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The great Australian dream of owning a home is becoming more of a fantasy, with fewer than half of adults expected to become a home owner in the next few years.

BHP Billiton has fallen slightly short of its revised iron ore production target for the 2016 financial year as it struggles to make up for the suspension of operations at its Samarco joint venture in Brazil and the impact of bad weather in Western Australia.

The Australian share market is broadly flat with gains in financial and consumer focused companies offset by resource groups.

Oil prices have fallen as much one per cent for a second day in a row as a rallying US dollar and a global fuel glut offset forecasts for lower US crude stockpiles that typically would have been bullish for the market.

Gold has cut some earlier gains, as the US dollar hit a four-month high after data showed a surge in US housing starts in June, although weaker equities provided support.

The Australian dollar is still licking its wounds after the Reserve Bank's minutes hinted an August rate cut could be on the horizon.

Brexit forces IMF to clip growth outlookThe bombshell Brexit vote and other geopolitical risks have forced the International Monetary Fund to scrap plans

Not-for-profit group Leadership Western Australia chose the recent NAIDOC week celebrations to launch a new program tailored to building the leadership skills of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women.

Construction firm CIMIC Group has booked a net profit for the first six months of its fiscal year of $265.2 million - up 3.1 per cent on the result a year earlier.

The Australian share market has run out of steam to close lower after eight straight sessions of gains.

Listed companies IM Medical and Rox Resources have struck a $15 million project deal that highlights the shift in market interest from technology stocks to the mining sector.

Contractor Resource Mining has inked an agreement to co-fund Intermin Resources' Teal gold project to production, with the mine to cost an estimated $4.5 million.

West Perth resources hopeful Altona Mining has received amended environmental authority for its Cloncurry copper project in Queensland, incorporating a new deposit and other changes into the mine plan.

A task-based risk assessment was not performed before a drill fitter was fatally crushed while working on a rig at Rio Tinto's Channar mine in the Pilbara.

An ageing population and government cuts to funding have driven the aged care sector into unfamiliar territory.

As part of its series of interviews with top WA business leaders, Business News joined Broadspectrum chairman and Wesfarmers board member Diane Smith-Gander for lunch at the newly opened Julio's restaurant in West Perth. A champion of gender equity, Ms Smith-Gander shared her thoughts on topics including the WA economy, her use of Twitter, and work-life balance.

Two local gold hopefuls with interests in a Cambodian project have announced a merger, with Emerald Resources to buy Renaissance Minerals in a deal valued at about $40 million.

Housing affordability in Perth improved 3.2 per cent in the June quarter amid slowing population growth and stagnant property values as Western Australia emerges from the post-resources boom slowdown.

One of Western Australia's most abundant mineral resources – iron ore – is a key ingredient in an innovative process to produce cheap, clean hydrogen, which could have implications for the transpor

National builders John Holland and Probuild are embracing new strategies to enhance their standing in the WA construction market.

The Reserve Bank says Brexit fears won't hit the global economy too hard, but more sluggish local consumer prices could set the scene for an August rate cut.

After eight straight sessions of gains, the Australian share market has opened flat, with a mixed performance by the big banks and miners.

Rio Tinto has maintained its 2016 guidance for iron ore shipments at 350 million tonnes after lifting June quarter volumes by 6 per cent from a year ago, helped by expanded infrastructure and unwinding of stocks in Western Australia.

Oil prices have settled more than one per cent lower after rising stockpiles of crude and refined fuel intensified fears another major glut was building up.

Gold has fallen as much as one per cent as Wall Street hovered near record highs and investor jitters calmed following a failed coup attempt in Turkey.

Wall Street has closed slightly higher to mint new record highs for the S&P 500 and the Dow industrials, fuelled by Bank of America's better-than-expected profit and a major tech sector acquisition.

The Australian dollar is treading water as traders await the Reserve Bank's monthly board meeting minutes.

MUA faces $10m claim after bogus safety ployThe Maritime Union of Australia is facing a $10 million damages claim after the Federal Court found the union

A report commissioned by Bankwest has come up with the surprising finding that a quarter of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) pay their chief executives more than $500,000 per year.

Community consternation over WA's planning and approvals system for big projects is looming as a key state election issue.

PHOTO ESSAY: Business News photographer Attila Csaszar captured images of some of WA's business and political leaders at their workstations.

The Royal Flying Doctor Service today received $23.7 million from the state government's Royalties for Regions program to help fund additional and replacement aircraft as well as developments at its Broome facilites.