Latest Headlines

Henderson-based Nomad building Solutions Ltd has announced today the $40 million acquisition of the construction, property management and modular building business units of Rapley Wilkinson.

Farm budget bonus firms hope of bumper grain crop; Shakeout turns MFS into a target; Credit crunch cuts super returns; Debt funding boosts Windimurra; Iron ore prices ready to roar

Perth-based uranium producer Paladin Energy Ltd says its Langer Heinrich mine in the African nation of Namibia has achieved its production target for the December quarter of 390,807 pounds of uranium oxide.

Geraldton marketing and web development agency Market Creations Pty Ltd has announced the acquisition of IT support company, Mitchell and Brown Corporate, strengthening the end to end business solutions provided by the firm in the Mid West town.

Avalon Minerals Ltd has announced today that it was granted Lake Barlee exploration licence, which is the first application to be granted within the portfolio of 13 Western Australian uranium exploration licences acquired by Avalon last year.

Dragon Mining Ltd wholly owned subsidiary, Polar Mining Oly, was granted an Environmental Permit by the Supreme Court of Finland for mining operations at the Jokisivu Gold Project in southern Finland.

Internet service provider iiNet Ltd announced today that it entered a 15 year international capacity agreement with Pipe International Pty Ltd as a foundation customer of the PPC-1, an undersea cable linking Australia to Guam's communications hub.

Perth-based scooter manufacturing and distribution group Vmoto Ltd announced today an annual revenue target of over $100 million a year by 2011 with the Stage 1 of the company's China plant expected to be operationnal by mid year.

Stokes bid inaction blamed for WAN share slide; Coles returns to WA beef; Credit fears weigh on Wall Street; Big Business demands budget cuts to ease inflation; JB Hi-Fi upbeat despite 16% slide

Australia's North West Tourism, an arm of Tourism WA, has requested the State Government release a government site for a new 5 star Resort at Broome.

Iron ore newcomer Fortescue Metals Group Ltd is sticking to its May 15 deadline for its first shipment, denying speculation that its debut delivery could be as late as August.

The Australian stock market failed to follow Wall Street's higher lead overnight, with the benchmark index falling below the 6,000 mark, leaving investors nursing the weakest start to new year trading for 17 years.

Marine engineering services group Neptune Marine Services Ltd has gone ahead with a share purchase plan seeking more than $23 million to primarily fund the recent acquisition of the Sea-Struct business.

Funds associated with New York commodities hedge fund player Ospraie Management LLC have emerged with substantial stakes in two major Western Australia companies, both outside the group's previous purely mining focus in the state.

New figures reveal that the median Perth house prices rose 1.1 per cent to a record $466,000 in the December quarter, slightly higher than the previous peak recorded in the March quarter last year.

Wesfarmers debt concern; Investors melt down Alumina; Labor to dump takeover tax; Inpex signals cost blowout may delay Ichthys LNG project; Clough hints at surprise turnaround to black ink

Mount Magnet South NL has acquired the Curara Well gold mine and other tenements in the Mt Magnet region of Western Australia for $5 million from Equigold NL.

Perth-based iron ore exploration and development company Australasian Resources Ltd has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Stephen Abbott to the newly created position of general manager.

Perth based health care equipment company, MEDEC Ltd, has placed up to 8.5 million shares with German and Perth investors to raise $500,000.

Hopes for change at AWB hit as farm groups dig in; ASIC summons Centro for talks; CBA lifts rates as banks come under more fire; Stockland to pocket big profit on Karrinyup sale; Warning over power blackouts

A bit of news late last year aroused my interest – the results of two private companies that had restructured their business with positive outcomes

State Scene hopes opportunities arise during 2008 that will enable a historical assessment of recent contemporary events, making them more meaningful in the wider context.

An informal survey of investment bankers and corporate advisers has highlighted Wesfarmers’ $20 billion takeover of Coles Group as the top deal of 2007.

Patersons Securities posted a record $1.26 billion dollars in capital raisings last year, up more than 50 per cent on the previous year and a result that has returned the Perth-based stockbroker to the top position for equity capital raisings during 2007.

COMO-BASED GME Resources Ltd has appointed mining engineer David Varcoe as managing director, replacing Jamie Sullivan.

Delivering big returns for investors was made to look easy this year by tungsten developer, Wolf Minerals.

THE Note has always been wary of league tables, which investment bankers and lawyers use to tout their success.

Western Australia’s commercial office market notched up almost $1 billion in sales last year, and while some analysts predict the same heights may not be reached in 2008, market fundamentals indicate that strong growth is likely to continue.

IN a stock market taking a battering as investors retreat amid fears of a US recession, the stocks that run hot become all the brighter.

The performance of WA's industrial property market during the past 12 months has more than matched the commercial sector, with record sales and rents being generated, although prices are tipped to level out as more supply comes on to the market in 2008.

PEET Ltd has launched its wholesale funds management business with the completion of a $300 million wholesale land syndicate for Alkimos, 40 kilometres north of Perth.

The Melbourne-based builder behind Perth’s iconic $1.3 billion Capital Square apartment development on the former Emu Brewery site, Contexx Pty Ltd, has pulled out of the project, leaving developer Saville Australia to negotiate a new contract.