Latest Headlines

Bannister Downs Dairy has appointed Perkins Builders as head contractor for its $20 million-plus creamery project at Northcliffe, and is planning to commence construction in coming months.

For Perth to become an innovation hub, in a global context, there will need to be a step-change from a range of stakeholders – the startup community and its funders, schools and universities, and, importantly, the state government – in order to support the structural change needed to achieve significant success.

Mining-focused private equity firm Resource Capital Funds is seeking to privatise engineering and construction contractor Ausenco by way of a scheme of arrangement.

Perth house prices rose 0.5 per cent last month, with an industry analyst suggesting the worst may be over for local dwelling values.

Perth-based Bulletin Resources has sold its remaining 20 per cent stake in the Halls Creek gold project to Pantoro in an all-scrip deal worth $13.7 million.

Calls are mounting for a Reserve Bank of Australia interest rate cut tomorrow despite new figures pointing to a very favourable business environment for Australian firms.

Local explorer Dakota Minerals has tapped investors for a $12.3 million capital raising to fund development of its Lynas Find lithium project in the Pilbara.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

Gorgon LNG close to restart after repairs

Gold and silver prices have rallied to their highest since January 2015 as the Bank of Japan's decision the previous day to hold off expanding monetary stimulus weighed heavily on the US dollar, and European and US stocks fell.

The Australian dollar is lower with investors cautious about interest rates.

In this Business News podcast Mark Beyer and Dan Wilkie discuss Geoff Rasmussen, NRW, defence contracts, Scoop Magazine, Quickflix, apartment developments and universities.

A long-running dispute involving the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and Fortescue Metals Group is set to continue after YAC members re-elected a bloc of directors who had recently been replaced by a court-appointed receiver.

A soon-to-be listed tech company led by local entrepreneur Rob Newman and company director Ian Olson has lodged its prospectus for a $5 million capital raising, as it proceeds with its reverse takeover of Soil Sub Technologies.

The Australian share market has closed modestly higher, led by the banks, as investors await next week's RBA decision on interest rates and financial reports from three of the big four banks.

The City of Subiaco has been trumped by the metropolitan west development assessment panel, while residents in South Perth face a two-month wait to learn the fate of a contentious apartment project on Mill Point Road.

The federal government has signed a $2 billion contract with a group of defence contractors that will ensure maintenance of ANZAC class frigates continues at Henderson for the next eight years.

Treasurer Scott Morrison has told the Chinese company wanting to buy Australia's largest private landholder that its planned purchase is contrary to the national interest.

Broadspectrum shares have surged more than 30 per cent after the detention centre operator recommended the $769 million takeover bid it had previously rejected.

Perth-based engineering services firm Oil & Gas Solutions has expanded its presence in Singapore with the acquisition of recruitment and staffing firm Jadeclover for an undisclosed sum.

PHOTO ESSAY and MULTIMEDIA: Perth-based jewellers Linneys, Rohan Jewellery, Blennerhassett Fine Jewellers, and Vildosola Jewellery Atelier remain committed to local manufacturing, resisting the temptation to lower costs by shifting their operations offshore.

Local explorer Capricorn Metals has raised $12.6 million from investors to fund development work on its recently acquired Karlawinda gold project near Newman.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

Budget to reopen uni fight

The Australian dollar is trading lower with investors bearish ahead of the Reserve Bank's rate decision next week.

US stocks have closed down as the Bank of Japan's shocking call to cap monetary stimulus continued to rattle investors while a late day decline in Apple shares on remarks by billionaire investor Carl Icahn added to selling pressure.

Gold has risen more than one per cent as the Bank of Japan held off from expanding monetary stimulus, boosting the yen versus the US dollar, and after the Federal Reserve signalled it was in no rush to tighten monetary policy.

CTI Logistics has put more of its surplus properties on the market after disclosing that its underlying profit continued to deteriorate during the March quarter, with the business hit by what it said was a severe downturn in activity in Western Australia.

The Australian share market has closed higher as a lift in iron ore futures in China boosted mining stocks, but market gains were curbed by the Bank of Japan's decision not to expand its economic stimulus policies.

The Fair Work Commission has ruled that fly-in, fly-out workers should not receive extra pay if demobilised from a job while on a rest and relaxation period.

Detention centre operator Broadspectrum faces an uncertain future as Papua New Guinea plans to shut down its Manus Island facility.

Lower gold production has contributed to a 16 per cent reduction in March quarter revenue for Independence Group compared with the same period last year, helping drive the company’s share price down 11 per cent today.