Gold has dipped slightly, easing off a one-week high as the US dollar rebounded following strong US retail sales data, while palladium rose to its highest since February 2001.
Oil prices have risen almost one per cent after a pipeline outage in Britain continued to support prices despite data expecting a global crude surplus in the beginning of next year.
Planning Minister Rita Saffioti has taken the unusual step of publicly criticising the Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority, saying she was disappointed in aspects of its handling of the $450 million twin-tower proposal and was looking to improve its transparency and accountability.
Mineral Resources has disclosed that its planned lithium processing projects in the Pilbara will cost in excess of $600 million to build, with managing director Chris Ellison also revealing ambitions for more downstream processing projects.
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.
Tech innovators, investors and entrepreneurs descended on Perth during the past fortnight for a series of startup events that sparked wide-ranging discussions about how to strengthen the local ecosystem and compete on the world stage.
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.
Western Australia's domestic gas market is likely to have sufficient supply for the next decade if Chevron's Gorgon domgas stage two proceeds on time and other replacement fields come online as anticipated, according to the latest Australian Energy Market Operator report.
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
Gold prices have hovered near their lowest in nearly five months as investors awaited an expected US interest rate increase and clues from the US Federal Reserve on its plans for further rises next year.
The Australian dollar is almost half a US cent higher against the greenback which has weakened after the Federal Reserve raised its interest rate, as expected, but left its outlook unchanged.
Oil prices have slipped for a second straight day, as a slump in US crude stockpiles was offset by a larger-than-forecast rise in petrol inventories and as US crude output continued to grow to record highs.
Property developer Nicheliving Holdings has substantially revised its plans for a stock market float after striking a deal to give 20 per cent of the company to a Singaporean investor who recently launched a $21.4 million legal claim.
Australia's former Trade Commissioner to Mexico, Central America and the Carribean Chris Rodwell will take the reins of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA in February, as Deidre Willmott leaves the helm.
The Metropolitan Redevelopment Authority has disclosed that the majority of public submissions on the $450 million Iconic Scarborough development supported the project, but said all government agencies and utilities it consulted, with the sole exception of Tourism WA, opposed it.
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.
