National Australia Bank says it will stop lending for new thermal coal mining projects, becoming the first major Australian bank to phase out support for the sector.
The share market has lost ground as gains for materials and energy companies were offset by falls in the utilities and property trust sectors, and the Australian dollar has been boosted by strong jobs growth.
Western Australia's unemployment rate rose to 6.6 per cent in November despite 8,500 jobs being created, while the national unemployment rate has remained unchanged even though the economy added far more jobs than expected in November.
Listed real estate firm Agency Group Australia, formerly Ausnet Financial Services, has acquired three arms of struggling tech company Servtech Global Holdings for less than $1 million, while also announcing a $3 million capital raising.
Perth-based CITIC Pacific Mining has hit its 2017 production target of 15 million tonnes of magnetite concentrate at its Sino Iron project in the Pilbara, while also releasing a study that shows spending of $51 billion in Western Australia over the next 40 years.
The state's political and business leaders need to make sensible decisions to ensure WA embraces the opportunities available to it as the economy recovers.
Western Australia's adverse population trends have continued in the 12 months to June, with overall growth of just 0.8 per cent while less people are coming from interstate and overseas.
Former Metropolitan Cemeteries Board director Dominique Mecoy will take the helm at Leadership WA in the new year, replacing Robin McClellan who served in the role for two years.
Engineering and construction contractor Monadelphous has secured a series of contracts worth about $110 million, including a three-year deal for work at the Muja power station in Collie.
The consumer watchdog plans to oppose the proposed takeover of Woolworths service stations by BP Australia, saying the deal would substantially lessen competition.
Mining jobs galore as economy picks upMore than 1600 jobs are up for grabs in the WA resources sector in the latest sign of economic improvement. The West
Listed company Mineral Commodities has signed a memorandum of understanding to assess the use of Doral's fused alumina plant in Kwinana for downstream processing of natural flake graphite from its proposed mine in WA's great southern region.
The share market has edged higher as the property sector was boosted by the $33 billion takeover of Westfield, and the consumer staples sector also rose.
Woodside Petroleum expects to cut costs and its environmental footprint after contracting ABB Group to replace one of the gas turbine generators at its Goodwyn A platform in the North-West Shelf with a battery storage micro-grid.
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe thinks bitcoin is mostly attractive to criminals and speculators but has acknowledged there could one day be an electronic Aussie dollar based on similar technology.
Pilbara Minerals has announced multiple changes to its Pilgangoora lithium project, with the company planning to: spend an extra $50 million on development; export unprocessed ore to boost early cash flow; and outsource ore crushing to Mineral Resources.
Mincor Resources will ramp-up its exploration activities at its Kambalda nickel project near Kalgoorlie after the company announced a $9 million capital raising.
The Takeovers Panel has rejected an application by Tap Oil claiming its two biggest shareholders had become associated, with the panel refusing to make a declaration of unacceptable circumstances.
Iluka Resources has approved its $275 million Cataby mineral sands project, which is set to provide 250 construction jobs, after securing offtake agreements for 85 per cent of production from the deposit.
The latest insolvency statistics indicate that the mining industry shake-out is slowing, with a significant decline in insolvencies in recent months for the industry compared with 2016.
Belmont-based building company Pindan has been selected to complete the first stage of a $23.8 million government project upgrading infrastructure for a remote Aboriginal community.
Energy company Santos and French multinational Total have agreed to fund a 3D seismic survey, thought to be worth around $45 million, over Melbana Energy's Beehive prospect off the north coast of Western Australia.
A joint venture between Njamal Services and Pilbara Resource Group has secured a 12-month labour contract with BGC Contracting at the Mt Webber iron ore mine in the Pilbara.
