The latest round of annual reports has revealed some highly unusual movements in chief executive remuneration, including at Monadelphous Group and Mineral Resources.
Shares in Atlas Iron surged on news it had lowered its cash costs in July by $11 per wet metric tonne, with the iron ore miner flagging more cash flow in August.
Macmahon Holdings has reported a net loss of $217.9 million for the financial year, on the back of impairments to its assets during what has been a tough time for contractors and mining services firms.
US oil prices have surged more than 10 per cent, climbing back above $US40 ($A56.25) a barrel after strong American economic growth data lifted confidence about the world's biggest economy and petroleum user.
Gold has eased, and is headed for its biggest weekly rout since March, as upbeat US growth and jobs data drive up stocks and the US dollar, though uncertainty over the timing of a Federal Reserve rate rise held losses in check.
Watpac Civil & Mining has been awarded $89.3 million in contracts in the gold mining and road infrastructure sectors, with the largest being with Chinese-owned company Hanking Gold Mining.
Local mining services companies Ausdrill, Emeco Holdings and Lycopodium have posted net losses for the financial year, with lower activity in the resources sector weighing on their pipelines of available work.
Gold prices slipped two per cent on Wednesday as the dollar gained and US stocks advanced, while investors kept a close eye on China's efforts to support its economy.
Iron ore miner BC Iron has fallen into the red with a net loss of $158.5 million for the financial year, on the back of impairments and falling commodity prices, and has declared no dividend payout.
A senior Woodside Petroleum executive has urged Perth companies to be less secretive, saying recent deals it struck with local businesses had occurred only after learning of their world-class expertise by chance.
Kerry Stokes' Seven Group Holdings fears its earnings could fall 10 per cent in the year ahead, with trading conditions in the resources sector still challenging.
Mining giant BHP Billiton has posted a dramatic slide in annual profit on the back of plunging commodity prices, with chief executive Andrew Mackenzie flagging further cost cuts.
Local miner Metals X has announced a 9 per cent increase in net profit to $40.9 million for the 2015 financial year, on the back of higher revenue from gold sales.
Kibaran Resources has signed an agreement with German diversified group ThyssenKrupp for the sale of half of the graphite produced at its Epanko project in Tanzania.
Oil prices have sunk, with the US crude benchmark finishing below $US40 a barrel for the first time in six years on worries about China's weakening economy after an equities sell-off.
The future of BlueScope Steel's Port Kembla plant is on a knife edge after the steelmaker said it would cut at least 500 jobs to reduce costs in the face of cheaper imports.
UGL has shut down its engineering design business in Perth as part of the company’s response to the low volume of work in the resources sector and cost blowouts on some of its big projects.
Welshpool-based Maca has posted a slight fall in profit for the financial year but increased revenue by 1 per cent, despite it being a tough time for contractors and mining services companies in the current market.
Higher gold sales and lower exploration spending have boosted diversified miner Independence Group’s full-year net profit by 58 per cent to $77 million.
Fortescue Metals Group boss Nev Power is counting on the Chinese government's stimulus measures to boost demand for iron ore after the price slump in the commodity drove the company's full-year profit down by 88 per cent.
Diversified miner South32 is looking to cut its operating costs by 7.5 per cent over the next three years, with a particular focus on payments to contractors.
The new owners of Quadrant Energy have spoken to Business News about how the $2.7 billion acquisition came together and their plans for the oil and gas producer.
Gold has risen in choppy dealings, hitting a six-week high and putting it on track for its biggest weekly climb since mid-January as more bad economic data from China rattled financial markets, pushing the US dollar broadly lower.
Oil and gas producer Inpex has emerged as the last potential anchor for a significant new commercial development in the CBD, following Rio Tinto’s decision to remain at Central Park.
