Aust stocks sink 2% for second straight session
Local market tumbles to fresh one-month low, below key 5000 threshold as investors continue to flee financials.
Crown confirms Echo exit
Company offloads stake in rival ahead of second Sydney casino decision.
•Echo shares hit all-time low on Crown exit
•BARTHOLOMEUSZ on Crown
Gillard rejects calls for car tarrif hike
PM resists demands from unions, Labor MPs to hike tarrif to 10% while currency remains high.
•Ford to assist axed workers: Graziano
•Exports the solution for car industry: Abbott
•Falling dollar aids auto industry: Emerson
•Bradbury defends assistance to auto industry
Retail urges govt to restore consumer confidence
Australian Retailers Association calls for tax cuts, GST review to assist industry.
CFMEU found guilty over Emporium blockade
Supreme Court finds union was in contempt of court in 5 of 30 instances.
Australian dollar retreats at noon
Local currency pulls back as markets continue to digest Bernanke comments.
Liberals arrogant on election chances: Gillard
PM says Coalition confidence about winning in Sept 'out of control'.
•Abbott will 'rescue' economy: Costello
AACo sells Brighton Downs
Local pastoralists buy station after it is passed in at auction.
•AACo profit slumps in quarter
The Australian appoints new chief
Business Spectator general manager, publisher Nicholas Gray takes helm.
•ORIGINAL TEXT: Nicholas Gray appointed chief of The Australian
World economy set for weak recovery: UN
United Nations revises down world GDP forecast, warns Japan on spending.
Volatility likely to persist for miners
Ernst & Young report warns miners to prepare for continued price, currency volatility.
Doubts rise over BHP projects: report
Mackenzie's comments interpreted to suggest Jansen project could be shelved.
Wall St slips amid global rout
US stocks close lower, but avoid worst of sell-off on Asian, EU bourses.
•US jobless applications drop
•US home sales, prices rise in April
Brockman capacity to pay crux of FMG case
Junior's bid to force access to Fortescue's railway to hinge on funding ability.
Manufacturers need help: SABMiller
Brewer says Aust needs to create more 'equitable' tax regime.
Independent schools hit out at Gillard over Gonski
ISCA joins Catholic schools in querying the PM's funding of the Gonski reforms.
•Qld insists Gonski talks ongoing
•Tasmania funds Gonski scheme
Gold hits one-week high
Precious metal lifts on slump in global equities markets and the US dollar.
Lowe's falls $15m on Masters venture
Woolworths' home improvement partner books loss, raising fears for JV profitability.
Adviser jailed in Kismet Trading case
Ex-Bell Potter adviser gets jail time for siphoning off client money.
Hazel Hawke passes away
Tributes pour in for former wife of Bob Hawke; PM, Abbott pay tribute.
KGB TV: Shadow Treasurer Joe Hockey
Companies
Politics
Liberals arrogant on election chances: Gillard
Falling dollar aids auto industry: Emerson
Exports the solution for car industry: Abbott
Ford to assist axed workers: Graziano
Bradbury defends assistance to auto industry
ACTU wants car crisis talks
Independent schools hit out at Gonski
Tasmania to sign up to Gonski
The Spectators
Packer's new tack towards Sydney's crown
James Packer's dumping of his Echo stake raises questions about his strategy, but the shareholding was only one possible means to his ultimate casino goal.
Cash splashes and crashes the tech sector way
In the ultra-fluid technology sector, many an acquisition shock has paid off – and vice versa. Yahoo's big cheque for Tumblr isn’t the only deal that may be judged differently in hindsight.
TECHNOLOGY SPECTATOR: A web in need of road rules
National Cyber Security Awareness Week has suggested the internet needs universal usage guidelines to ensure safety and security.
Why the car industry is still worth fighting for
Ford’s decision to continue domestic design and R&D capabilities points to major areas of Australian manufacturing strength which can be built upon.
Bernanke's test finds the market wanting
The fact that Ben Bernanke's mention of a possible early end to QE temporarily whacked markets overnight suggests we won't see an end to the policy anytime soon.
Stop the rot on Treasury forecasts
Wayne Swan could have better explained the role of Treasury forecasts, but Joe Hockey's undermining of confidence in the department is just as bad.
An auto benchmark for manufacturing malaise
Ford's planned departure, which should surprise no one, foreshadows a looming reality check for Australian manufacturing that goes beyond exchange rate competitiveness.
Wincing as Ben hovers over the bandaid
When Ben Bernanke finally makes a substantial call on the future of QE, the question is just how widespread the ruptures will be from shifting markets.
Bulls leave venture capital on the sidelines
A global decline in venture capital has taken seasoned observers aback and raised questions about who will fund big speculative innovation bets in the future.