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Agribusiness Elders has narrowed its half year loss to $10.2 million and expects continued improvement over the full year.

The state and federal budgets have created new opportunities for the private sector, as governments seek to repair their strained finances.

The Australian share market has closed lower as mining stocks were weakened by a fall in iron ore prices, and the market generally worried about falling prices on the Chinese property market.

ATCO Australia managing director Steven Landry will return to Canada at the end of the month after a three-year stint in charge of the Perth-based division of the energy infrastructure business.

Competition is deemed healthy for most of us, so why not in the labour movement?

EXCLUSIVE: Western Australia could lose a major economic development opportunity in the South West if the $3.7 billion Perdaman Chemicals and Fertilisers urea project is forced to look east for vital coal feedstock, its boss Vikas Rambal has warned.

SPECIAL REPORT: Law firms are having to adapt as more businesses build in-house legal teams and squeeze billing rates.

Perth's newest skyscraper, Brookfield Place, has been named Australian development of the year by the Property Council of Australia.

IT services provider Empired has signed a deal to purchase Sydney-based customer relationship management firm eSavvy for $2.2 million.

Artists hit the streets last month to transform walls and buildings around Perth as part of FORM's inaugural street art festival, PUBLIC.

Mining giant Rio Tinto expects to sign an agreement to push ahead with the troubled $US20 billion ($A21.64 billion) Simandou iron ore project in Guinea.

Australian stocks are weaker, with heavy falls by iron ore miners dragging down the overall market.

Oil prices moved modestly higher as the market found support from US gasoline demand hopes ahead of the looming summer-holiday driving season and the ongoing Ukraine crisis.

US stocks have finished higher after a choppy day of trade as investors weighed some solid retail earnings reports with mixed economic data.

The Australian dollar is higher but remains below 94 US cents after a quiet overseas trade.

The construction of Gina Rinehart's $10 billion Roy Hill iron ore project is almost 40 per cent completed, with first exports due to occur next year.

Karoon Gas has farmed out a 50 per cent stake in an oil and gas exploration permit in the Carnarvon Basin to Apache Corporation for an initial cost of $US9 million.

Liberal governments in WA and Canberra are finding few friends in light of recent budget measures.

Banks and resources stocks have pulled the Australian sharemarket lower following sell-offs overseas.

The Environmental Protection Authority has commenced a new assessment of the proposed LNG gas hub near Broome, as speculation over development of the offshore Browse Basin gas fields increases.

Alliance Aviation Services has won a contract to supply charter flights for BHP Billiton Iron Ore's fly-in fly-out workers, bumping rival operator Cobham Aviation.

In this week's edition of Business News Background, head of content Mark Pownall and news editor Mark Beyer discuss the federal budget's impact on business, floating LNG, Euroz, Northern Star Resources, law firms and Hard Rock Cafe.

Perth financial planners and former Test cricketers John "Sam" Gannon and Craig Serjeant are set to be two of the big winners from a $670 million takeover deal that will create Australia's third largest wealth manager.

The board of food producer Goodman Fielder has unanimously recommended shareholders accept a sweetened $1.37 billion dollar takeover offer from two Asian firms.

The Clough AMEC joint venture has been awarded a $20 million engineering, procurement and construction contract at Arrow Energy's Daandine coal seam gas expansion project in Queensland's Surat basin.

Global oil and gas services company ASCO Group has added another string to its bow with the $28 million purchase of a majority stake in logistics provider Bonnie Rock Transport.

The Australian share market is weaker as disappointing European growth numbers overnight sent investors looking for safety.

West Perth-based explorer Avanco Resources has raised $23 million through a share placement as it works towards development of its Antas and Pedra Branca copper projects in Brazil.

Leighton Holdings subsidiary John Holland has been awarded a $100 million contract to deliver mine infrastructure for Rio Tinto in the Pilbara.

The Australian dollar is lower, weighed down by disappointing euro zone economic growth figures.

Gold futures fell as investors reduced holdings of the precious metal amid signs that the US labor market continues to recover.

US stocks have slumped after weak earnings from WalMart hit retail equities amid concerns that investors are shifting from stocks to bonds.