Latest Headlines

Engineering company Norfolk Group has won its first contract under a five-year framework arrangement with resources giant Rio Tinto.

Business confidence has improved but still remains below its long-term average because of concerns about a more pronounced slowing among emerging economies.

Premier Colin Barnett has fired a shot across Canberra's bow ahead of the Council of Australian Governments meeting, saying the balance of power now lies with the states.

Australia and China will work more closely on building infrastructure in each country under a new agreement.

The Western Australian branch of the Health Services Union says it may break away from the national body because of the damage being done to the brand by ongoing controversies.

Perth-based gold explorer Breaker Resources is expected to list on the ASX by April 20, after successfully completing an $8.5 million initial public offering.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he believes the only way the federal government will return the budget to surplus is by "fiddling the books".

Job advertisements rose for a third consecutive month, in a sign that hiring intentions by businesses are continuing to improve, a private survey shows.

Woodside Petroleum and its joint venture partners have been given an extra year to finalise their plans for the $30 billion Browse liquefied natural gas project near Broome.

The competition watchdog has given the green light to Foxtel's $2 billion takeover of Austar, but slapped strict controls on the suitor to help protect emerging internet tv services.

Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer says Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board is acting as a disincentive for investment in Australia.

Comrade Colin has a pleasing sound to it, but it is unlikely that the Western Australian Premier, Colin Barnett, really has developed communist tendencies despite his curious threat to stage a rare

The Australian sharemarket has opened one per cent lower as investors reacted to weak US jobs figures released at the start of easter break.

Treasurer Wayne Swan is talking up carbon tax compensation cheques for Australian households a month before the federal budget.

US stocks tumbled Monday after last week's disappointing jobs report showed a slowdown in hiring that raised concerns about the strength of the economic recovery.

A rally on Chinese equity markets has helped the Australian dollar to recover from a three month low.

Company collapses spiked 114 per cent in February in Western Australia, sparking fears the mining sector is sucking life out of non-resource related business.

The Australian share market closed lower on the back of sharply weaker commodity prices and a negative offshore lead amid fresh concerns about the euro zone debt crisis.

Cortona Resources has launched a $7 million capital raising to finalise approvals and commence site engineering works for its Dargues Reef Gold project in New South Wales.

Gina Rinehart wants to be like building magnate Len Buckeridge. The BGC boss never has to tell the world how much money he makes, but ASIC is telling Mrs Rinehart she has to.

The annual Diggers and Dealers mining conference may be forced to move to Perth if Kalgoorlie's conference centre is forced to close, organisers say.

It used to be the great Australian dream: a big house on a quarter acre block with a couple of kids and maybe a pet or two thrown in.

Central Petroleum is in talks to attract new joint venture partners for its ambitious helium project in the Northern Territory near the South Australian border.

Stabilising property prices and strong rental returns have resulted in strong buying opportunities for investors, according to Perth-based mortgage broker House + Home Loans.

Gina Rinehart's private company made a net profit of $225 million in the 2009 financial year, and she is trying very hard to stop the public finding out how much profit she has made since then.

BC Iron and equal joint venture partner Fortescue Metals Group have extended the life of their Nullagine iron ore mine in the Pilbara by 18 months.

WHL Energy has completed a capital raising worth nearly $8 million to fund exploration at its Seychelles gas acreage off the coast of Africa.

Programmed Maintenance Services has bought golf course and race track maintenance company Turnpoint in a deal worth up to $12 million. 

The Australian market has opened half a per cent lower due to falling commodity prices and a weakness on overseas markets.

World oil prices have tumbled as soaring American stockpiles indicate weak demand in the world's biggest oil consuming nation, dealers say.

A dreadful Spanish bond auction and the reluctance of the Federal Reserve to launch a fresh round of US stimulus have sent Wall Street share prices tumbling.

South Perth company Central Petroleum has completed a capital raising as speculation continues over control of its board and the role of mining magnate and investor Clive Palmer.