Latest Headlines

Westpac expects the economy to improve in 2015, fuelled by further interest rate cuts and a lower Australian dollar.

A single contractor has won a $66 million tender to book $2.1 billion worth of federal government travel over four years.

The world's biggest drilling services company, Boart Longyear, says higher costs and lower prices are weighing on earnings but revenue is expected to pick up.

The Australian share market is lower, pulled back by weakness among the major banks and the resources sector.

Construction giant Leighton Holdings will sell its John Holland subsidiary to a Chinese firm for around $1.15 billion.

US stocks have advanced following an upbeat retail sales report, but the gains were limited by concerns over the rapid fall in oil prices.

The Australian dollar has plummeted to fresh four-and-a-half-year lows after the head of the Reserve Bank said he wanted the currency to fall to 75 US cents.

US oil prices have tumbled below $US60 a barrel for the first time since July 2009, taking the shocking loss since June to about 44 per cent.

Gold futures have closed lower as upbeat US economic data bolster the US dollar and fan expectations of tighter monetary policy from the Federal Reserve.

Young political up-and-comers, and their mentors, should hasten slowly to avoid disaster.

After two weeks of controversy over Transport Minister Dean Nalder’s “perceived” conflicts of interest, a government report released today made it clear why Premier Colin Barnett stripped Mr Nalder of the finance ministry.

Nextgen Group has upped its investment in a telecommunications cable servicing resources companies in Western Australia’s north-west.

Gold producer Doray Minerals was up more than 26 per cent today after confirming high grade gold results at its Andy Well mine, saying it confirmed the potential of extensions to the mine’s life.

Two thousand investors in failed Great Southern managed investment schemes will be forced to repay their loans after the Supreme Court of Victoria upheld a settlement that will see the investors get back just $23.5 million.

Manufacturer Bradken is opening its books to its private equity suitors and fielding takeover interest from other parties.

Former executive chairman of the Kimberley Diamond Company, Miles Kennedy, has left the role of managing director at Lucapa Diamond Company as part of a board restructure.

Sharp falls by resources companies caused by further weakness in commodity prices have driven the share market lower.

Until a few weeks ago, Australia’s 20,000 investment advisers and their associates in stock broking firms and banks probably thought they had jobs for life; but that was before the Commonwealth Bank advisers’ scandal and the latest threat – internet-powered advice.

A Nationals senator wants to make it illegal for banks to foreclose on drought-hit farmers.

ASX-listed shopping centre owner Federation Centres has picked up Currambine Shopping Centre for $74 million, the second major retail transaction in Perth this week.

Big businesses already raise a hefty chunk of their funds from the bond market rather than banks - and many will go further down that road in 2015.

Caltex expects to lift its full-year profit by about 40 per cent thanks to higher fuel sales as oil prices fall.

Silver Lake Resources has cancelled the $5.5 million sale of its Lakewood Mill near Kalgoorlie, after the buyer was unable to secure financing.

Australia is considering selling uranium to Ukraine, home to the world's worst nuclear disaster.

A fire at a margarine factory in Western Australia's south has caused an estimated $1 million worth of damage.

Energy company Santos plans to slash its capital expenditure by 25 per cent as the oil price slides to fresh five-year lows.

Redundancies and cuts to directors’ fees have helped BC Iron secure cost reductions at the Nullagine joint venture.

Manufacturers are gaining a new lease of life from rising building activity and a sustained depreciation in the Australian dollar.

The unemployment rate has hit a 12-year high, despite a strong rise in the number of people with jobs, while Western Australia continues to have the lowest unemployment of any state.

The Australian stock market has taken another dive after oil prices dropped to fresh five-year lows.

US stocks have tumbled more than 1.5 per cent as a pullback in petroleum stocks sparked a sell-off in the broader market.

Houses sales flattened off this week and sit just 2 per cent above the average of 562/week for the year, which is unlikely to change much with only two weeks remaining in 2014.