Latest Headlines

Western Australian schools will introduce new precautionary measures, including cancelling assemblies and staggering recess and lunch breaks, to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Infrastructure group Downer EDI's possible sale of its mining business to Perenti Global has been suspended due to the market volatility caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Australia's volatile share market has plunged more than six per cent after sentiment for equities suddenly soured despite rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and other central banks.

Oil prices on Friday posted their biggest week of losses since the 2008 global financial crisis, rocked by the coronavirus outbreak and efforts by top exporter Saudi Arabia and its allies to flood the market with record levels of supply.

Gold tumbled as much as 4.5 per cent on Friday as investors embarked on a selling spree to hoard cash and meet margin calls across other markets which have been battered by the impact of the coronavirus outbreak.

Decmil plays the blame game with NZ Corrections

PODCAST: Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss market volatility and the coronavirus, stimulus package, Liza Harvey, private equity deals, our special report on Land Developers and Great for the State looks at how we can help those who are missing out on WA's good fortune.

Fans will be unable to attend the NBL grand final series, including tonight's match between the Perth Wildcats and Sydney Kings, or AFL games after both sporting codes responded to Prime Minister Scott Morrison's announcement that mass gatherings of 500 plus people should not proceed.

The Australian share market has staged a dramatic recovery from its morning losses of as much as 8.1 per cent to finish 4.4 per cent higher.

Primewest has postponed the spin-out of a new $285 million commercial property trust, citing market volatility, with Macquarie Bank and rent.com.au among other listed companies to change their capital raising plans.

West Leederville-based medtech startup Singular Health will raise $1 million ahead of a planned IPO in September, with PAC Partners appointed lead manager for the listing.

Santos has already offloaded a portion of the Darwin LNG operation for $US390 million ($620 million) to South Korean SK E&S, in line with plans flagged during an acquisition of ConocoPhillips' northern Australian assets in October.

The federal government today announced significant investments in the energy sector, with the awarding of $69.5 million to two new cooperative research centres, and the launch of the Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre.

The federal government will be advising against mass gatherings of more than 500 people from Monday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said today, in response to the growing coronavirus threat.

Perth-based contractor Decmil has disclosed it will make a provision of between $50 million and $60 million to cover money that is unpaid under its terminated contract with New Zealand's corrections department, resulting in a loss for the half-year to December 2019.

Emerald Resources has moved closer to developing its Okvau gold project in Cambodia after signing a $US230 million ($A365 million) mining contract with MACA.

Qantas is paying back $7.1 million to 640 marketing and administrative staff it underpaid for up to eight years, with some receiving a windfall of tens of thousands of dollars.

As the effects of the coronavirus pandemic worsen, businesses are making sure they are prepared for disruption, with many trialing work from home arrangements.

Alcoa of Australia and Scitech are hoping to build on the early success of a maths-mentoring program introduced for Western Australian teachers last year.

OPINION: Far from making teachers obsolete, personalised learning requires them to use their current skills while developing new ones.

The Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled as the prime minister faces calls to cancel mass gatherings to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Virgin Australia has cut more flights, reduced executives' fees, and will seek relief from government charges as it joins rivals in attempting to soften the impact of the COVID-19 spread.

Australia's share market has tanked another four per cent amid panic selling after the worst day ever for European equity markets and the most calamitous for Wall Street since 1987.

Welfare groups want more spending

Wall Street has tanked, slamming the book on the longest-ever US bull market after new travel restrictions to curb the coronavirus spread spooked investors and rattled world markets.

Brent crude slid 7 per cent overnight after President Donald Trump restricted travel to the United States from Europe as part of measures to try to halt the spread of coronavirus pandemic.

Palladium prices have plunged as much as 28 per cent as panic selling driven by intensifying fears over the coronavirus pandemic seeped into precious metals, with gold slumping more than four per cent as investors rushed to cover margin calls in other assets.

Western Australia's construction and commercial property sectors are bracing for the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with imports of building materials likely to be disrupted and retail activity expected to plunge in coming weeks

The travel industry is reeling from a decision by the US government to ban all travel from Europe for a month, while the Australian government has decided against a similar move after consideration. Shares in ASX-listed travel companies were smashed today in response to the clamp down and as travel dries up globally.

Concerns over coronavirus have led to the cancellation of several sporting, cultural and business events but most organisations are planning to proceed with scheduled activities.

Rio Tinto has been ordered to pay long-deferred incentives worth nearly $7 million to its former chief executive Sam Walsh following a formal dispute resolution process.

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti has disputed claims made by opposition leader Liza Harvey at yesterday's Business News Politics & Policy breakfast that manufacturing rail cars in Western Australia constituted an investment in a failed and unsustainable industry.