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Western Australia's Liberal Premier Colin Barnett has welcomed the budget's tax reductions for small to medium sized businesses as a highlight that was particularly important for the state.

An increase of the small business tax threshold to $10 million and a reduction of the company tax rate to 27.5 per cent from July 1 is the first step in a plan to hit a rate of 25 per cent in a decade, Treasurer Scott Morrison said in his first budget.

The Australian share market has jumped nearly 2 per cent to a new high for 2016, boosted by investors looking for bargains among the big banks, and a cut to interest rates.

Property developer Peet hopes to raise up to $75 million through a bond issue to diversify its corporate debt structure.

The long-standing head of major private school Aquinas College, Mark Sawle, is taking something of sea change to become principal of a regional independent school.

The Chinese-led consortium seeking to acquire the Kidman cattle empire will try again after Treasurer Scott Morrison blocked its first attempt.

How do you budget for an iron ore boom that no-one believes will survive more than a few months?

Justin Miller's Nuheara has ranked first in this fortnight's Techboard ranking, with Storekat and Curtin University startup ePAT ranked second and third respectively.

Restaurant Amuse in East Perth and Lalla Rookh in the CBD have featured in a listing of Australia's top 100 restaurants.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has cut the cash rate to a record low to help battle faltering inflation.

Wesfarmers' resources division managing director Stewart Butel has decided to step down after 10 years in the role.

ANZ Banking Group has cut its dividend for the first time since the GFC after its first-half profit slumped by nearly a quarter.

Woolworths' hefty investment in lowering grocery prices has failed to show any sign business is turning around, with the retailer's food and liquor sales declining 0.9 per cent in the third quarter after adjusting for Easter.

Perth Airport has partnered with national property manager Vicinity Centres to develop a $145 million 110-store direct factory outlet near the airport.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

Senate spot backing for Grylls critic

Gold has risen to a fresh 15-month peak above $US1,300 an ounce in holiday-thinned trade as an early retreat in the US dollar drove prices higher, though it later eased as the US currency pared losses.

The Australian dollar is higher on the back of greenback weakness ahead of the Reserve Bank of Australia's interest rate decision.

US stocks have risen, rebounding from losses last week, as financials gained with Berkshire Hathaway and weakness in the US dollar eased worries about earnings for multinationals.

SPECIAL REPORT: The people who lead Western Australia's universities agree the sector faces enormous change, with emerging technology and potential new entrants among the biggest challenges.

The major banks have dragged the Australian share market lower after Westpac's half-yearly results missed expectations.

SPECIAL REPORT: The opening last month of a WA-backed college in China, and the visit this week by a high-powered WA delegation to Indonesia, highlight the state's renewed focus on the multi-billion dollar international education market.

Slater & Gordon shares have doubled in value after the struggling law firm's lenders gave it a two-year respite from its debt repayments.

The Federal Court has ordered the former managing director of a Western Australian-controlled egg producer to pay a $120,000 penalty for attempting to induce a cartel arrangement between competing producers.

Bannister Downs Dairy has appointed Perkins Builders as head contractor for its $20 million-plus creamery project at Northcliffe, and is planning to commence construction in coming months.

For Perth to become an innovation hub, in a global context, there will need to be a step-change from a range of stakeholders – the startup community and its funders, schools and universities, and, importantly, the state government – in order to support the structural change needed to achieve significant success.

Mining-focused private equity firm Resource Capital Funds is seeking to privatise engineering and construction contractor Ausenco by way of a scheme of arrangement.

Perth house prices rose 0.5 per cent last month, with an industry analyst suggesting the worst may be over for local dwelling values.

Perth-based Bulletin Resources has sold its remaining 20 per cent stake in the Halls Creek gold project to Pantoro in an all-scrip deal worth $13.7 million.

Calls are mounting for a Reserve Bank of Australia interest rate cut tomorrow despite new figures pointing to a very favourable business environment for Australian firms.

Local explorer Dakota Minerals has tapped investors for a $12.3 million capital raising to fund development of its Lynas Find lithium project in the Pilbara.

The Australian share market has opened lower.