Insights

Australia's first foray into the early days of World Wide Web began at the University of Melbourne. The virtual community was small and idealistic, and the process was clumsy - but it worked.

Here are six companies that are winning the battle for consumers' attention in the mobile marketplace.

Telco signs agreement to connect 200,000 premises with govt's FTTN technology.

Saddling telcos with the costs of cracking down on online piracy will not only fail to work but will see internet bills rise for Australians who are already being badly ripped off for consuming digital content.

Property group will sell four aged care facilities to Opal for $26.5m under new partnership.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced for the first time this week, as investors shrugged off the sharpest US economic contraction since 2009.

Clive Palmer spoke profoundly about the urgency of climate change action in a speech that highlighted his interest in world affairs, and his little known adulation for John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

In attempting to broaden the scope of what it calls 'anti-competitive' activity, Rod Sims could end up killing the very competition that is good for the market, the economy, and ultimately consumers.

Wall Street closed higher despite GDP for the March quarter coming in much worse than expected, while the Australian dollar regained some ground to sit back above US94c.

University fee deregulation is likely to skew students away from healthcare and education as they seek out degrees that offer the highest return on investment. The flow-on effects to the housing sector should not be overlooked.

A second AGL victory over the ACCC in ten years is a bad look for the competition regulator, while a new offer for Roc Oil could see it drop merger plans with Horizon Oil.

For the first time, Angela Merkel doesn't have the ability to control developments in Europe. This is bad news for her, but it's even worse news for Europe.

Yesterday a climate sceptic with a $6m overdue carbon tax bill, wanting to build one of the world's biggest coal mines, joined up with Al Gore to save the renewable energy sector and, just maybe, even carbon trading from Abbott's axe. One is left grasping for answers and wondering about that dinner with Malcolm.

AGL was in an emboldened position to approach the ACT, but its success will still encourage others to follow suit. It's no wonder the ACCC is now trying to cut off that tactic as a first option.

The credit card payments solutions company has strong earnings potential, despite its recent share price slump.

This week we look at Asciano, Metcash, JB Hi-Fi, Mineral Resources and Ramsay Health Care.