DIARY: Australian Jobs, Chinese Data, Saudi Arabia
The week ahead: Australian jobs, Chinese economic data for last month, a Kiwi rate decision and US retail sales, not to mention oil and the worsening unrest in Libya.
Read MoreThe week ahead: Australian jobs, Chinese economic data for last month, a Kiwi rate decision and US retail sales, not to mention oil and the worsening unrest in Libya.
Read MoreChina has a new five year economic plan that will emphasise boosting incomes, social and welfare spending, pollution and carbon control and newer industries in technology and biology.
Read MoreSo was America’s February jobs report one of the strongest US payroll reports in months?
Read MoreIt’s a rare situation where a major supplier is a better financial performer than the retailer it supplies.
Read MoreSo will tonight be the night that marks the rebirth of the depressed American jobs market?
Read MoreThe AMP’s chief economist and Strategist, Dr Shane Oliver says there was a lot of uncertainty going into the recent earnings reporting season.
Read MoreThe New Zealand Reserve Bank meets on Thursday to discuss monetary policy and the emerging question, should there be a rate cut to soften the growing financial impact of the Christchurch earthquakes?
Read MoreThe first conclusive evidence of the damage done to exports and building approvals by the Queensland floods in late December and early January has emerged in the latest figures.
Read MoreMetcash shares eased yesterday to an eight month low yesterday after the company cut its 2011 full year profit forecast in half.
Read MoreThe Lowy Family’s hold on Westfield Group was eased a touch yesterday with David Lowy stepping down (along with long time director, David Gonski), and 80 year old co-founder frank Lowy stepping back to be a non-executive chairman.
Read MoreThe changes continue at the embattled Ten Network as the shares in regional Pay TV group, Austar jumped sharply on takeover speculation yesterday.
Read MoreNow for the Victorian Supreme Court decision next week after AXA Asia Pacific Holdings (AXA APH) minority shareholders have voted in favour of the AMP $14.3 billion merger proposal.
Read MoreNo real surprise in yesterday’s national accounts with growth on track, no sign of any weakness feared by some analysts back in January, wages and labour costs under control, inflation weak and consumption moderate.
Read MoreMore signs that China’s manufacturing sector is taking a bit of a breather, but not slowing too sharply.
Read MoreAnd Japan’s monthly report card for January was ruled off yesterday with unemployment remaining steady, deflation slightly easing, but consumer spending fall for a fourth straight month.
Read MoreNo rate rise from the Reserve Bank yesterday and no sign of when they might move.
Read MoreYesterday we told you that iron ore prices would rise by an unexpectedly large 20% in the June quarter, with a further boost to come from India’s surprise move to boost taxes on iron ore exports.
Read MoreWell, guess what, retailing isn’t dead, despite what many half yearly reports from some of the industry’s leaders might have implied.
Read MoreA litany of bad and doubtful news from Downer EDI yesterday.
Read MoreGuess which company is now a stockmarket darling, despite a second half profit warning yesterday?
Read MoreJust when many analysts thought iron ore prices couldn’t go much higher there’s news of another round of big price rises in the offing.
Read MoreNo change in the economy’s current sluggish pace, judging by yesterday’s data.
Read MoreAs it forecast earlier this month, QBE Insurance, Australia’s biggest insurance group, saw a 16% fall in 2010 full year net profit because of lower investment yields and higher claims.
Read MoreIt’s not going to get any easier for markets in the coming week.
Read MoreThe Australian December half earnings reporting season finished today with several large groups reporting interim of full year results See the Diary).
Read MoreOil prices ended higher but off their peaks on Friday after Saudi Arabia let it be known that it had raised production by around 8% to (to above 9 million barrels per day) make up for a near halt in Libyan exports.
Read MoreThe economy dominates Australia this week, with the Reserve Bank board meeting tomorrow, the fourth quarter economic growth figures out on Wednesday, after the current account figures and other data today and tomorrow.
Read MoreThe interim results from Woolworths and Harvey Norman summed up the marketplace for the country’s retailers.
Read MoreThree results yesterday from Pacific Brands, Origin Energy and Fairfax Media all disappointed for one reason or another, and investors gave the trio a caning,
Read MoreThe gradual disintegration of Libya, coming after the collapse of the regimes in Egypt and Tunisia, plus demonstrations in Algeria, Bahrain, Yemen and talk of unrest on Saudi Arabia has combined to send oil prices higher.
Read MoreThis week’s Christchurch earthquake will make the list of very significant (or even the highest level, super catastrophic) insurance events for 2011.
Read MoreIf you had to pick one result from the 2,000 or so interims and finals we are seeing at the moment that best illustrates the vagaries of modern business life, but also how companies of all sizes have to guard against sudden, unexpected events, then Insurance Australia Group is the one.
Read MoreYes, the December quarter capex figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday were important for the 4th quarter growth figures to be released next Wednesday and for confirming that the resource boom is still alive and slowly taking shape.
Read MoreYesterday’s profit reports from the resources and linked sectors brought the good, the bad and the indifferent.
Read MoreAGL Energy confirmed a lower first half profit yesterday, thanks to the wet weather at the end of 2010.
Read MoreThe total impact of the two earthquakes at Christchurch will top 10% of New Zealand’s annual economic output, but it shouldn’t cripple the economy or cause a debt blow out.
Read MoreCoca-Cola Amatil Ltd shares rose yesterday after the company delivered on its lowered guidance for the year to December, and indicated that it had made a solid start to 2011.
Read MoreDavid Jones, Australia’s second-largest department store chain, may have joined the victims of consumer caution brigade among our retailers in the first half of 2011, but it certainly did better than arch rival, Myer.
Read MoreBHP Billiton has joined the great American unconventional gas rush, after basically missing the boat in Australia in so far as coal seam methane and other new gas sources are concerned.
Read MoreProperty group, Mirvac lost $12.7 million in the six months to December 31 after making a $215 million provision for loss on inventories.
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