Financial Services

The occupancy rate in Perth's major hotels reached 82.4 per cent during 2008, ranking Perth at the top of a global survey of hotel occupancy rates.

Barnett hints at shop hours change this year; China holds fire on OZ veto; 400 BankWest jobs under threat; Recession to blow out budget deficit; Banks crunch on depositors

Australia's major forestry companies are disappointed they have not negotiated an increase for the benchmark price of exported Tasmanian bluegum woodchip with Japan.

Hannans Reward director Terry Grammer has resigned following outraged calls yesterday by chairman Richard Scallan that he step down after accepting Fox Resources' takeover offer.

Aviva Corporation's Coolimba power station project in the Mid West has been shortlisted by Synergy for the 2009 energy supply procurement contract.

Patersons Securities will takeover the broking arm of Tolhurst whose shareholders today agreed to sell the business for $2 million, well below the figures originally mooted for the deal.

Property developer Peet plans to raise $81.5 million through a rights issue, with around two-thirds of the raising underwritten by company directors and UBS.

Aquarius Platinum plans to raise $260 million through a placement and rights issue, with part of the funds to be used for its acquisition of Ridge Mining.

West Perth company Continental Capital has appointed Petrus Snyders as chief executive officer of subsidiary Continental Coal and has topped its planned $20 million financing target.

Investor confidence has fallen to the worst level in more than four years due to the global financial crisis, a new quarterly survey shows.

Energy Minister Peter Collier visited Karratha earlier today to mark the start of construction of the most efficient gas-fired power station on the Pilbara's North West Interconnected System (NWIS).

Albidon has extended its trading halt as it waits on final approval from senior lenders and unsecured creditors over its funding package from Chinese company Jinchuan.

Takeover target Hannans Reward has requested the resignation of one of its directors after he accepted the Terry Streeter-backed Fox Resources' takeover offer.

Rio's Chinalco deal clears first hurdle; Swan throws debt lifeline to the states; Bank chiefs see upside; Canadian uranium player eyes View camp; Chalice Bridge put up for sale

AN extensive upgrade of the road network around Perth airport is set to be Western Australia's biggest roads project over the next few years.

Colin Barnett has shuffled priority infrastructure projects in lieu of the fading economy, but will the changes made now secure WA's future or lead to further reprioritisation?

The knee-jerk response to executive bonuses is missing the real issue.

AUSTRALIAN women seem to be doing their bit to reinforce traditional stereotypes of financial irresponsibility, according to a global survey of women's financial independence.

MINING entrepreneur Terry Streeter has continued his aggressive sell down in Western Areas during a busy week involving a takeover and court action.

THE state government has moved on two of the largest hospital developments undertaken in metropolitan and regional Western Australia, with the commitment of more than $3 billion in health projects.

WESTERN Australia's leading business groups agree that the state requires a solid infrastructure strategy in order to correctly prioritise the state's key projects.

INITIAL understanding of coal seam methane (CSM) was as a dangerous by-product of underground coal mining.

A UNIQUE partnership between Shenton Park-based Dreamfit Foundation and Wesfarmers is enabling the two organisations to meet their respective staffing and recruitment goals.

Grain Coop CBH is at odds with the tax office.

HOPES of Perth throwing off its Dullsville tag once and for all have been dashed with the government's belt-tightening and its shift in priorities for key infrastructure projects.

Nickel company Australian Mines has negotiated a capital raising deal with Patersons Securities which will pave the way for the stock to be relisted after trading was halted six months ago.

Former Woodside Petroleum executive Erica Smyth will take over the chairmanship of uranium developer Toro Energy, after the resignation of founding chairman Dr Ian Gould.

Westpac has pipped BankWest as the bank having the most satisfied customers in Western Australia, a survey by financial ratings service Canstar Cannex has found.

Tolhurst Group has unveiled that its stockbroking business will be sold for some $2 million to Patersons Securities, in what is a dramatic fall on the value of the deal after it was revealed earlier this year.

Wall St villains now saviours; Iron ore miners warned of slow China recovery; Walsh offers little comfort to juniors on access to railway; States split on federal debt deal; Commodities rally in big price rout

The state education department says it will not meet its 3 per cent budget cuts amid an influx of new students, teacher shortages and a forecast deficit of $50 million.

Deloitte has urged the federal government to adopt recent changes to US business policies that could throw a cash lifeline to struggling businesses during the current economic climate.