AAP

Iron ore pellet producer Grange Resources has booked a first half net profit of $85.2 million due to higher prices for the product.

If a tax is put on carbon, 34,000 jobs will bloom from the clean energy boom - 1,000 in Western Australia - research from The Climate Institute shows.

Perth house prices fell 1.5 per cent in January, amid a national fall of 1.6 per cent that further dampened growth as natural disasters swept across the nation, a survey shows.

Filipinos are working at "near slave labour" rates for a Danish shipping company on the North West Shelf, the Australian Workers Union says.

Western Australia's consumer protection watchdog has warned of bogus charity collectors using the Christchurch earthquake as a way to scam people out of money.

Gold miner Ramelius Resources has more than tripled its first half net profit after a four-fold rise in revenue from gold sales.

The West Australian opposition has urged Premier Colin Barnett to grant the Oakajee port and rail consortium an extension and stop acting like a dictator.

Australia's economic growth most likely picked up pace in the December quarter after the September quarter recorded the smallest rise in three years, economists say.

The boom in the natural gas sector will lift Australia's prosperity and aid the clean energy debate, Resources and Energy Minister Martin Ferguson says.

Moly Mines says it has managed to beat expectations for its Spinifex Ridge iron ore mine ramp-up, despite lost time caused by wet weather.

Mining contractor Barminco says it has secured a $50 million capital injection from investment house Goldman Sachs and commenced a strategic review amid mounting speculation it could be sold or floated.

The Australian sharemarket opened flat today as investor worries about Libya's turmoil outweighed positive US leads from Friday.

The Australian dollar was higher on Monday, as market tension eases over the political crisis in oil-rich Libya.

Listing on the cards as Barminco tops up coffers – The West; Food giant joins franchise fight – The Fin; Shortfall predicted for WA gas supply – The Fin; Forrest, Turnbull and Wran back Winmar – The Aus; Doubts over developer – The Fin

Engineering firm Downer EDI has reported a first half net loss of $103.81 million, as it seeks $279 million in new capital to help deal with the impact of the troubled Waratah train project.

US stocks rose Friday as oil prices stabilised following a recent jump, but the escalating turmoil in Libya still left major indices down about two per cent for the week.

Transfield Services says it is on track to deliver underlying profit growth even though it booked a 65.2 per cent plunge in first half net profit due to one-off costs.

A rise in Western Australia's share of GST revenue is only "kind of good news" and is expected to drop dramatically in future, the state's treasurer says.

The Australian dollar was higher today as rising oil prices weakened the US dollar amid ongoing concerns about the political crisis in Libya.

The Australian share market closed slightly firmer today, but turned in its worst weekly performance since mid August, as investors mulled over the finish to the profit-reporting season.

Wind farm operator Infigen Energy has booked a first half net loss of $34.4 million due to depressed energy markets in Australia and United States, and foreign exchange movements.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is unlikely to raise the cash rate until May, as the nation fully assesses and recovers from damaging floods earlier in the year.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she is unfazed by the "scare campaign" surrounding her proposed carbon tax and emissions trading scheme.

Shares in Toro Energy rose after the uranium explorer said it was hopeful an iron oxide, copper and gold deposit discovered on the Mt Woods project has the potential for economic uranium.

Australia's competition watchdog wants to know what business thinks of Australia Post's proposal to lift some business postage charges.

Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory will all get a bigger slice of GST revenue in 2011/12 than the previous financial year, the Commonwealth Grant Commission says.

A seafarers' union says the Jordanian owners of a live sheep carrier docked at Fremantle are underpaying their Pakistani crew and denying them shore leave in breach of agreements.

Shares in iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group have been placed in a trading halt, pending the announcement regarding exploration results.

Harvey Norman Holdings has reported a slump in first half net profit, down 17 per cent, reflecting price declines, the strong Australian dollar and the impact of wet weather on sales.

The Australian sharemarket opened slightly lower on Friday as uncertainty over the impact of Libya's turmoil remains a concern to investors.

Fortescue Metals Group boss Andrew Forrest has for the second time this week railed against rulings by regulators, this time for rail access in the resources-rich Pilbara.

Mineral sands producer Iluka Resources' share price shot up after the company reported a full year net profit 50 per cent above market expectations.