Opinion

The Australian share market has opened slightly lower, hurt by financial stocks following falls on Wall Street.

reiwa.com rental listing data for the overall market crossed the 10,000 mark during the second week of January this year.

There's plenty of talk in investment circles about the startup sector, but no singular, clear definition of what a ‘startup' actually is.

You probably wouldn't believe it if someone told you that Perth-based retailing specialist Wesfarmers was bigger than global resources leader BHP Billiton, but that was the situation last week on the Australian Securities Exchange as the company led by Richard Goyder quietly slipped past the global mining giant.

This week we discuss oil and gas write-downs, City of Perth CEO, hardware, Shenton Park redevelopment, government infrastructure, and we look at how private schools are faring in this economy.

The sporadic nature of funding is frustrating startups in Perth, and a misunderstanding of how the tech sector actually works is a major factor.

Not many of the conversations I've had about gender really stick in my mind, but I do recall one spirited discussion about women in the workforce with a friend of my father's, when I was an outspoken 17 year old.

reiwa.com listings for sale data for the overall market for the week ending 19 January 2016 totalled 14,902.

Is Wesfarmers' $705 million acquisition of UK hardware chain Homebase a fantastic opportunity or a case of hubris that will lead to disappointment?

Deflationary pressures are causing concern for central bankers worldwide.

“In the west, we all know this story. Sort of.”

It's the end of an era at Business News, with long-running columnist Joseph Poprzeczny calling time on his well-read column, State Scene.

This week Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss apartments, Aurora gas team, Wesfarmers buy, more troubles for iron ore, the Palace Hotel, and the big deals of the past year.

The May budget looms as an important opportunity for the Barnett government to put its economic house in order.

For as long as I can remember, I've asked the Wesfarmers leadership when they would look at an international expansion.

reiwa.com property sales data for the overall market for the week ending 12 January 2016 totalled 482 which represents a 73 per cent increase in total sales over the week.

Sports, politics and business do not share a lot in common but there is one feature that links all three – and that's how a single event can turn a winner into a loser in the blink of an eye.

This week, Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss markets turmoil, Aldi in Perth, property prices, some interesting new listings, conventions and conferences.

The latest report on the services sector from the Australian Industry Group was a bit of a worry, not just for the industries covered by the AIGroup's monthly survey, but for the rest of the economy as well.

Great ideas are a good start, but without a clear strategy for how you're going to implement them, you will be no closer to achieving your targets.

Let's not write off 2016 before it has started; there's plenty of potential upside just over the horizon.

Harry Butler changed thinking in this state and should be long remembered for it.

Canny investors would be well advised to plan for the worst and hope for the best as 2016 bears down on us.

The state government will be glad to put 2015 behind it, but there will be no let up in the financial and portfolio challenges it will face next year.

The way systems should be introduced to a business is evolving quickly. At the same time, the necessity for a systems-based business is more evident than ever.

This week we discuss US interest rates, housing prices, privatisations, Roe 8 and find out our choice of Person of the Year?

Bank bashing is an old sport usually practised by external critics, but 2016 could be the year when big banks discover that their greatest threat comes from within – something that should concern bank shareholders as much as employees.

reiwa.com listings for sale data for the overall market for the week ending 15 December 2015 totalled 15,980.

Led by the competent and effective Warren Truss, the Nationals emerged from the political machinations of 2015 with reputations intact.

Once businesses have identified an opportunity in China they must then execute an effective strategy to engage the market, which requires cultural and demographic understanding.

A government that is more responsive to business needs will benefit all investors, not just patient ones.

Traditional businesses were slow to wake up to the threat posed by disrupters such as Uber and Airbnb, but they're now warned and should prepare for further assaults.