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NZ current account deficit narrows

Dairy exports and increased visitor spending has seen New Zealand's current account deficit narrow to $NZ663 million over three months.

Icahn seeks $US16B Dell stock

Activist investor Carl Icahn proposes a $US16 billion Dell share buyback in a bid to stop the computer company's founder taking it private.

SEC wants mea culpas in big settlements

The US' Securities and Exchange Commission says companies and individuals will have to admit wrongdoing in some big settlements.

Thailand acknowledges $4.4B rice loss

A much-criticised scheme to support rice prices in Thailand has lost more than $US 4.46 billion.

Alpine Bau says it's insolvent

Austrian construction giant Alpine Bau says it is insolvent but hopes it can find a plan that will allow parts of it to continue functioning.

Chevron secures Iraqi Kurdish oil deal

US oil giant Chevron has secured a deal with Iraq's Kurdish regional government to expand oil exploration in the Qara Dagh block.

DreamWorks says TV revenue to hit $US200M

DreamWorks Animation says its deal to provide original TV shows to Netflix will help it double its TV show revenue by 2015.

Aust shares fall on investor caution

The Australian share market has fallen along with other Asian markets, as investors wait for an update from the US central bank on its stimulus measures.

RBA leaves door open to more rate cuts

The central bank has again left the door open for more interest rate cuts but their timing is still unclear.

Cost focus for new News Corp, report says

A CBA report warns Rupert Murdoch's Australian publishing business faces a tough revenue climate.

Elders shares drop after rural sale fails

The market value of agricultural company Elders continues to shrink after it failed to seal a deal to sell its rural services division.

$A weakens after RBA signals rate cuts

The Australian dollar has fallen again following the release of Reserve Bank minutes.

Lynas drops case against Malaysia greens

Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corporation has ordered its solicitors to drop defamation action against Malaysian activists opposed to its plant.

Big retail critics 'costing jobs':industry

Australia's retailers fire back at their critics and defend their record as job creators.

Lend Lease says it'll meet expectations

Property developer and construction firm Lend Lease says earnings will still meet market expectations despite softer market conditions.

Class action against ANZ NZ fees

ANZ will become the first New Zealand bank to face a class action over claims banks are charging excessive fees to customers.

Chinese firm buys gold miner Stonewall

Chinese energy firm Shandong has raised $US300 million to buy Australian gold miner Stonewall Mining's South African projects.

AOFM sells $200m of indexed bonds

The AOFM has sold $200 million of September 2025 Treasury indexed bonds.

UGL notches up $120 in new contracts

UGL has won approximately $120 in new contracts across its property services business DTZ.

NZ dollar dips in volatile trading

Improving data out of the US ahead of a meeting of the Federal Reserve sends the NZ dollar lower in erratic trading.

Taranaki gas field deal reworked

A deal for some of Origin Energy's oil and gas assets in Taranaki has been reworked, slicing millions off the purchase price and removing a licence area.

Precious metals fall

Precious metals fall, with platinum dropping to a seven-week low and palladium reaching a five-week low, while gold loses 0.3 per cent.

HK's Li buys Dutch waste company

Asia's richest man Li Ka-shing has bought a foreign waste company for the second time this year.

Investors punish Lend Lease on restructure

Investors have punished construction and development giant Lend Lease as it prepares to book a $20m charge and cut jobs as part of a major restructure

$A higher ahead of big central bank week

The Australian dollar is slightly higher ahead of key US and Australian central bank announcements.

Aust shares higher ahead of US Fed meeting

Australian shares rebounded from early losses to close higher, with bank stocks driving the gains.

NZ services sector improves in May

NZ's services sector improved in May, as evidence mounts that the economy is improving following positive manufacturing and confidence surveys.

Scams cost Aussies over $93m in 2012

Aussies lost more than $93 million in scams in 2012, with the ACCC warning that actual losses were probably much higher.

Kathmandu boss back at work

Adventure wear retailer Kathmandu's CEO Peter Halkett has returned to work after several months off due to illness.

Skilled acquires NT-based marine group

Skilled Group is acquiring the Northern Territory-based marine contractor Broadsword Marine Contractors.

Jobs safe as MediaWorks hits trouble

Jobs are safe, TV and radio programming will remain unchanged and suppliers will be paid, according to MediaWorks' receivers KordaMentha.

Little movement for NZ dollar

The New Zealand dollar moves little as traders seek direction from local data and more evidence that the US will end its stimulus programme.

Metals close mainly higher

Base metals have closed mainly higher with copper up 0.6 per cent, but aluminum falls 0.3 per cent.

Labour productivity growth slows to 2%

Labour productivity growth has slowed to two per cent in the year to March as economic growth eases and the mining sector pulls back, a report shows.

British PM pledges to end tax secrecy

British Prime Minister David Cameron says he wants to sweep away tax secrecy by clamping down on British accountants and lawyers who use shell companies.

Elders closes in on sale

Agribusiness Elders is working through the final bids for the sale of its two main businesses.

ASX shares fall nearly 6%

Shares in stock market operator ASX have fallen by nearly six per cent its first trading session since this week's $553 million capital raising

Transurban dumps US motorway

Toll road owner Transurban is offloading the poorly performing Pocahontas 895 in the United States to its lenders.

AOFM sells $700m of April 2015 bonds

The AOFM has sold $700 million of April 2015 Treasury bonds.

Health insurer nib lowers forecasts

Private health insurer nib says its full year underwriting profit will come in at the lower end of its previously issued guidance range.

Symantec confirms jobs will go

Computer security software firm Symantec confirms it will cut jobs following a report it's about to slash 1,700 positions.

Suncorp rids itself of $1.6bn in bad loans

Suncorp has sold $1.6 billion in non-performing loans dating back to the GFC but Goldman Sachs will only pay 60 cents in the dollar.

Fairfax NZ editorial chief going to radio

Paul Thompson will leave his position as Fairfax NZ's editorial head later in the year to become the chief executive of Radio New Zealand.

Rio Tinto slashes Tiwai Pt smelter value

A write down in the value of the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter has blown a more than half billion dollar hole the owner's accounts.

Smartphone love has TV feeling threatened

Tech-loving Aussies have evolved into digital omnivores, dipping into a multitude of devices for their entertainment even as they continue to watch TV.

Unemployment rate records surprise fall

The unemployment rate fell in May to 5.5 per cent and the number of people with jobs rose by 1,100.

Leighton subsidiary wins uni contract

Leighton Holdings subsidiary John Holland has won a contract to build the University of Sydney's business school.

Woolworths property group in trading halt

Shares in a property trust created by Woolworths last year are in a trading halt so the company can announce a capital raising.

$A surges after jobs data

The Australian dollar rose half of a US cent after the release of solid jobs figures for May.

Hallenstein forecasts fall in profit

Clothing chain Hallenstein Glasson Holdings is warning its annual profit may fall by up to 12 per cent after a late start to winter and discounting.

Safeway to sell its Canada operations

Safeway has agreed to sell its Canada operations to Sobeys for $US5.68 billion in cash, saying the move will help it grow its ongoing business.

Copper rises but other metals fall

Copper rises 0.8 per cent amid supply concerns with Freeport's Indonesian mine operations suspended, but nickel, tin and aluminum fall.

Precious metals close higher

Precious metals close higher, with gold up 1.1 per cent, as the US dollar retreats.

Rio Tinto agrees to sale of Eagle project

Mining giant Rio Tinto has agreed to sell its Michigan-based Eagle project to Lundin Mining Corporation for around $US35 million.

Unemployment rate tipped to rise slightly

The unemployment rate is expected to rise when figures for May are released on Thursday.

Newcrest denies breaching market rules

Gold miner Newcrest has come out swinging, saying it did not breach any listing rules last week when it announced a major restructure involving job cuts.

PNG minister wants LNG project soon

A third Papua New Guinea LNG project will develop 7,900 square kilometres of Western Province's gas field, Horizon Oil says.

BC Iron on track for 2014 production

Pilbara miner BC Iron is on track to reach its 2014 full year production targets.

Petronas project to export LNG from Canada

Petronas says it will extract, liquefy and export natural gas in western Canada to Asia.

Consumer confidence improves in June

The Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer sentiment in June rose 4.7 per cent to 102.2 points.