Oil prices were mostly steady on Friday, ending last week slightly lower as trade tensions stoked by a US move to hike tariffs on Chinese goods overshadowed tightened global supplies and expectations of rising US refining demand.
Gold prices rose on Friday and were set to post a weekly rise as the United States raised tariffs on Chinese goods, exacerbating fears of a global economic slowdown, while palladium surged more than 5 per cent on technical buying and short covering.
Independent corporate advisory firm Azure Capital has announced two major changes, with French banking group Natixis buying a majority stake while sister company Azure Consulting will be bought out by its four partners.
Car sales in Western Australia might have been down again in April but there's a sense of optimism about the Australian luxury vehicle market at Lamborghini, as the brand positions itself for two major automotive trends.
Property industry veteran Danny Psaros has called time on a 40 year career, with his retirement also bringing an end to his namesake development and construction firm.
PODCAST: Mark Pownall and Mark Beyer discuss the state budget, lithium expansion, medical research, Chevron's new headquarters, Sterling First and Rosendorff collapses, a rare IPO, Azure Capital, and our special report on universities.
The state government has fallen $1.7 billion behind its infrastructure spending commitments over the past two years, according to Western Australia's civil construction industry's peak body.
Investors are likely to sharpen their focus on Western Australian retail assets throughout the next 12 months, with retail turnover growing faster in WA than in any other state.
Parkd's construction of a 190-bay relocatable car park for Mazda Bayswater has been parked for the foreseeable future, after the dealership said it would reassess the timing of the expansion.
Brent oil futures settled slightly higher overnight, rebounding from a drop after US President Donald Trump revived investor hopes that the United States might not raise tariffs on Chinese imports, a step that could hit economic growth and crimp oil demand.
Gold prices rose overnight, supported by a weaker US dollar and as investors sought safe-haven assets after US President Donald Trump warned a trade deal with China was in danger, sending global stocks lower.
ConocoPhillips has awarded the first engineering contract for its Barossa offshore project to Technip Oceania for the supply of the subsea production system and associated installation support.
WA BUDGET: There are at least two parties interested in buying the TAB, with the state government committing to put part of the money raised towards replacing King Edward Memorial Hospital.
WA BUDGET: Medical research has received a substantial boost in the state budget, with the government allocating a further $52 million to its Future Health Research and Innovation Fund over three years.
WA BUDGET: Property industry lobby groups have urged the state government to use its more favourable budgetary position to provide more stimulus to the housing sector.
WA BUDGET: WA Treasury has revised its forecasting methodology for iron ore prices to assume that prices fall away quickly from the current inflated levels, which have provided a large boost to government coffers.
WA BUDGET: Federal infrastructure grants and reform of the GST have helped the state government project a $1.5 billion operating surplus in the upcoming financial year, although funding for the Ellenbrook rail line is largely absent.
Qantas has posted a 2.3 per cent rise in third-quarter revenue and forecast record annual revenue, as more business travellers chose to fly with the airline.
The state government announced it would spend $11.6 million on the installation of solar farms and energy storage in remote Aboriginal communities as part of this years' State Budget.
Rio Tinto has awarded $110 million in new contracts for its Pilbara operations, with the beneficiaries including indigenous contractor Yurra and global mining services firm FLSmidth.
Bulk grains handler GrainCorp says it will not pay shareholders an interim dividend after it swung to a $59 million half-year loss following severe drought conditions and trade disruptions.
Oil futures gained one per cent overnight, boosted by a surprise drawdown in US crude stockpiles but an escalating US-Chinese trade fight limited oil's gains as investors worried about the global outlook for energy demand.
