Latest Headlines

The state's agricultural industry will require almost $600 billion of investment by 2050 to improve productivity and rationalise production in a bid to access Asian markets, according to a new report released by KPMG for the state Department of Agriculture and Food.

Shares in uranium miner Bannerman Resources dropped 15.3 per cent on news it initiated a discounted share purchase plan to raise up to $2 million.

The share market has closed flat as consumer related stocks led an afternoon recovery on a rise in retail spending during January.

It is a long time since Western Australia had its own finance industry and while shadow banking, the hottest game in the money world, could be just another fad that fades as quickly as it has grown, there is the potential for home-grown finance to make a return to Perth.

Cheaper petrol has given Australians more cash to splash and economists say the tills could keep ringing as interest rates head lower.

Home ownership levels have fallen by almost 10 per cent in Perth while population growth outshone the rest of the country, according to a report released by the Committee for Perth.

The battle for sponsorship support at Sculpture by the Sea has continued for another year, after iron ore magnate Gina Rinehart chose not to continue her financial backing for the exhibition on Cottesloe Beach, preferring to support two sporting groups.

The Environmental Protection Authority has given conditional approval to Chevron's fourth train expansion proposal at its Gorgon gas project on Barrow Island.

A major report on Australia's ageing population says growth and prosperity will suffer unless more older people and women are encouraged into the workforce and government spending is brought under control, but Treasurer Joe Hockey insists the best years are ahead of us.

The consumer watchdog has given the green light to Woodside Petroleum's proposed purchase of oil and gas assets from US energy company Apache, after concluding it would not have a significant effect on the domestic gas market.

The local bourse has opened in the red following losses from market heavyweights BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto.

Iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group is shoring up its balance sheet by refinancing $US2.5 billion ($A3.2 billion) of debt.

US stocks have fallen for a second day after a run that saw new Dow and S&P records and a 15-year high for the Nasdaq.

US oil prices have rallied despite a larger-than expected jump in the country's crude stockpiles last week, which hit a new record high.

The Australian dollar has reached a new record low against the New Zealand dollar ahead of Thursday night's European Central Bank policy meeting.

Gold prices have fallen, heading for a third day of losses, as the US dollar extend gains versus the euro after US economic data.

Not unexpectedly due to the long weekend, there was a 13% fall in reported activity with house and multi-residential sales down 14% and 19% respectively.

The delivery of the state government's budget will be delayed one week to account for uncertainty in the distribution of the GST, Treasurer Mike Nahan announced today.

Two Western Australian business owners have been inducted into the Australian Businesswomen's Network Hall of Fame, joining 16 other inductees in the lead up to International Women's Day this Sunday.

Australia needs a submarine fleet of 24 to cover the nation's future needs.

The Australian share market has finished lower as three major stocks trade ex-dividend and economic growth figures disappointed investors.

A jury has found ex-biotechnology player and self-described Wall Street executive William Ardrey guilty of fraud relating to his tenure with Perth-based company Phoenix Eagle.

Economic growth figures released today have vindicated the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to cut interest rates in February and to leave more cuts on the agenda.

Lower petrol prices have not accelerated new vehicle purchases in Western Australia, with sales down 6.1 per cent in February on the same period in 2014.

Shares in engineering and construction firm Valmec surged on news it was awarded a $5.3 million contract to provide services to the Origin Energy-operated Talinga Gas processing facility in Queensland.

Australia must not let anger undermine its relationship with Indonesia if Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran are executed, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.

LandCorp has awarded Perth-based contractor Brierty an $11 million contract to build the first stage of its Broome Road Industrial Park in the Kimberley.

Joe Hockey's 40-year outlook for the Australian economy looks set to become a political tool rather than an informative report on the future.

The sharemarket is in the red after initially opening higher, dragged down by the miners and weak leads from Wall Street.

Wall Street stocks have retreated from record peaks, losing ground after lacklustre US car sales.

Oil prices have turned higher on unrest in exporter Libya and as the market expected another rise in US inventories.

Gold is down a shade, following a brief bout of selling in choppy dealings after the metal had recovered from early losses that pulled it below $US1,200 an ounce.