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Today
(AEDT)
Dollar closes at three-month high
THE dollar closed higher today, finishing the local session above 72 US cents for the first time in three months.
Shares finish higher, up 1pc
THE stock market closed higher for another day, after the local resources sector strengthened on the back of improved commodity prices.
NAB raises $3.5bn in US bond deal
NATIONAL Australia Bank (NAB) has raised $US2.5 billion ($3.51 billion) from US investors in the biggest Australian government guaranteed bond deal.
Aussie jobs safe from Alcoa cuts
MORE than 1800 jobs at Alcoa's two Victorian smelters are safe, despite the announcement of massive global job cuts, Premier John Brumby says.
Woolworths cuts credit card interest rate
SUPERMARKET giant Woolworths will cut its Everyday Money Credit Card interest rate by 100 basis points.
Dollar higher at noon
THE dollar was higher at noon, as improved risk sentiment and stronger than expected local retail sales lifted the high-yielding currency.
Resources push midday shares higher
THE sharemarket was stronger at noon after US stocks advanced and the local resources sector was lifted by higher commodity prices.
Stronger sales to 'slow rate cuts'
A SURPRISING rise in retail sales during November could slow the pace of Reserve Bank's cuts to interest rates, an economist says.
New home sales fall as credit tightens
THE sales of new homes fell in November as the economic downturn and tighter access of credit took hold, a survey shows.
Venezuela cuts off oil for US homes
SOME 200,000 US households will no longer get cheap heating oil from Venezuela after the state-owned CITGO subsidiary announced it was dropping the program due to falling oil prices.
Shares open stronger, led by miners
THE share market opened in positive territory following gains on Wall Street, with a strong performance by the resources sector.
Santos secures $809m gas deal
SANTOS has signed a $US585 million ($808.79 million) contract with CITIC Pacific Mining to supply gas to the Sino Iron project in Western Australia.
Innamincka Petroleum in trading halt
SHARES in energy explorer Innamincka Petroleum have gone into a trading halt, the company saying it is in negotiations to farm out some of its interests.
Things aren't that bad, survey finds
MOST Australian households are meeting loan repayments despite the economic downturn, a new survey reveals.
Rudd 'not doing enough on economy'
BUSINESS believes the Federal Government should be considering more measures to stimulate the economy.
Wall Street gains on recovery hopes
US STOCKS rose modestly overnight, lifted by gains overseas, and as investors hoped that emergency Government measures will pull the global economy out of recession.
ATO warns over fake tax refund scam
AUSTRALIANS are being warned to ignore a scam email claiming to be from the tax office and offering refunds.
Alcoa to cut 13,500 jobs
US ALUMINUM giant Alcoa said it would slash 13,500 jobs or 13 per cent or its global workforce and reduce output to cope with the global economic downturn.
US home sales drop to seven-year low
PENDING sales of existing US homes dropped to a seven-year low in November, data showed overnight, as rising job losses and a deepening economic recession kept potential house buyers on the sidelines.
Porsche takes over Volkswagen
GERMAN luxury sportscar maker Porsche has taken over Volkswagen, the biggest European car manufacturer, after purchasing more than 50 per cent of VW shares, Porsche said.
Dollar hits fresh high, above US72c
THE dollar has opened at a three-month high as firmer commodities prices and improved sentiment on Wall Street boosted the high-yielding currency.
Economic downturn set to boost crime
PEOPLE are more likely to steal from shops and beat up their partners in the worsening economy, one of London's top policemen said today.
Woolworths stores close for final time
BRITISH retail institution Woolworths closed the doors on a century of trading as the latest victim of the financial crisis shut down the last of its stores today.
Yesterday
(AEDT)
Market ends day positive, up 1.5pc
The share market closed firmly in the black with gains across all sectors, except for healthcare.
Telstra employee claims discrimination
A CALL centre worker who claimed he was treated unfairly by Telstra because he was Australian and more outspoken than foreign-born colleagues has lost an anti-discrimination case.
Rio resumes operations in WA
RIO Tinto has resumed all of its iron ore operations in Western Australia's Pilbara region after suspending some activities for almost a fortnight.
Oil prices slump in Asian trade
WORLD oil prices fell in Asian trade amid an intensification of Israel's conflict with Hamas, analysts said.
Dollar lower at noon
THE dollar was lower at noon after breaking $US0.7200 in morning trade.
Business confidence slumps - ACCI
BUSINESS confidence is at record lows, with the global financial crisis dealing a blow to sales and profitability, a new survey shows.
Marks & Spencer to cut 1000 jobs
CLOTHING-to-food retailer Marks & Spencer is set to axe more than 1000 jobs, bringing further gloom to the British high street as it struggles under the weight of the downturn.
Shares higher in midday trade
THE sharemarket made broad-based rises in morning trading, with gold stocks among the few to lose ground.
Australian car sales slump
AUSTRALIANS have spurned a tough economic climate to buy more than 1 million new vehicles last year, only the second time the milestone has ever been reached, new figures show.
Washington Post deputy steps down
Philip Bennett, the managing editor of The Washington Post, is stepping down from the second-ranking editorial position at the newspaper.
Government cash urged for pulp mill
THE forest industry wants to use federal government infrastructure funds to help Gunns fast track its controversial $2.2 billion pulp mill in northern Tasmania.
Leighton shares tank on asset write downs
SHARES in Australia's biggest construction company Leighton Holdings plunged almost 10 per cent after it cut its profit forecast amid asset write downs of $200 million.
US car sales hit 17-year low
US car sales crashed again in December as the industry posted its worst year since 1992 and the Detroit Three saw their annual share of their home market slip beneath 50 per cent for the first time.
Shares up 1pc on resource gains
THE resource sector helped the share market open more than 1 per cent higher despite mild falls on Wall Street.
Madoff may face pre-trial jail
US prosecutors asked a judge to imprison financier Bernard Madoff, saying he has violated his bail as he awaits trial on charges that he operated a massive Wall Street fraud.
Services slump for ninth straight month
A GAUGE of Australia's services industry posted a slight increase but activity shrank, albeit at a slower pace, for the ninth consecutive month in December.
US stocks fall as profits cashed in
US stocks fell overnight as investors returning from year-end holidays cashed in profits from last week's powerful rally and braced for upcoming corporate earnings reports.
Chrysler sales plunge 53pc
CHRYSLER'S US sales plummeted by 53 per cent in December, helping to drag 2008 sales down 30 per cent to under 1.5 million vehicles, the struggling carmaker announced overnight.
Regulators examined Madoff - report
BERNARD Madoff's investment company was examined at least eight times in 16 years by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, a report said.
Apple bounces on Jobs' health report
APPLE chief executive Steve Jobs sought to soothe investor concerns about his health overnight, saying his weight loss was caused by a hormone imbalance that is relatively simple to treat.
New York Times opens front page to ads
THE cash-strapped New York Times has for the first time opened its editorial holy of holies, the front page, to advertising.
Wall Street opens lower
US stocks opened lower today after a powerful rally lifted Wall Street last week and investors looked ahead to relief from the economic crisis from president-elect Barack Obama's rescue plans.
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Market Charts
| Switch to Chart: | Points | Change | Percent | |
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| ASX200 | 3779.7 | +37.0 | +0.99% | |
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| All Ords | 3728.2 | +39.0 | +1.06% | |
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| Nikkei | 9080.84 | +37.72 | +0.42% | |
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| Hang Seng | 15509.51 | -53.8 | -0.35% | |
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| Switch to Chart: | Points | Change | Percent | |
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| DJIA | 9015.1 | +62.21 | +0.69% | |
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| S&P 500 | 934.7 | +7.25 | +0.78% | |
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| NASDAQ | 1274.41 | +16.95 | +1.35% | |
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| S&P 100 | 442.72 | +1.89 | +0.43% | |
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| Switch to Chart: | Points | Change | Percent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTSE | 4638.92 | +59.28 | +1.29% | |
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| DAX 30 | 5026.31 | +42.32 | +0.85% | |
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| CAC 40 | 3396.22 | +36.3 | +1.08% | |
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| Euro Top100 | 1918.67 | +33.0 | +1.75% | |
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| Switch to Chart: | Points | Change | Percent | |
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| AUD/USD | 0.7195 | -0.0038 | -0.53% | |
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| Switch to Chart: | Points | Change | Percent | |
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| Oil | 48.58 | -0.23 | -0.47% | |
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ASX200 - Top Gainers & Losers
| Code | Name | Price | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| PNA | Panaust | 0.23 | +31.42% |
| BLY | Boart Longyear | 0.29 | +22.91% |
| KZL | Kagara Ltd | 0.77 | +22.22% |
| EQN | Equinox Minerals | 2.39 | +21.62% |
| TIM | Timbercorp | 0.17 | +21.42% |
| BNB | Babcock & Brown | 0.33 | -15.59% |
| MMG | Macquarie Media Group | 0.93 | -14.75% |
| MCC | Macarthur Coal Ltd | 3.18 | -10.93% |
| RIV | Riversdale Mining | 2.48 | -9.49% |
| NCM | Newcrest Mining | 29.69 | -6.05% |
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