Latest Headlines

The Australian share market has posted solid gains, with the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index ending the day less than three points from its best closing price ever.

Western Australia's economic performance was the worst of all Australian states for the March quarter, according to Commsec’s latest data, but stronger population and exports growth could indicate a turnaround is on the cards.

Marketforce has extended its master media advertising contract for the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA), making it the agency responsible for WA local government advertising.

ProFound is an incubator aimed at helping neurodiverse entrepreneurs launch a digital product with a commercial market fit.

There’s growing pressure for the state government to rethink how it prices electricity because of the proliferation of solar panels, but the issue could be electoral dynamite.

A key component of WA’s future economic growth lies in the hands of the agency tasked with determining the best location for imports and exports.

SPECIAL REPORT: Unprecedented transport infrastructure spending and an uptick in mining investment have buoyed the spirits of WA’s major contractors.

Rare earth miner Lynas Corporation says it is stockpiling two rare earth metals and limiting sales to its strategic partners because of price volatility amid the US-China trade war and a slowing global economy.

Kingwest Resources has raised $4 million via a share placement, while St George Mining has also completed a share placement, raising $3.3 million.

Cash Converters International says it expects a loss of between $2 million and $4 million for the 2019 financial year, largely due to a class action settlement in Queensland.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is planning to visit around 700 small businesses in Broome, Cable Beach, Derby and Kununurra, Western Australia in August as part of the agency’s work to tackle the black economy and protect honest businesses from those doing the wrong thing.

Building market still to fall

Oil prices inched up on Friday, ending the week higher after stronger-than-expected US economic data brightened the crude demand outlook and concerns over the safety of oil transport around the Strait of Hormuz threatened supply.

Gold prices rose on Friday after slipping to more than one-week lows in the previous session as soft US inflation numbers offset better-than-expected second-quarter economic growth that kept bets alive for an imminent interest rate cut.

Central Norseman Gold Corporation (CNGC) has been fined $150,000 in the Kalgoorlie Magistrates Court today over the death of a worker two years ago at the company’s processing plant at its Norseman gold mine.

The Australian share market has finished broadly lower, despite gains for the mining and energy sectors.

Zenith Energy has raised $4.8 million via a shortfall placement, having raised just $220,000 in a share purchase plan last month.

Mineral Resources has secured Chinese regulatory approval for its $US1.15 billion Wodgina stake sale, and was the best performer among the ASX 200 today, despite the miner also releasing weak quarterly results.

Resources services provider Babylon Pump & Power has entered into a conditional agreement to acquire diesel engine specialist Primepower Queensland for up to $4.2 million.

PODCAST: Mark Pownall and Matt Mckenzie discuss hospitality sector challenges, regional hotel expansion, gold versus lithium, heritage issues in Peppy Grove, Pacific Energy, our special report on infrastructure, and our Great for the State feature on disruption.

Sodexo Australia, one of WA's largest employers, announced a partnership with The Clontarf Foundation this morning as part of its Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan.

The chief executive of iron ore exploration and development company Elmore, formerly IndiOre, has confirmed his brother’s law firm undertook the independent review into the business’s failed project expansion, which was approved and under construction despite no adequate mineralisation being discovered.

Leasing transactions in central Perth office stock in 2019 have more than doubled the volume of activity in the prior year, driving vacancies below 5 per cent for premium buildings.

Big data is increasingly making its way into the retail sector, monitoring, predicting and perhaps even modelling our behaviour.

Google and Facebook face increased regulation in Australia, after the federal government indicated it would back recommendations of an ACCC report.

Australian private equity firm Allegro Funds says it will make a significant investment in Western Australia’s largest diagnostic imaging provider, Perth Radiological Clinic, the latest in a string of deals for the sector.

Aurora Capital has abandoned its planned takeover of Yowie Group and says it would instead support winding up the Australian chocolatier if management cannot plot a convincing near-term turnaround strategy.

The Australian share market has opened lower, with utilities the only sector able to make any early gains.

RBA flags low rates for years

Oil prices edged higher overnight supported by rising tensions between the US and its allies and Iran and a big decline in US crude stockpiles, but gains were capped due to lingering worries about slowing economic growth that could reduce fuel demand.

Gold fell one per cent overnight to touch a one-week low as robust US economic data outweighed the European Central Bank's decision to hew to an accommodative monetary policy, with investors focusing on next week's Federal Reserve meeting.

The international owners of Cobham Aviation Services, which is one of the major players in the FIFO charter market in WA, have announced a strategic review that could lead to new ownership.