AAP

The Australian dollar briefly rose above the 105 US cents after the central bank board minutes confirmed a positive outlook for the Australian economy.

Western Australian based Lonrho Mining has unearthed two of its biggest finds at the Lulo diamond project in Angola.

Super-trawler operator Seafish Tasmania has released a report by six scientists who say the facts have been skewed in the debate over the controversial FV Margiris.

A top United Nations official is investigating how governments can force mining companies into adopting indigenous rights standards from their headquarters, even when operating on foreign

Australian shares closed at near four-month high, with investor confidence buoyed by strong earnings reports and positive views on housing and investment by the central bank.

Mining and steel company Arrium has posted a 75 per cent slump in net profit to $58 million.

Telstra is set to axe 422 jobs at its customer service and call centre operations.

Earthmoving equipment supplier Emeco Holdings is counting on the Chilean copper mining boom as well as increased demand in Indonesia and Canada to continue growth in 2013.

DuluxGroup has extended its takeover offer for building products group Alesco Corporation by two weeks.

Consolidated Media Holdings (CMH) believes it can wrap up a $2 billion takeover deal with Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd within months.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the federal government will make room in the budget for its spending priorities and will still return a surplus.

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne has told business groups to stop complaining every time the federal government tries to drum up extra tax.

A stabilising Chinese economy and tentative signs of an improvement in the non-mining sectors of the local economy were behind the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to keep the cash rate at 3.5

The Australian share market has opened flat following lacklustre trading from European markets and Wall Street overnight.

Iron ore explorer Brockman has entered into a pact with miner Atlas Iron and train freight operator QR National to jointly compile and evaluate a proposal for a rail link to port in Western Austral

US stocks have closed flat in quiet trade that still had enough might to push Apple to become the world's most valuable company of all time, eclipsing Microsoft's 1999 record.

 The Australian share market finished marginally weaker, dragged down after final dividend payments by heavyweights Commonwealth Bank and Telstra.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has highlighted the pressures of high funding costs and weak demand for loans as it reported a 43 per cent drop in full year profit.

Shopping centre operator Westfield Group won't say whether or not it will cut the size of its workforce by up to 10 per cent.

The cost of electricity is shaping up as a key election issue in Western Australia, with Labor unveiling a $630 million, three-year plan to reduce bills.

Former treasury boss Ken Henry has told business the Australian dollar is likely to remain high for the foreseeable future.

Former Commonwealth Bank (CBA) chief executive Ralph Norris stands to earn $9.6 million from his last five months at the bank.

The head of news and entertainment website Yahoo!7 Rohan Lund has been appointed as Seven West Media's new group chief operating officer.

A legal challenge to a coal mine expansion in the NSW Hunter Valley is being hailed as a test case.

Australian businesses are experiencing another decline in retail spending as fickle consumers hold on to their money after two months of opening their wallets.

The federal opposition has seized on a survey which suggests half of small businesses are already feeling the effects of Labor's carbon tax.

The Australian share market has opened lower, pulled back by several large companies trading ex-dividend.

BlueScope Steel expects its financial performance to improve in the year ahead after posting a $1.04 billion loss in the 12 months to June.The company had forecast the massive deficit.

US stocks racked up their sixth straight weekly gain on Friday, despite a thin diet of news and low market volume, with the Dow hitting its best level since the end of 2007 and the S&P 500 just

Australian shares have finished almost one per cent higher as investors continue to buy into local companies following better than expected earnings results this week.

The Takeovers Panel has declined to make declarations in relation to complaints brought before it by takeover target Alesco Corporation and predator DuluxGroup.

Myer chief executive Bernie Brookes says the traditional big retailers will overcome their reluctance to adapt to the internet by becoming the top 10 shopping sites within five years.