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There is a war going on at the moment, and it's one you may or may not be aware of. We don't mean the war on Iraq. It isn't the Labor war against John Howard, or John Howard's attacks on Kevin Rudd. Why, we aren't even referring to the new war against smoking…

Argo: Another Market Rider

Adelaide-based listed investment company, Argo Investments, has reported an 18.9% rise in 2007's net earnings to $171.537 million.

New Man At BlueScope, A Bid?

Major steelmaker, BlueScope Steel, has revealed a new CEO to replace the retiring boss, Kirby Adams, who has guided the company since it was set free from BHP back in 2002.

Watch PRY In SYB-HSP Merger

An independent expert says a $2.86 billion offer for Symbion Health by Healthscope is in the best interests of Symbion shareholders.

Copper Leads Major Commodities Lower

No help from commodities today to steady our market like there was a week ago.

US Bond Markets Tell The Real Story

Once again the American Treasury Bond market is telling us the real story about the state of the US economy and the fallout from the sub-prime mess.

Markets Fragile

According to evidence on Friday from US and Europe, the subprime mortgage crisis could impact on investor confidence for some time to come.

The Importance Of Profits

The Australian June half profit reporting season starts in earnest this week with companies such as AXA, Resmed, Stockland, Coca-Cola Amatil, News Corp, Bradken and Telstra due to report.

RIO Misses Mark

Not the most positive start to the 2007 earnings season with mining giant Rio Tinto revealing a disappointing 14.3% drop in first half net profit, thanks to higher cost pressures and lower returns from copper and coal.

Subprime Blues Rule OK

This was the week when the sub-prime mess became a contagion and the 'virus' as the Financial Times described it, went global.

Profits: WAN, AUN, CXP, PBL Split Late

Perth-based newspaper monopoly, West Australian Newspapers Holdings, yesterday reported a near 20% rise in 'normalised net profit' (before noteworthy items) to $128.4 million for the 2007 financial year, ending June 30.

Commodities Down

The strong Australian dollar continues to have an impact on returns from the resources boom.

Markets Sell-Off

For the second time in a week, Australian investors have taken fright and joined others around the world in selling the market in the face of an outbreak of problems in the US credit markets.

Trade Figures Worsen In June

The trade figures for June were a bit grim, but the performance on the trade account over the year to June 30 showed a continuation of the improvement we have seen for the past four years or so.

Alumina’s Mixed Message

A week ago Alumina Ltd was warning about a downgrade in full-year earnings. Yesterday, it appeared to go against that lower guidance when it reported a 9% rise in first half net profit to $284 million.

Milton’s Boom Year

Milton Corp is another of the listed investment companies to report a very strong performance in the year to June 30.

Flight Centre’s Latest Deal Crashes

Shareholders in Flight Centre, Australia's biggest travel agent, must be wondering if the phrase 'private equity buyout' is some sort of curse.

CPB-ROC

The newsagency story said it all about Brisbane-based Campbell Bros, one of the country's fastest-emerging mining services groups.

Credit Rise Sets Up Rate Rise

The odds have firmed for an interest rate rise next week for the first time this year and there's an increasing chance that there could be another rise by the end of the year.

Hunter-Newcastle Delays Cost CNA

The planning delays and government shuffling over expanding the coal handling infrastructure in the Hunter Valley and at the port of Newcastle, has had a big impact on the earnings of Coal & Allied Ltd, in the June half.

LEI Stalks MAH

Back in March, in a little-noticed interview on margin enhancement and growth, the retiring CFO and deputy CEO of Leighton Holdings, Dieter Adamsas, had this to say about expansion and growth, especially of new contracts:

Dollars Down Again

The slide in the Aussie and New Zealand dollars slowed yesterday as the local stockmarket stood against the trend from New York and finished higher, and Asian markets bounced back in the afternoon.

Subprime Problems Continue

The problems rolling across the US housing industry and associated financial markets show no sign of ending their snaring of new victims.

Some Property Does Well For ALZ

Real estate developer, Australand Property Group, has reported a 34 per cent lift in first half profit, following strong performances in its commercial and industrial and investment property arms.

ZFX Down Despite Profit Boost

Even though zinc miner and processor, Zinifex, is looking at another record profit in the year to June, the shares are under a bit of pressure.

Uranium Down

Now here's something that hasn't really filtered through to the market: world uranium prices have fallen for the first time in more than four years.

Aussie Dollar Down

Crunch went the Aussie dollar as it shed over 3USc in trading late last week, especially Friday night when the losses more than doubled.

Bears Rampant?

Like it or not, when the bear growls, the bulls will hibernate.

Rate Pressures Rise

The market is expecting the Reserve Bank board to lift interest rates at its August meeting because there is now a belief that prices will continue rising into 2008.

Markets Shudder

The sell-off continues in world markets. Shares, commodities, corporate bonds (except for Government bonds) are all down, with the huge US Treasury market rallying as investors continued to seek a safe haven.

And Lihir – ERA’s Surprise Profit

Lihir Gold, now basically hedgeless and riding the ups and downs of the world gold price, says it's on its way to setting a yearly production record of more than 800,000 ounces of gold produced after a very solid first half and second quarter.

Aussie Dollar Bites Santos

The rising value of the Australian dollar has bitten into the sales revenues (and presumably earnings) of Santos Ltd, the country's third biggest oil and gas group.

CPI Up, Now For Rates?

Don't be surprised if the Australian dollar hits 90 USc in the next two weeks as market bulls and bears battle it out over whether an interest rate rise will happen at the Reserve Bank board meeting in 12 days time.

Aussie Bites Alumina

The surging Australian dollar (or is it the plunging US dollar) has bitten another mining company.

AFI Rides Market Boom

As expected, Australian Foundation Investment Company produced a strong result in the year to June with after tax net operating profit rising by almost 25 per cent to $224.4 million from 2006's $179.6 million.

US Markets Rocked