Insights

The Australian sharemarket gained ground this week, after a late fightback on Friday afternoon, as data showed economic activity had increased by slightly more than expected this year.

The Australian dollar continues to play a bigger role in the $US5.3 trillion-a-day global currency market, its share of turnover rising to 8.6 per cent in the past three years.

With polls pointing to a Coalition victory, Weekend Business looks at what to expect from the new government.

Gold Coast developer Sunland has lost its bid to claim $14 million in damages from Australian businessmen Matt Joyce and Angus Reed in a stinging legal decision.

Former Suncorp chief executive John Mulcahy has emerged as a key player in the property sector as the new chairman of Mirvac.

It's business as usual for Peter Drake. The Gold Coast entrepreneur, whose LM funds management empire bit the dust in May, is back in the insurance game. The moral of the story is that you can lend yourself $46 million from your funds business, appoint some insolvency practitioners, then set up shop again down the road. Breezy as you like.

With its purchase of Nokia's phone business, Microsoft is taking inspiration from Apple's way of making products, bringing hardware and software under a single roof where they can be more elegantly woven together.

After years of taking customers for granted, the companies find their past sins are catching up with them and are trying to take a leaf out of the banking sector's book, write Peter Cai and Clancy Yeates.

The distress caused to the community of East Gippsland, unfortunately, is not unfamiliar, writes Georgia Wilkins.

RAN harbour party

She'll be apples ... But not exactly "no worries" as we all head off to the polling booths knowing that we will almost certainly have a Coalition government by evening. I hope that our new PM will graciously accept his great office with a commitment to govern for all Australians.

In corporate leadership terms, the move from Opposition Leader to prime minister that Tony Abbott is poised to make is more like an internal promotion than an external appointment.

With the election campaign supposedly fought mainly on economic management, it's surprising this week's figures for growth in the June quarter got so little attention.

The Princess V48 has the pedigree and power to suit an upmarket lifestyle, writes David Lockwood.

Food consultant Sarah Hancox gives Gayle Bryant some tips on surviving in the tough food industry.

Leaders of the world's richest countries meeting at the Group of 20 summit in St Petersburg are set to sign a sweeping new set of tax rules for multinational companies.