Business

BMW posts poor 2009 results

GERMAN luxury car maker BMW on reported a 36.4 per cent drop in 2009 net profit but also issued an upbeat 2010 forecast.

Obama spruiks Australia-US ties

US President Barack Obama is keen to push stronger business and economic ties between America and Australia during his visit Down Under.

Credit, debit card transaction fall 22%

THE total value of credit and charge card transactions, including advances, fell by 22 per cent in January, Reserve Bank of Australia figures released show.

iiNet confirms Netspace takeover talks

INTERNET service provider iiNet Ltd says it is discussing a takeover of rival Netspace but a decision to proceed with the transaction is yet to be made.

Media 'need multiple platforms'

MULTIPLE platforms and revenue streams are going to be key for media industry players hoping to survive and thrive in the fast-changing digital landscape.

Myer first-half profit falls 74%

MYER has downgraded its full year sales growth target to between one and two per cent, and expects a seven per cent rise in revenue in the following year.

Mexican is new world's richest man

THE world's new richest man, Mexican Carlos Slim, and a fresh crop of billionaires in Asia surged forward in wealth in 2010, Forbes magazine said on Wednesday.

Punters backing no rate change in April

PUNTERS expect that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) will leave the official cash rate unchanged when its board meets in April, bookmaker Centrebet says.

Fraser's sale of the century

THE FRASER Coast's sale of the century is on, with news that Kingfisher Bay Resort and Eurong Beach Resort are up for sale.

Google opens online store for business

GOOGLE will sell the online services of other business software makers in an effort to fill its own product gaps and push more companies to rely on web apps.

Housing supply challenges recovery

A GREATER share of the economy needs to be devoted to housing to deal with a population boom, otherwise property prices and rents will rise, the RBA says.

Africa a new frontier for oil

EAST Africa has become a promising new frontier for oil exploration and major multinationals are jostling for the rights to search for black gold.

Australia's youth bore brunt of crisis

AUSTRALIA'S youth bore the brunt of the financial crisis, while older workers experienced relative increases in salaries and job stability, a new survey shows.

Lawsuits could cost Toyota over $US3b

TOYOTA owners claiming that massive safety recalls are causing the value of their vehicles to plummet have filed at least 89 lawsuits against the auto giant.

SMEs most optimistic on profits

OPTIMISM among small and medium size firms about future profits is at its highest level since before the global financial crisis, a survey finds.

How to lead in the recovery

THE business landscape has changed. As the recovery kicks in, many companies are ramping up sales and marketing and putting on staff.

Triple whammy hits new home buyers

MANY new home buyers have given up the dream of home ownership, hit by rising interest rates, tougher loan conditions and cuts to a generous government grant.

Business confidence high: NAB

COMPANIES were caught unprepared for a surge in business confidence and conditions in February, which hit a three-month high.

Job ads surge 20 per cent in February

THE number of job ads placed in newspapers and on the internet surged by almost 20 per cent in February, reversing a fall of eight per cent in January.

DJs announces new director

DEPARTMENT store David Jones Ltd has appointed Philippa Stone as a non-executive director, effective on Tuesday.