A federal parliamentary committee suggests grants, tax breaks, and ABC-SBS partnerships will help regional newspapers remain sustainable amid rising costs and a loss of journalists. 

LOW consumer confidence has forced Flight Centre to downgrade its pre-tax earnings guidance by up to 4 per cent.

The auction for the Port of Melbourne has come down to a three-way race with bidders lodging indicative bids.

FAIRFAX Media is plotting to clinch a triumvirate of deals before Christmas to lay the ground for a full-blown merger.

ONE of the Murray inquiry’s signature recommendations to improve competition has been disputed by analysts and investors.

LEIGHTON Holdings has wiped more than $1.5 billion worth of debt from its balance sheet in the space of a week.

AUSTRALIAN businesses need to recognise the growing economic importance of women, says US sociologist Marianne Cooper.

MEDIA mogul Bruce Gordon wants the power to veto the chief executive of Ten in a move that will up the ante in the battle for control.

Investors were bracing for the outcome of emergency talks on Greece, but Australian shares had another good week.

The average price for a capital city homes has jumped above $600,000, after prices surged nearly 10pc annually.

BHP Billiton is facing calls to drop its $14.5bn South32 spin-off because of the effect of slumping iron ore and coal prices.

AMCOM has accepted an offer to be bought out by Vocus, in a deal that values the west coast telco at $635 million.

NATIONAL Australia Bank is selling another £1.2 billion ($2.28 billion) in higher risk commercial real estate loans from its UK division.

RECALL Holdings says it will be a “missed opportunity” for Iron Mountain if the US company fails to sweeten its offer.

THE sliding dollar should help the nation’s retailers lock in the highest price rises in almost five years.

GROWTH in home lending slowed in October, with the value of investor loans up 1pc, after seasonal adjustment, compared with 3.7pc in September.

IN Orange NSW David Murray’s financial system inquiry hasn’t been top of mind for many of its 40,000 odd residents.

BORAL and CSR have been given a surprise green light by the competition watchdog to merge their clay brick businesses.

A BATTLE between two copper-focused juniors, KBL Mining and Kidman Resources, will heat up today.

PRIVATE companies want exemption from the corporate tax list.

Murray Goulburn continues to resist pressure to reverse its decision on after-tax profit distribution.

NEW York law firms are having a field day from Australian fast-food chain Pie Face’s ill-fated push into the city.

Stocks on Wall Street fall after US President Donald Trump says he may shut down the US Government if he does not get funding to build a wall on the US-Mexico border.

BHP swings back from last year's massive loss to a $US5.9 billion ($7.4 billion) profit, but its earnings look to have seriously missed analyst expectations.

THE Alex Waislitz-backed listed payday lender Money3 is raising $20m to purchase the assets of PAID, an online provider of credit products.