamond and gemstone mining will be strong industries in Australia in 2012.

ETrade, ANZ Bank's online broking business, shuttered its Web site over the holidays because of an offshore cyber attack.

Yesterday, The Australian share market managed to improve for the second consecutive day with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) up 2.2 pct or 90.6 pts to 4245.8. But, overnight bank debt concerns in Europe, weak industrial metal prices and low trading in the U.S. held markets back. Causing the Australian markets to open lower, down 30 points.