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Silver Lake Resources has deferred the development of its underground Caustons mine at its Murchison gold operations for approximately 12 months due to a tumbling gold price.

Energy giant Woodside Petroleum has suffered a fall in sales revenue due to the temporary closure of one of its facilities.

The Australian share market has opened half a per cent higher.

Three months after shutting down its Laverton gold mine, Focus Minerals has announced the closure of its remaining mining operations near Coolgardie due to the weak gold price.

While the salary packaging sector, tax advisers and automotive manufacturers are up in arms about Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's proposed changes to the fringe benefits tax deductions for vehicles, the two largest car retailers have said the changes will not significantly affect their businesses.

The Australian dollar edged higher ahead of US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke's appearance before the US Congress.

Perth-based contractor OTOC announced today it has acquired full ownership of a 700 person commercial kitchen/diner facility at a Fortescue Metals Group site.

The Australian share market has closed slightly lower as investors wait for an update on economic stimulus measures in the US from that country's top central banker.

Perth based mineral sands miner MZI Resources announced today that Argonaut Capital has agreed to underwrite the company's $3 million share purchase plan.

Although Beijing's new policymakers are focusing on structural reforms with greater tolerance for slower growth, this does not mean that they will tolerate a dramatic slowdown.

Canning Vale contractor Hagstrom Drilling has expanded its east-coast presence with the acquisition of Sydney-based Australian Barge Hire.

Chinese overseas investment leapt 29 per cent to $US45.6 billion ($A49.62 billion) in the first half of 2013, with major increases in the Australian and US markets. Data from China's commerce ministry on Wednesday shows overseas investment increased significantly in the period, with money flowing into Australia up 93 per cent from last year.

A Perth based mortgage broker has been permantely banned from practising after he falsified a letter stating finance approval had been provided for a client, the Australian Securities and Investmen

The Environmental Protection Authority has signed off on a port expansion proposal for Bunbury that could lift coal exports to 15 million tonnes per year, almost double the current overall export c

Perth mid-tier accounting firm RSM Bird Cameron has increased its focus on the Queensland market by merging with MHM Accountants in Brisbane. The deal which will see 30 staff from MHM join RSM Bird Cameron is the most recent of several acquisitions after RSM acquired businesses in Port Lincoln, South Australia and Ballarat, Victoria.

Engineering company Downer has had its blasting services contracts in the mining sector extended for $230 million.

A sharp drop in confidence among medium-sized businesses can be blamed on uncertainty ahead of the federal election, a survey says.

The federal government is hinting it may recall parliament to consider its plan to dump the carbon tax and replace it with an emissions trading scheme.

Shares in ailing surfwear retailer Billabong are riding a wave after news chief Launa Inman will step down as part of a deal with a US private equity group to help refinance its debts.

Iluka Resources' revenue from its mineral sands operations has dropped 42 per cent in the first half of 2013 after lower prices forced it to cut production.

THIRTY years ago, I started my working life as a graduate economist in the Commonwealth Treasury.

The Australian dollar surged close to 92 US cents as traders interpreted the minutes of the Reserve Bank's July meeting as a sign interest rates won't be cut in August.

Australian shares have closed slightly higher, boosted by gains from resource companies on the back of record production results from mining heavyweight Rio Tinto.

Strike Energy has taken advantage of concern about an east coast gas supply shortage by negotiating a $52.5 million offtake deal with Orica to fast-track development of its Cooper Basin assets. Orica has agreed to buy up to 150 petajoules of natural gas over 20 years.

Negotiations between Western Australia and Canberra over the proposed schools funding plan are at a standstill, the prime minister's office has revealed.

Apache Northwest, Santos and Tap Oil announced today that drilling at the Bianchi-1 natural gas well co-owned by the three companies had confirmed a gas discovery, the second for the companies' offshore Carnarvon Basin joint exploration projects. Bianchi is located in the WA-49-R retention lease, around 60km north-west of Onslow and west of Barrow Island, and approximately 21km south of the Gorgon gas field. It is the second confirmed gas discovery in the retention lease, after the Zola-1 well, owned by the same companies and located about 6.4km south-west of the Bianchi site, tested positive in April 2011.

Rio Tinto has boosted its global iron ore production to a record level during the June 2013 quarter, as it reviews new options to achieve its growth target at its Pilbara operations. Rio has also disclosed the high cost of a legal dispute with Gina Rinehart's company Hancock Prospecting.

Belmont-based NRW Holdings announced today that it had been awarded a major contract at BHP Billiton's Mooka Iron Ore car repair shop site.

Australia's biggest owner of natural gas pipelines APA Group has approached leading natural gas distributor Envestra Limited about a merger proposal.