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The Australian sharemarket is lower following a lacklustre performance on Wall Street ahead of congressional testimony by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen.

US stocks have finished little changed following lacklustre housing data on the eve of congressional testimony by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen.

Mining giant BHP Billiton's half-year net profit has dived by 47.4 per cent to $US4.3 billion ($A5.52 billion) after a period of plummeting iron ore prices.

Boxing champ Rai Fazio is creating an international rumble in the world of group fitness.

The Australian dollar is back below 78 US cents as commodity prices fall and the US dollar bounces back from last week's fall.

Oil prices have fallen, extending last week's slide as US crude supplies linger at historic levels.

The federal government is sending contradictory messages in its invitation to Chinese investors.

Gold prices have fallen, as a deal between Greece and its European creditors calms nerves in asset markets and lessens the need for holding gold as a hedge against uncertainty.

Demand for Western Australian agricultural property assets is expected to run hot throughout 2015, with offshore buyers not expected to be deterred by new rules for foreign investment in farmland.

Australia’s first art-hack will occur during the Perth International Arts Festival, challenging some of the best artistic and creative minds.

A group of local philanthropists has launched a new gala event into Perth’s busy market with the inaugural Purple Hearts Ball to be held next week.

Retailer Ray Della-Polina says there are lessons for the business community in the failure of his Malz business.

Lend Lease says it is still working towards submitting a development application for the first stage of its long-awaited $1 billion Waterbank project in East Perth; but according to its half-year report, the developer doesn’t expect the project to contribute to its earnings until the 2019 financial year at the earliest.

Perth-based uranium developer Toro Energy has announced the appointment of Fiona Harris as the company’s new chair, while also announcing a reduction in the number of directors as a result of the current market conditions.

WA Skills Training has secured an estimated $2 million per year deal with the Malaysian government to deliver training for both Malaysians and Australians seeking work on major resource projects.

Fremantle-based MMA Offshore has announced a lift in interim revenue and profit, but its shares slumped today on a lower dividend and predictions of a weaker second half.

Troubled mining services company Boart Longyear is confident demand for its services will pick up eventually, despite posting a $US333million first-half loss during the 2014 calendar year.

Joondalup’s CBD is set to be transformed by a pair of major projects, including the suburb’s first high-rise building.

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Strength in the financial and property sectors has lifted the share market.

The financial incentives for higher cost mid-tier miners to either share infrastructure or merge is at an all-time high, according to accounting firm EY.

GR Engineering Services has recorded a reduction in net profit after tax despite substantially higher revenues during the first half of the financial year.

Quintessential Resources is set to relist on the ASX tomorrow after morphing into technology incubator Yonder and Beyond, but plans by three travel businesses, including George Michalczyk's Motive Travel, to undertake a backdoor listing through Red Gum Resources have fallen through. Click through to also see the BNiQ listing of 26 WA backdoor listings.

Aspen Group has taken an interim net loss of $18.2 million, largely on the back of reduced utilisation of its resources-exposed accommodation assets in the north of the state, offsetting a strong p

A group of young local entrepreneurs is preparing for the official opening of a new Northbridge music venue, having identified an investment opportunity and a gap in the local live music market.

The housing boom will continue to drive earnings in the medium term, says global construction group Lend Lease, which lifted half-year profit by 25 per cent to $315.6 million on the back of strong demand for apartments.

Mining and civil engineering contractor Maca has posted a 6.4 per cent increase in profit to $34.7 million for the six months to December, despite revenue taking a hit from recent mine closures, as the company shifted its focus onto gold projects in South America.

The board at Balamara Resources took drastic action last week in light of the dramatic fall in the company’s share price during the past 12 months, with managing director Mike Ralston announcing the intention to de-list from the ASX.

There's a flipside to being undervalued, according to Minotaur Exploration managing director Andrew Woskett, whose business has a $21 million market cap.

A depreciating currency and encouraging demand over the medium term spells good news for the state’s mining juniors, if they can ride out short-term fluctuations.

Standout junior explorers are finding investors for their mining projects, while others are cutting back on exploration and development to counteract a tough corporate finance market and increased government fees.