AAP

The most pressing problem vexing chief executives is how to keep young employees, a national organisation for senior-most managers says.

Rio Tinto's lucrative copper unit has taken a hit, booking an 18 per cent slide in first quarter output, but the mining giant's cash-cow commodity, iron ore, once again has come to the rescue.

Rio Tinto will spend more than $300 million renewing and expanding the town of Wickham to support its iron ore production expansion.

 Next week's March quarter inflation figures are building up to be a crucial set of numbers for borrowers hoping for another official interest rate cut by the central bank.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has described the appointment of Jim Yong Kim as next president of the World Bank as an excellent addition for the development agency.

Australian stocks have opened higher, led by strong gains in the healthcare and info tech sectors in quiet trading conditions.

Private equity firm KKR will benefit from economies of scale if it buys diamond assets being offloaded by mining giants BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, an analyst says.

US stocks have traded mixed as investors weighed better-than-expected March retail sales numbers, a sharp slowdown in New York manufacturing and renewed eurozone debt tensions.

Dozens of sacked Toyota workers who were marched from their workstations by security guards will fight to get their jobs back.

Telstra Corporation is set to outline by the end of April a massive restructure of its workforce as it switches from the ageing copper network to the national broadband network (NBN).

 The Australian dollar has continued to fall on concerns around euro zone debt and Spanish bond yields.

Shareholders have approved a friendly $5.1 billion takeover of Nathan Tinkler's Aston Resources by Whitehaven Coal.

A Western Australian mortgage broker who allegedly fleeced $1.2 million from seven clients spent the money paying off debts, credit cards, school fees and even his partner's tax bill, a Perth&

Homeowners are braced for more interest rate hikes after Australia's big banks failed to rule out following ANZ's lead and lift lending rates independently of the central bank.

The Australian share market has closed lower as investors fear that Spain may follow debt-laden Greece down the slippery slope.

Motorists should expect some relief at the bowser after average petrol prices hit a three-and-a-half-year high last week, an economist says.

Land developer Cedar Woods says it's on track to post a record full year profit and that its outlook remains positive.

Ivanhoe Australia says its Merlin molybdenum and rhenium project will cost $345 million to bring into production, slightly more than previous estimates.

Primus Telecom has been bought by business telco M2 Telecommunications for $192.4 million in cash.

The National Broadband Network will be a game changer for regional Australia, allowing major telecommunication firms to enter the broadband market for the first time, a joint parliamentary committe

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has declined to back a Liberal frontbencher's defence of a surprise rate hike by ANZ Bank.Banks were quite capable of defending themselves, he said.

Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury insists the government will not be taking the razor to frontline services to secure a budget surplus.

Westpac will open its first branch in India after receiving a banking licence from the Reserve Bank of India.

Australian stocks have opened more than half a per cent lower due to a weak lead from the US as the local materials sector weighed on the market.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has accused the opposition of going into bat for the big banks by backing a surprise interest rate hike by the ANZ.

Consumers are at risk until all genetically modified (GM) ingredients are listed on every food label, independent Senator Nick Xenophon says.

US stocks have closed out a miserable week with steep losses as worries about growth in the United States, China and Europe eclipsed a solid start to the corporate earnings season.

ANZ Bank has lifted interest rates for its variable home loan customers and small business borrowers despite the central bank leaving the cash rate on hold.

The Australian dollar fell back from a 10-day high on weaker than expected Chinese economic growth data.

The Australian share market ended the week on a high, gaining one per cent on the back of a strong lead from Wall Street and higher commodity prices.

If Premier Colin Barnett joins a High Court challenge to the mining tax when he doubts it will succeed then it shouldn't be funded by taxpayers, the state opposition says.

ANZ Banking Group has cut 230 jobs from its underperforming wealth management division as part of its ongoing focus on cutting costs.