Insights

ANZ's Asian push has been given more drive, with the bank appointing Future Fund boss David Gonski as its chairman while moving to assure shareholders that the regional strategy was key to driving investor returns.

Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill joint venture faces a pivotal 48 hours, with export credit agencies in the US and Korea on the verge of approving billions of dollars of loans to the massive iron ore project.

Gina Rinehart might have been missing in action at the Ten Network annual meeting on Wednesday, but she is believed to be at the pointy end of reaching a settlement with her two estranged children - or face the prospect of being cross-examined in the courts next year.

Ten Network's programming ambitions will be funded by a $200 million loan guaranteed by three of its billionaire owners, as the free-to-air broadcaster declared digital was the future and pointed to early signs that its switch to an older market demographic was working.

Troubled rural services group Elders is threatening to call in the police over an alleged $24 million fraud by a "handful of individuals" in its live cattle exports division.

Bega Cheese began the battle for Warrnambool Cheese & Butter, but three months on it appears be the first casualty of the bidding war.

Australian engineering group AJ Lucas may be a big beneficiary of UK government plans to accelerate development of shale oil and gas. A government report has found that more than half the country could be suitable for shale gas fracking. AJ Lucas, via its 43.7 per cent owned Cuadrilla joint venture, has extensive exploration acreage in the UK.

One of the last externally managed real estate investment trusts, CFS Retail, has signed a $460 million deal with the Commonwealth Bank to internalise the vehicle. CFS Retail will pay the bank for its management rights and it will be run by the board of Commonwealth Managed Investments Ltd with two directors from the largest shareholder, Gandel Group.

The Reserve Bank is keeping the door open to further interest rates cuts, but believes the "significant amount" of monetary policy easing over the past two years is already stimulating growth.

Investors stayed on the sidelines on Wednesday on the eve of a decision from the US Federal Reserve on whether to begin tapering its monetary stimulus program.

Wotif chief executive Scott Blume has refused to veer from his strategy to expand exposure to other travel segments and increase spending on marketing and IT to fend off competitors, despite investors wiping $282 million from its market value following a profit warning.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce has made clear to unions that the airline must lower its costs substantially to make it competitive against Virgin Australia but has remained steadfast in his strategy in the domestic market.

Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill joint venture faces a pivotal 48 hours, with export credit agencies in the United States and Korea on the verge of approving billions of dollars in loans to the massive iron ore project.

ANZ chief Mike Smith is not shy when it comes to voicing his defensive frustration about non-believers of the bank's Asian strategy, or even those that raise legitimate questions around returns or some parts of the execution.

Troubled rural services group Elders is threatening to call in the police over an alleged $24 million fraud by a "handful of individuals" in its live cattle exports division.

Ten Network's programming ambitions will be funded by a $200 million loan guaranteed by three of its billionaire owners, as the free-to-air broadcaster declared digital was the future and pointed to early signs that its switch to an older market demographic was working.