The effect of the global financial crisis is expected to become evident in coming months as Western Australia's December unemployment rate falls to a seasonally adjusted 2.8 per cent.
Wesfarmers set for storm; $60bn mining projects under threat; Argyle forced to axe 300 jobs; Telstra raises stakes with job cut plans; Write-downs weigh heavily on business
Kenneth Ambrecht bought 3,070 shares in Fortescue Metals Group at $2.281 per share at share market price, bringing the total value of his shares to $14,362369.
A YEAR ago it would have been unthinkable for a major Australian bank to buy BankWest, the only significant regional player in the powerhouse growth state of Western Australia.
REPRESENTATIVES from equipment manufacturer Sensear are in California this week aiming to enhance the company's global presence and increase its market share in the US's $3 billion safety and protective devices market.
UK company Cape plc's acquisition spree in Australia in 2007 has continued to have extraordinary fallout, with three new competitors emerging in the scaffolding and formwork sector in Western Australia.
A DISASTER or a strong recovery - that's Martin Place Securities managing director Barry Dawes's each-way bet for what's likely to pan out in equity markets in 2009.
AS the state government conducts an audit on capital works projects worth more than $20 million in an effort to contain spending, a number of affected design firms have already started to count the financial costs, including redundancies.
AGRIBUSINESS Great Southern Ltd is pursuing alternative options, including the sale of assets, as received proxy votes indicate investors may not be willing to exchange their interest in plantation
TIGHT credit conditions significantly hampered commercial property sales activity in the Perth CBD last year, with the number of properties sold almost half that of 2007.
WESTERN Australia has suffered the biggest fall in job advertisements in December as ads across the country slump to recession-like levels, a key employment measure has found.
SOME of the state's biggest users of energy have begun publicly reporting their energy consumption, many for the first time, under the federal government's Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act.
DEBT is a theme across all the top deals of 2008, something that hasn't featured previously because such matters were considered relatively boring in a market awash with cheap credit.
RECRUITERS in Western Australia say the fall in job advertisements is not an accurate predictor of workplace trends, and businesses should focus on building their employment brand.
A TALE of two halves is the most apt description of capital raisings last year, with the fall-off in the latter part of the year meaning investors are likely to be more selective in 2009.
Galaxy Resources plans to capitalise on the anticipated growing demand for power electric and hybrid cars as it approves development of its $68 million Mt Cattlin lithium-tantalum project near Ravensthorpe.
The acquisition of Coles has boosted Wesfarmers' ranking in the top 250 retailers in the world, according to the Deloitte 2009 Global Power of Retailing report.
The state opposition is calling on the government to be open and honest about its 3 per cent budget cuts as the planned $93 million Northbridge-based police complex is delayed.
One of China's largest banks has given its approval to a $1.8 billion loan to Gindalbie Metals' Karara iron ore joint venture following completion of due diligence.
Wall Street closed narrowly mixed yesterday as investors began to worry about the weakening global economy, a poor start to the corporate earnings season and the health of ailing banking giant Citigroup, the Australian newspaper has reported.
Despite a low cash balance, Perth-based 3D Resources says it has sufficient funds to meet its obligations as its managing director steps down and the company suspends all exploration activity.
Sundance Resources is part of a consortium selected to construct and operate an iron ore export terminal in Cameroon which is expected to become a major shipping hub that will service the company's Mbalam iron ore project.
Extension of gas pipeline to preserve Kimberley; Chinese mills seek long-term offtake agreements in WA; Rudd IR changes 'a threat to WA'; Demand dive savages iron exports; PM told to hasten tax cuts
International Goldfields has finalised its terms of a proposed $60 million merger with Nkwe Platinum, in a move that will consolidate both stocks' platinum tenements in South Africa.
Perth-based Coal of Africa has appointed Morgan Stanley & Co and Evolution Securities as joint brokers as it prepares to list on the London Stock Exchange.
Neptune Marine Services has completed its $11 million acquisition of Aberdeen-based Subsea Engineering Services, a specialist provider of subsea consultancy and project services to the oil and gas industry.
