THE gold sector has been a standout performer during the past six months, with 13 gold explorers or producers in Western Australia launching capital raisings worth a total of $275 million.
FREMANTLE Ports has revised its budgets and is closely monitoring current accounts and spending in light of tumbling trade figures and gloomy international forecasts.
Struggling iron ore miner Territory Resources has entered a standstill agreement with, and provided additional security to, its financiers as it seeks to restructure or refinance its foreign exchange hedging and loan arrangements.
A construction forecasting body says Australia-wide activity in the sector is expected to slump by $12 billion over the next two years while construction in the mining industry is expected to plummet 60 per cent.
The state's Pastoralists and Graziers' Association has welcomed the prospect of private, long-term investment in regional infrastructure projects by Palisade Investment Partners, which is headed by former Deputy Prime Minister Mark Vaile.
Australasian Resources has widened its scope of financiers after Chinese project partner Shougang missed a deadline while the merger agreement with one of billionaire Clive Palmer's companies has expired.
The state government says it will order work to stop at any BHP Billiton mines where workplace breaches are found, after five recent deaths at the company's Pilbara iron ore sites.
Energy Minister Peter Collier said he is seeking legal advice on whether he has capacity to stop Synergy relocating jobs overseas, after the state opposition claimed that more than 120 Western Australian jobs will head to India.
Talks over the liquefied natural gas hub in the Kimberley will continue past the deadline as issues remain to be negotiated with Woodside Petroleum and traditional owners.
Shares in West Perth-based Eneabba Gas have soared as much as 112 per cent today after entering a deal with Carbon Energy for the supply of gas to its Centauri 1 Power station in the Mid West.
Mines Minister Norman Moore has delivered an assurance Western Australia will retain control of local mining operations despite increased foreign investment in Australian mining companies.
Building approvals in Western Australia have jumped 20 per cent to a seasonally adjusted 1,644 units in February, new figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.
New miner Atlas Iron has secured additional berth capacity at the Utah Point public access port facility in Port Hedland, which is currently under construction.
No escape from recession: RBA; Labor moves to cut major project costs; Unions warn of action on public service pay; Canada fund bids for Mac satellite; BankWest battles
Fortescue Metals Group chief executive Andrew Forrest says he always expected the federal government would allow a Chinese state-owned steelmaker to increase its stake in the iron ore miner, but expects no further equity investment.
ComputerCORP will pay some $15 million in cash and scrip to acquire two eastern states technology providers and has announced plans to launch a $5 million capital raising.
Minara Resources chairman Peter Coates will take over from current Santos chairman Stephen Gerlach when he retires from the board at the end of this year.
The Western Australian government is the best performing state government in the country in the eyes of the small business community, according to the MYOB Australian Small Business Survey.
Perth property values have bucked the slight upward national trend, with the median value of houses dipping 1 per cent in the three months to the end of February.
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Babcock and Brown Power has finalised the sale of its 70 per cent interest in the NewGen Kwinana power station, with details of the settlement pending performance of the station in the second half of the financial year.
Confidencce in the Western Australian rural sector has bucked the national trend and risen slightly, although levels are still well below the near record highs of last year, according to the latest Rabobank survey.
Local Government Minister John Castrilli has announced $10,000 financial packages for local councils that agree to prepare submissions for voluntary amalgamation by the August deadline.
Four Western Australian housing providers have gained approval to build more than 400 new affordable rental homes for low and middle income families under the first round of the National Affordable Rental Scheme.
