■ Independents warn ‘all bets are off’ ■ Caucus shows support for PM ■ Bligh tipped to benefit from a Rudd win
Gillard puts leadership on line
Updated | Prime Minister Julia Gillard has put her leadership on the line by calling a ballot for 10am Monday morning to decide who will lead the Labor Party following Kevin Rudd’s dramatic resignation as foreign minister ■ Gillard to renominate and expects to win ■ Promises to go to back bench and renounce leadership ambitions if she loses ■ Calls on Rudd to do the same.
- Rudd makes pitch for power
- Labor tears itself apart
- Policy uncertainty a worry
- Opinion | Revenge-fuelled and clinging to Kevin ’07
- Tingle | The People’s Prince rides once again
- Opinion | You want Rudd back? Why?
- Editorial | Time to end the uncertainty
- Treasurer attacks ‘selfish’ Rudd
- Kitney | Electoral reality hits Gillard hard
■ Video | Watch Kevin Rudd resign ■ How the world’s media reported the story ■ Rudd resignation | What they said
RBA sees no US-style housing meltdown
Australian homeowners should get used to periods of falling house prices but the country’s not headed for a US-style property market meltdown, a senior RBA official says.
Brazil eyes move on Australian iron ore
Exclusive | Brazilian miner Vale is examining investment in iron ore assets in Western Australia to help overcome the disadvantage of the distance between Brazil and China relative to Australia and China.
Shares steady despite weak leads
Updated | The ASX is steady on Thursday morning despite negative overseas leads, as worries about the economic outlook for the euro zone and disappointing US data weighed on sentiment.
Iluka posts $541.8m profit
China's hunger for mineral sands has helped propel Iluka's 2011 full year net profit 15 times higher from the previous year.
Origin 61pc profit surge beats forecast
Origin Energy beat forecasts with a 61 per cent surge in first-half profit to $489 million boosted by its $3.25 billion acquisition of NSW power assets last year and lower spending.
Fairfax plan to reignite fortunes
Fairfax Media unveiled a three-year plan to improve the company’s fortunes after reporting a 41 per cent plunge in interim net profit to $96.7 million after restructuring and impairment charges.
Greece rushes to adopt emergency laws
Greece is scrambling to adopt emergency laws that will apply harsher cuts to wages and government spending but is facing further doubts over its financial future after Fitch cut it rating deeper into junk status.
Virgin net profit doubles, restructure announced
Updated | Virgin Australia announced first-half net profit that more than doubled on a push into the domestic corporate market as the company proposed a split of its international and domestic airline units.
David Jones sales slip, guidance reaffirmed
David Jones has reaffirmed its guidance for a 15 to 20 per cent decline in first-half net profit despite releasing better than expected sales for the second quarter.
NSW rejects tax reform call
The NSW government has rejected recommendations for tax reforms and asset sales in an audit it commissioned from former Treasury head Michael Lambert.
Rudd makes pitch for power
Kevin Rudd has stopped just short of declaring himself a contender for the prime ministership, saying in Washington that he doesn’t think Julia Gillard can lead Labor to victory over Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in the next election.
Tech wars spill onto TV
From the Gmail Man, who peeks into people’s private mail, to the VMware salesman stuck in the ‘70s, Microsoft has gone on the front foot with a series of attack ads this year.
Snowball’s on weather watch
If Australia’s general insurance cycle is at its nadir, then Suncorp is headed for fattening profit margins and a capital management program in excess of $500 million.
Virgin upgraded to first class
Virgin Australia Airlines’ delivers first-half results above what most analysts were expecting for the full year.
Cost-cutting an uncomfortable truth
Companies are trying harder than ever to cut spending on business travel and ensure they get more bang for their buck when executives are out on the road.
The People’s Prince rides once again
The Gillard camp has nothing on Kevin Rudd or his media chutzpah when it comes to changing the story line.
Electoral reality hits Gillard hard
Kevin Rudd has proved one thing that his opponents doubted about him: He does have the guts.
End the reform inertia
The hardest thing to achieve in politics is system-wide change. Too often legislative measures presented as significant reforms achieve little.
Why the internet of things is the next big thing
Marketing & Media - The ‘Internet of Things’ is probably the most apt description for the seismic shift blurring the lines between worlds.
Coleman keeps his cards close
Stevens - We all knew that Woodside’s days of megaphone diplomacy would end with the departure last year of the Omaha foghorn Don Voelte.
Coleman vague on exploration plans
In his heads-down, low-key way, Peter Coleman seems to be paving the way for some potentially significant changes at Woodside.
No free kicks in a tough market
A couple of things are clear from Ten Network Holdings earnings downgrade and Seven West Media’s interim profit.
Australia set to become regional dunce
Asia-Pacific observed - Education success in Asia presents Australia with new challenges about how to relate to a region that is being rapidly transformed.
Tiger economy puts the bite back into life
It seems that consumers are far more inclined to focus on negative news than on the positive variety.
Fizz goes out of Coca-Cola’s result
Terry Davis was over-egging the omelet when he said the bottler’s 2011 result was one of the best.
ATO counts the beans, literally
A short black and a long look at your books. That is the order set to stir cafes nationwide as the tax man does the rounds.
New tool exposes hidden prostate cancer risks
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A new tool has been created to help Australian men decide what to do when they are diagnosed with early prostate cancer.
Police hold Strauss-Kahn over orgy claims
Dominique Strauss-Kahn was held for a second day of questioning in an investigation into a prostitution ring accused of operating.
Tassie via Strasbourg? Count me in
After five years of frantic freelancing around the globe, all Marko Letonja wanted was a place to settle down and a coveted chief conductor’s role.
Dotcom ‘relieved’ to get bail in NZ
Multi-millionaire alleged internet pirate Kim Dotcom said he is looking forward to reuniting with his family after spending a month in a New Zealand prison.
Resources Daily
Brazil eyes move on Australian iron ore
Exclusive | Brazilian miner Vale is examining investment in iron ore assets in Western Australia to help overcome the disadvantage of the distance between Brazil and China relative to Australia and China.
- Origin 61pc profit surge beats forecast
- Ausdrill profits from positive resources outlook
- BHP puts TEMCO on care and maintenance
- Lynas fights delay to Malaysia rare earths licence
- Feeling at home in a sweet spot
- Our future’s on the line: mining towns
- Toll to diversify to boost earnings
- New Hope hopefuls get final orders
Boom’s glory days drawing to a close
Australia’s resources boom is beginning to fade and most analysts expect the iron ore price to halve over the next three years.
DealBook
Sage challenges Archer’s MYOB claims
The Sage Group says it did not renege on an agreement to buy MYOB, as the Federal Court case brought by Archer Capital prepares to go to court next month.
- Inside the minds of company directors
- Asian central banks tackle key issues
- Leighton looks to dispose of waste unit
- Shell agrees to buy Cove Energy for $1.5bn
- NSW looks to asset sales, IR overhaul
- BHP raises $4.9bn in US bond market
- CBA calls for help on funding
- Healthy growth for AMP fund
- Fitzgerald to depart Goldman Sachs
Level the debt equity burden, CFOs say
The peak CFO group says debt should be as easy to issue as equity to wholesale and retail investors and the ease of issuing debt here should be equivalent to markets offshore.
Business
Fairfax plan to reignite fortunes
Fairfax Media unveiled a three-year plan to improve the company’s fortunes after reporting a 41 per cent plunge in interim net profit to $96.7 million after restructuring and impairment charges.
- IAG profit $271m as margins slide
- Origin 61pc profit surge beats forecast
- Virgin net profit doubles, restructure announced
- David Jones sales slip, guidance reaffirmed
- Brazil eyes move on Australian iron ore
- Restructuring charges push APN into red
- Perpetual first-half net plunges 34pc
- Toll to diversify to boost earnings
- Charter Hall posts 58pc half-year net profit drop
Consumers keen to buy premium
Some of Australia’s biggest blue-chip brands are seeing signs of life in consumer confidence and are tentatively formulating more aggressive plans to gain market share.
National
Sony’s Vita faces smartphone battle
Technology giant Sony will today launch its handheld video game device, the PlayStation Vita. But analysts warn the device will struggle against popular smartphones games such as Angry Birds.
Rudd makes pitch for power
Kevin Rudd has stopped just short of declaring himself a contender for the prime ministership, saying in Washington that he doesn’t think Julia Gillard can lead Labor to victory over Opposition Leader Tony Abbott in the next election.
- Gillard puts leadership on line
- Labor tears itself apart
- Fitting stage for Rudd manoeuvres
- Policy uncertainty a worry
- Opinion | Revenge-fuelled and clinging to Kevin ’07
- Tingle | The People’s Prince rides once again
- Opinion | You want Rudd back? Why?
- Editorial | Time to end the uncertainty
- Treasurer attacks ‘selfish’ Rudd
- Kevin 747 comes back to earth with a thud
- Kitney | Electoral reality hits Gillard hard
Tassie via Strasbourg? Count me in
After five years of frantic freelancing around the globe, all Marko Letonja wanted was a place to settle down and a coveted chief conductor’s role.
World
Fed officials wary of excessive optimism
US central bank officials have good reason to be sceptical about the strength of the economy: excessive optimism has caught them flat-footed before.
US home resales at 18-month high in January
US home resales rose to a 1-1/2-year high in January, pushing the supply of properties on the market to the lowest level in almost seven years in a hopeful sign for the housing sector.
US companies target Dublin
When Bill Clinton told American executives that they’d be nuts not to invest in Ireland, many were already ahead of the former president as they buy up and lease Dublin office space.
Markets
Equities, $A stumble on economic outlook
Before the Bell | With Europe heading closer to recession and doubts about the financial future of debt-stricken Greece, there’s little buying enthusiasm ■ US stocks in the red ■ SPI down 12pnts ■ $A slips
- Brazil eyes move on Australian iron ore
- Wyatt | Steady price erosion expected
- BHP raises $4.9bn in US bond market
- China to outshine India in gold market
- Coleman keeps his cards close
- China sends positive signal on free trade
- China’s manufacturing sector shrinks again
- Australia set to become regional dunce
- US wages fall behind
Medicine is making Greece sicker
The efforts of Europe and the IMF to plaster over Greece’s budget problems look likely to soon lose their last vestiges of credibility.
Property
Global giant Hines buys in Brisbane
One of the world’s leading property groups, Hines, has entered Australia, buying the global headquarters of Ausenco in Brisbane for $88 million.
- Sales slowdown cuts FKP profit by 21pc
- Charter Hall posts 58pc half-year net profit drop
- Investa Office Fund eyes CBD buying spree
- Profit in serviced apartments
- There’s the exit
- Tax takes wind out of older-home sales
- Noosa’s Seahaven tests market again
- Investa on course to beat deadline on its $2.3bn refinancing
- Offshore funds in for a fight over office assets
Bespoke malls now the norm
Retail sales have been flat-lining for months but some shopping centre owners are still pouring money into renovating their malls.
Personal finance
ATO counts the beans, literally
A short black and a long look at your books. That is the order set to stir cafes nationwide as the tax man does the rounds.
- NAB lifts its business rate
- Mining boom stokes wage increases
- RBA governor backs banks on rate rises
- Platforms try new degree of difficulty
- January respite for super funds
- Accountants won’t be restricted, says Shorten
- RBA fed up with banks’ glitches
- Non-banks raise rates
- Government rejects Greens super demands
Snowball’s on weather watch
If Australia’s general insurance cycle is at its nadir, then Suncorp is headed for fattening profit margins and a capital management program in excess of $500 million.
Technology
Sage challenges Archer’s MYOB claims
The Sage Group says it did not renege on an agreement to buy MYOB, as the Federal Court case brought by Archer Capital prepares to go to court next month.
- Tech wars spill onto TV
- MacTel boosts interim dividend
- IT innovation underutilised
- IBM steps up cyber security efforts
- Microsoft files Google, Motorola complaint
- Travelling for business? Make sure it’s in the bag
- EU seeks legal advice on piracy agreement
- What you see is now what you get
- China court hears iPad trademark case
Sony’s Vita faces smartphone battle
Technology giant Sony will today launch its handheld video game device, the PlayStation Vita. But analysts warn the device will struggle against popular smartphones games such as Angry Birds.
Marketing & Media
Fairfax plan to reignite fortunes
Fairfax Media unveiled a three-year plan to improve the company’s fortunes after reporting a 41 per cent plunge in interim net profit to $96.7 million after restructuring and impairment charges.
- Restructuring charges push APN into red
- Why the internet of things is the next big thing
- Shares tumble as Ten flags earnings fall
- Leckie hopeful on ad outlook
- Hacking suspect pleads guilty to conspiracy
- Remember Lachlan? Rupert does
- News Corp must act, top US investor warns
- Expansive role for McLennan
- Nine talks debt restructure with lender
No free kicks in a tough market
A couple of things are clear from Ten Network Holdings earnings downgrade and Seven West Media’s interim profit.
Lifestyle
Money no object
This week’s must haves:Baume et Mercier, Gucci, John Varvatos, Bulgari and Calvin Klein.
A wolf in sheep’s clothing
Performance and value make the latest Audi a strong contender in a tough market segment.
New York | The table test
It’s hard to bag a prime-time spot at one of these restaurants – but it can be done.
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Executive property
The pick of this week’s high-end homes for sale: one of Sydney’s best beachfront houses listed at $7.5 million.
