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Peter Costello needs to polish up on his people skills if he's to lead his party, and the country.

REBOUNDS in the retail and mining sectors have lead a 13 per cent increase in the Deloitte Western Australian Index for the month of February, rising $73 billion to $82.

NEW research by the Urban Development Institute of Australia WA suggests the federal government's first home owner grant (FHOG) needs to remain in place for 18 months in order to effectively stimulate the market for the long term.

WESTERN Australian exporters have received encouraging news about the economies of some of the state's key trading partners, in particular India and China, with strong signs of growth for the future.

THE awarding to Brookfield Multiplex of the $220 million stage one contract for the Fiona Stanley Hospital is noteworthy in a number of respects.

INDIA'S dairy market has opened its doors to Australian milk products for the first time since trade was halted in 2003.

There's unlikely to be a return to record low CBD vacancy rates any time soon.

The Western Australian Trade Enquiry Service is operated by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA with the support of the WA government's Department of Industry and Resources.

A decision on Fremantle's outer harbour may be near after nearly a decade of delays.

THE long-awaited opening of the new Bishops See office building at 235 St Georges Terrace could set the tone for the move towards greener, more sustainable office buildings in Perth.

The financial crisis is a major challenge for governments as well as business.

DURING the past few months, gold has been about the only game in town where investors have been able to make money as stocks rise.

IT has been heralded as some sort of magic number - the 47 per cent debt-to-revenue ratio that is somehow tied to the state's financial future.

WITH the sixth anniversary of his chairmanship at Paladin Energy quickly approaching, Rick Crabb says it's a "good business to be in at the moment".

A portion of development sites in Victoria Park will be allowed to be built up to 18 storeys high after the state government approved a lift in building height limits.

The state government will create a new director position to oversee the expansion of the Ord River irrigation scheme and associated community and social infrastructure in the east Kimberley.

US oil giant Chevron says it expects to "sanction" the Gorgon liquefied natural gas project during the second half of this year.

Aspiring gold miner Catalpa Resources has reserved Perth-based GR Engineering Services for the refurbishment and construction of a processing facility at its $92 million Edna May gold project near Westonia.

A business advisory firm has urged small businesses to quickly take advantage of a federal government tax break before the window of opportunity closes.

The state's Grain Licensing Authority is set to be dismantled as the government announces that the export market for barley, lupins and canola will be deregulated before the start of the 2009-10 harvest.

Inpex says it remains committed to developing its $12 billion gas processing plant, located in Darwin, after a Liberal Senator said the company could move to offshore locations due to the Rudd government's emissions trading scheme.

Australian stocks opened stronger after gains of almost 6 per cent on Wall Street overnight, leading to advances in the financial and resources sectors locally.

The unwinding of the commodity and mining investment boom will take the lustre out of the Western Australian, Northern Territory and Queensland economies over the next few years, according to Access Economics, as the nation's economic backdrop continues t

Westpac's plan to top SME lending; China slides into deflation; Labor braces for emissions fight; UBS tips $US2,500 an ounce for bullion; Turnbull, Costello face off on IR

Golden West Resources says it is not seriously considering iron ore offtake offers it has received from China, Korea and Japan as it waits to get "visibility" on port and rail infrastructure before pursuing an arrangement.

Coal baron Ken Talbot will increase his holding in Sundance Resources to 22 per cent after purchasing $5 million worth of shares in the iron ore explorer.

Miner Jabiru Metals has paid down $US15.5 million ($A24 million) of its bank debt after closing out part of its hedge book while its Jaguar copper and zinc mine achieves record monthly production.

Perth-based junior Iron Mountain Mining has proposed an off-market takeover for Terrain Minerals in a deal valued at nearly $2 million.

Principles designed to encourage greater consistency and transparency in non-statutory profit reporting have been released by the Financial Services Institute of Australasia and the Australian Institute of Company Directors today.

Shares in Quickstep Holdings have jumped as it secures an agency deal to promote sales in the Middle East and a $10 million convertible loan agreement.

Western Australia has recorded one of the larger falls in the number of job advertisements in newspapers and on the internet in February, a survey has found.

Kalahari claims another Extract chairman scalp; Chinese buy more Fortescue; Gillard beefs up work umpire; Wong admits ETS deadline in doubt; Rio's US mine exit to chip at debt