Latest Headlines

Prime minister Julia Gillard and her deputy Wayne Swan will continue in their jobs, after no competing candidates entered the leadership ballot called in Canberra today.

Billabong shares have been placed in a trading halt while the retailer investigates why its shares have plummeted by more than 20 per cent.

Trading hours at pubs and clubs should be reduced to curb alcohol-fuelled violence, a major national study has concluded.

Premier Investments, the retailer behind brands including Just Jeans and Portmans, has brushed off the retail gloom and lifted its first half profit by 21 per cent.

Commonwealth Bank is free to seize control of independent mortgage provider Aussie Home Loans after the competition watchdog gave its blessing to the deal.

Australian stocks have opened firmer, with the big retail banks and major energy companies leading the broader market higher.

US stocks have recorded solid gains as the Federal Reserve held steady on its policy of economic stimulus.

Emerging miners Atlas Iron and BC Iron remain confident that Chinese demand and longer-term prices for the commodity will remain buoyant, despite recent pessimism.

Sundance Resources has raised the possibility of terminating its long-running $1.3 billion takeover agreement with China's Hanlong Mining, while also confirming it is in discussions with other part

Aviva Corporation says it has received a notice from a group of shareholders calling for the removal of director Pieter Britz.

West Africa-focused Papillon Resources has successfully raised $52.9 million through an institutional placement, with proceeds to fast track the development of its Fekola gold project.

Business groups have urged the new Liberal-National Cabinet to quickly implement commitments made during the election campaign, particularly reducing red tape and tackling the rising cost of doing

The boss of Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill mining project is confident it will begin shipping iron ore in 2015 despite ongoing challenges with securing funding.

The recovering property sector in Western Australia has helped to drive credit union Community CPS Australia to a $13.1 million first-half net profit.

Reed Resources has struck a deal with Crest Minerals over the Comet Vale gold project near Kalgoorlie, which is anticipated to be brought back online next year.

The federal government's plan for a public interest media advocate to oversee media mergers and press standards is on the brink of collapse after independent MP Andrew Wilkie ruled out backing Labo

The peak farmers' body is stepping up pressure on the federal government to stop major supermarkets abusing their market power.

Sirius Resources has unveiled its maiden resource for the Nova nickel-copper-cobalt project, and the result has exceeded the explorer's expectations.

A hot and dry summer has hurt the rural services operations of agribusiness Elders.

Consumers are getting more confident, with spending in February rising for the second month in a row.

Gas and fertiliser group Liberty Resources has brought forward the development of a $1.4 billion LNG processing plant in central Queensland to capitalise on current eastern states gas market condit

Job advertisements on the internet fell by 4.3 per cent in February, federal government figures show.

Former state Labor MP Ernie Bridge is suing the state government and companies owned by two of Australia's richest women after being diagnosed with asbestos-related diseases.

Key portfolios including mines and petroleum, energy, training, environment, commerce and small business have new ministers after re-elected premier Colin Barnett announced the appointment of five

Australia's economy has improved since the commodity price falls last year and is expected to improve further.

Australian stocks have opened 0.75 per cent weaker, with the big miners leading the broader market lower.

Retailer David Jones' first half profit has fallen 14 per cent to $73.5 million due to fewer sales and spending to improve its business.

US stocks closed mixed on Tuesday, holding on as the Cyprus financial crisis threatened to ignite more turmoil across the European financial system.

Labor needs to get back to basics in WA, reinvigorating its image and getting boots on the ground.

THE Commonwealth has moved again to muddy the waters on environmental approval, this time seeking to widen its influence on the approvals process for coal mining and coal-seam gas extraction.

The rising markets may be a false dawn, with two top economists, whose warnings were ignored before the GFC, ringing alarm bells again.

Lifting national productivity is a goal that is universally supported, but it seems our leaders in Canberra either haven't really thought through what it means in practice, or just don't care.