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Westfield ‘done deal’ for Unibail

High company taxes are one of the biggest impediments to Australia’s economic success, according to the latest global competitiveness index by Swiss business school IMD, although improving infrastructure and government efficiency have helped boost the country’s overall rating.

Interest is growing in Kwinana as a possible battery manufacturing hub, with Wesfarmers mooted to be considering a move into the sector and representatives from US electric car manufacturer Tesla in Perth to meet with Premier Mark McGowan today.

The Australian share market has closed slightly lower as energy shares tumbled after Santos rejected a $US10.9 billion takeover offer.

Perth-based Pawsey Supercomputing Centre has appointed Mark Stickells as its new director, less than a month after the federal government said it would invest $70 million in the facility.

Perth company Fleetcare will more than double the number of vehicles it provides to the state government after securing a new sole supplier contract, after previously sharing the work with ASX-listed SG Fleet Group.

BGC Contracting has announced personnel cuts within its Perth head office as part of a restructure that will also move its mining chief operating officer to Brisbane as the company shifts its focus to the east coast.

Sydney-based investor Rob Nichols has teamed up with Singapore-based investment fund GIC to buy the assets of Perth company National Lifestyle Villages following a review led by Sirona Capital director Kelvin Flynn, who has run NLV since October last year.

The long-delayed footbridge linking East Perth to Optus Stadium will not be ready by the end of May despite previous assurances by the McGowan government.

Commonwealth Bank has agreed to sell its stake in Chinese life insurer BoComm Life for $668 million.

Rio Tinto has confirmed it is in talks about the potential purchase of its stake in the Indonesian Grasberg mine for $3.5 billion.

Perth-based Peet has confirmed its appointment by the state government as the developer for the Brabham housing project near the Swan Valley.

Managers can encourage or discourage sales with their policies and actions, so what makes a great sales manager?

Global company Schneider Electric anticipates continued strong trading in Western Australia, helped by work on established resources projects, new lithium developments and its Clipsal business.

The startup space supporting the resources sector is Australia’s game to lose, according to Unearthed director Justin Strharsky, but vision and wise investment are needed amid growing competition.

Optus will pay $1.5 million in penalties for pressuring customers to move to the National Broadband Network sooner than required and misleading some of them about NBN service options.

The Australian market has opened fractionally higher as gains in base metal prices lifted the big miners and US President Donald Trump's trade war comments spooked Wall Street investors.

A prime site in Northbridge, located on William Street opposite Yagan Square and Perth City Link and earmarked for a multi-tower mixed-use development, has been listed for sale.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower after Wall Street fell, weighed down by comments from US President Donald Trump about the US-China trade talks.

Brent crude prices settled slightly higher on Tuesday after a volatile session in which potential supply concerns surrounding Venezuela and Iran jockeyed with comments from President Donald Trump, who said he was not pleased with US-China trade talks.

Gold prices have steadied just above their lowest point for the year as the US dollar fell from a five-month high, although risk appetite in the broader financial markets kept the metal's gains in check.

Santos rejects $14.5bn Harbour bid

The Australian market share has posted its largest daily fall in seven weeks due to weakness for Telstra, the major banks and mining giants.

Recent comments by Tesla’s Elon Musk, and his company’s price dive immediately after, will be of interest to the state’s lithium miners.

De Grey Mining has raised $6 million, with ASX-listed DGO Gold investing $5 million in the placement, to expand exploration work at the company’s Pilbara gold project.

UPDATED: The state government has added a second product developed by Perth company Ocean Guardian to its shark deterrent subsidy program, following the release of research by Flinders University in South Australia.

Titan Minerals has announced an $11 million capital raising to fund the purchase of a processing plant and exploration work at its Torrecillas and San Santiago projects in Peru.

A national review has recommended all state governments establish a system of statutory trusts for building projects above $1 million as part of a package of measures to tackle the impact of company failures and late payments on contractors.

A series of new blockchain plays and a growing assortment of associated businesses highlight how the new asset class is sparking entrepreneurship in Perth.

The Perth property market has recorded an increase in the price of new land sold and strong growth in land under construction in the March quarter, however annual data in a new report out today shows the market still has a long way to fully recover.

West Perth-based Buru Energy has sold a 50 per cent share in its Ungani oilfield to Chinese-backed Roc Oil for $64 million, as part of a broader deal the company hopes will unlock its assets in the Canning Basin.

Perth-based medicinal cannabis specialist Zelda Therapeutics has appointed former Phylogica and PharmAust chief executive Richard Hopkins as its managing director.