Insights

One of the big two credit ratings agencies believes federal government backing for Qantas would be a positive for the airline's credit position but points out that the extent of the benefits will depend on how far the helping hand extends.

It is the professed belief of almost every economist, business person and politician that Australians require governments to achieve maximum improvement in their material standard of living. I'm not sure that's true - but we're about to find out.

Major carmakers and parts suppliers have shown up in Tehran to assess the Iranian market's "considerable potential", just one week after Iran's historic nuclear agreement with world powers.

China's securities regulator has issued a reform plan for initial public offerings, as the government prepares to lift a more than one-year freeze on new listings in the world's second-biggest economy.

It has not taken long for the wheels to start falling off the Abbott campaign promise wagon. One of the major promises made was the ironclad guarantee that no adverse changes would be made to superannuation in the first term of the new government.

The country's largest private-hospital operator, Ramsay Health Care, will push ahead with its European expansion, paying $223 million for Medipsy, a French mental health clinic network.

One of Australia's biggest private health insurers, HCF, has rued the former government's decision to slash rebates for private insurance but tipped increased revenue and membership numbers this financial year.

Clare Valley winemaker Taylors Wines has ridden the wave of a weakening Australian dollar and improving conditions in Europe to increase its full-year sales by 11 per cent, and is hoping a shortage of quality grapes in France will nudge buyers towards its doors.

ANZ and National Australia Bank continue to edge out their two big rivals in gaining share in the nation's home lending market, while Westpac lags behind the broader market.

Melbourne's property market held its ground over the weekend as a record 1494 properties went under the hammer.

Former Mr Australia is still passionate about growth, writes Caroline James.

Being a sole trader has plenty of perks. For starters, there is no boss to answer to and no unpredictable employees to manage.

Forge Group may launch a lawsuit of its own even as the nation's two largest law firms confirmed that it was talking to aggrieved shareholders about a potential class action.

The government's declaration that it is "open for business" has come under scrutiny after the Treasurer's rejection of Archer Daniels Midland's bid for GrainCorp.

Australian ambassador to the US Kim Beazley scrambled in the 48 hours before the Abbott government's announcement that it had blocked Archer Daniels Midland's $3.4 billion takeover of GrainCorp.

The redevelopment of central Dandenong has won a national architectural award for reclaiming the town's traditional high street from fast-moving traffic and turning it into a destination for pedestrians, cyclists and shoppers.