Financial Services

TWO of the state's most recognisable brands have awarded media and creative contracts to agencies in Perth and in Sydney.

THE six not-for-profit organisations that have teamed up to buy the failed ABC Learning centres say childcare should be the responsibility of not-for-profit organisations and not the corporate sector.

IF Premier Colin Barnett is looking for places to find new jobs and boost the state's royalty income, he needs to look no further than the gold industry.

The Note loves to trawl the annual returns of WA’s political parties to see just who gives what.

THE past 12 months have been an unsettling time for truffle project manager Oak Valley Gourmet.

Brockman Resources managing director Wayne Richards has exercised $500,000 worth of options at nearly half the company’s share price.

SMALL business has been urged to manage their cash flow more carefully this year as the global economic downturn creates more financial pressure.

The outlook for WA is not as gloomy as some are predicting.

Shareholders in Gindalbie Metals have approved a $162 million share placement to AnSteel, which will boost the Chinese steelmaker's stake to over 36 per cent.

Building approvals in Western Australia rose over 12 per cent during December, bucking the national trend which declined for a sixth consecutive month.

Fortescue Metals Group has agreed to settle a shipping contract dispute with the issue of $US22 million ($A34 million) worth of shares and has entered into a shipping joint venture.

BHP Billiton chief executive Marius Kloppers has admitted the Ravensthorpe nickel operation was not the "finest investment decision" as the miner reported a 56.5 per cent drop in first half profit.

CBA, Westpac mull loan book as Dexia plans exit; Westfield goes shopping for $2.9b; Qantas asks for $500 million; Big punch but doubts still linger; New logo for Woodside to mark focus on LNG

The federal government says today's $42 billion stimulus package will add to gross domestic product growth but the budget will enter into a $22.5 billion deficit this financial year.

One in six BankWest customers and over 7 per cent of St George customers plan to vote with their feet and leave the bank as a result of the recent corporate activity of their bank, a new poll by Retail Banking Review has revealed.

Managing director Michael Coote has sold over $4 million of Coote Industrial shares to a family trust.

The official cash rate has been cut by an expected 100 basis points to 3.25 per cent following the Reserve Bank of Australia's board meeting today.

The Michael Kiernan-led Stirling Resources has raised over $2 million through a convertible note issue to an Austrian resource company.

The federal government will inject $42 billion into the national economy to help prevent the country from entering into a deep recession.

Miner Kagara has sold an 11.5 per cent stake of the company to offtake partner Transmarine for $10 million as it embarks on a share purchase plan to raise a further $26 million.

West Perth-based ipernica says it has made a number of operational changes in order to focus its activities on the two main value drivers, intellectual property assertion and the newly acquired NearMap business.

Asset manager PearlStreet has reported a 201 per cent jump in its interim net profit as it maintains its full year revenue guidance.

Perth has recorded the largest annual drop in the average house price in 2008, according to latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Platinum Australia has successfully raised over $14 million with funds to be used to reduce overall debt and for working capital.

Straits Resources will raise nearly $80 million through a convertible notes issue to the Standard Chartered Bank and has been granted an 18-month, $25 million senior debt facility by the bank.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia today called for economic reform that will support local firms, encourage new investment and create jobs during the deepening global financial crisis.

Sydney-based creative agency Host has secured the strategic planning contract for BankWest's $18 million media account while Ikon Communications will handle the bank's media buying duties.

Oil and gas giant Chevron has set aside over $A35 billion towards capital and exploration spending worldwide in 2009, including Western Australia's Gorgon, Wheatstone and North West Shelf projects.

The shortage of skilled tradespeople and contractor prices in the housing sector has eased in Western Australia, according to a key industry survey.

Nickel miner Albidon has reached an agreement with a private investment fund for a capital injection of up to $40 million through a convertible notes issue.

A plunging nickel price over the past six months could all but wipe out Independence Group's half year earnings as the miner releases its estimates.

A federal committee has endorsed a High Court decision related to the collapse of WA miner Sons of Gwalia that allows certain shareholders to rank equally with creditors.