Latest Headlines

Supermarket giant Woolworths breached an agreement it had with the competition watchdog over its fuel discount scheme, the Federal Court has found.

The share market has suffered one of its biggest falls of the year so far as investors worry about the performance of US companies and instability in Ukraine.

Perth-based surveying firm Asphar Survey Group has appointed administrators to one of its key subsidiaries, with difficult trading conditions forcing the company to restructure its operations.

More than a decade of 40under40 winners represent the changing face of new business in WA.

SPECIAL REPORT: The state's mid-tier builders are sharpening their focus on specialised areas to ensure they fend off growing interest in local construction projects from eastern states-based companies.

SPECIAL REPORT: The state's major builders appear unfazed to be operating in what's considered among Western Australia's most competitive and closely monitored business sectors.

West Perth-based junior African Energy Resources has announced plans to raise $4.5 million through a share placement and rights issue to advance its coal and power projects in Botswana.

Civil construction activity in Western Australia is set to fall by about 25 per cent over the next five years as a number of major resources projects are completed, according to a new report by forecaster BIS Shrapnel.

Coalspur Mines has dumped Forge Group's still-active North American business as its preferred engineering, procurement and construction contractor, as the fallout from the failed engineering company's collapse continues.

One of Perth's largest apartment projects by value is due to be launched in coming weeks in Rivervale, testing demand and pricing in what has become a development hot spot.

Nothing can be ruled out in the search for information of the missing Malaysian Airlines jet.

The Australian share market is lower after a fall in technology stocks continues to cause a wider sell-off on Wall Street.

Palladium futures have closed at their highest level in two-and-a-half years, while platinum has neared a four-week high as escalating tensions between Russia and the West and continued mine-worker

The Kuwait National Petroleum Company has signed contracts worth $US12 billion ($A12.79 billion) with three international consortia to upgrade two refineries and invited bids to build a new multi-b

The Australian dollar is higher, supported by optimism about the local economy and the possibility of the euro zone getting more economic stimulus.

The state government will take on the management of Western Australia's performing arts venues, including His Majesty's Theatre, the State Theatre Centre of WA and Perth Concert Hall, squeezing out

Buru Energy has announced a major change in its Canning Basin exploration program after disappointing early results, saying today it was looking to release the specially-built rig it had contracted to use this year.

The owners of the Karara iron ore project have transfered Gindalbie Metals boss Dale Harris to a chief executive role at Karara Mining, in an apparent bid to bring the trouble-plagued project back on track.

Dio Wang will resign as managing director of mining explorer Australasian Resources before taking up his Western Australian Senate seat for the Palmer United Party.

Cassini Resources has raised $10 million via a share placement with the proceeds earmarked for exploration activities its recently acquired West Musgrave nickel project.

Under-fire Western Australian senator-elect Joe Bullock says he was surprised when a key union affiliated with Labor said he should step down over controversial comments, labelling the attack "wrong" and "silly".

A shake-up in Western Australia's dairy industry may be set to deliver for local stakeholders, but the broader sector is unimpressed with free trade commitments made with South Korea and Japan.

The Australian share market has closed sharply lower after a fall in technology stocks on United States markets caused a wider sell-off on Wall Street.

Perth-based financial services group Pioneer Credit has outlined plans for a $40.2 million IPO, the largest by a Perth company in 20 months.

The state's public universities are bracing for a likely fall in revenue next year, with the number of eligible domestic school leavers set to fall as a result of a change to the school starting age a decade ago.

In this week's edition of Business News Background, news editor Mark Beyer and journalist Dan Wilkie discuss the business news with James Lush: the wash up from last Saturday's Senate election re-run, latest lower unemployment figures and the effect on the exchange rate, plus the APPEA conference, Fiona Stanley hospital, and focus on the construction industry.

The Economic Regulation Authority has called for an end to the Royalties for Regions program and the abolishment of domestic gas reservation and the Keystart housing scheme, while also pushing for major payroll tax, land tax and stamp duty reforms.

Online education provider iCollege expects to begin trading within days on the Australian Securities Exchange as the company wraps up a reverse takeover of DGI Holdings.

This week's APPEA conference highlighted the key issues facing one of the state's fastest growing industries; the solutions are less clear.

National waste recovery firm SITA Australia has acquired Kalgoorlie-based industrial and waste services business MAILS for an undisclosed sum.

Hours after announcing it had secured $US6.47 billion ($6.89 billion) in equity funding to construct a long-heralded port and rail network at Oakajee, junior explorer Padbury Mining has put its shares in a second trading halt in anticipation of revealing the identity of the investors.

The stock market has opened lower after a sharp slide on Wall Street overnight.