Think about leasing, SMEs told
LEASING, not buying, is being put forward as an option for small businesses as tough times settle in.

It's looking a bit down
BANKS and other lenders to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will be the first to feel the negative effects of a sudden steep fall in business confidence.

No quick fixes for the downturn
THE rises in interest rates have done their job and the economy has now pulled out of its gallop, which means many businesses are preparing for even worse times ahead.

Think big, says Kochie
SMALL business owners need to focus more on the big issues affecting the economy, says TV personality and financial commentator David Koch.

Japan keeps interest rates unchanged
JAPAN'S central bank downgraded its assessment of Asia's largest economy today, warning growth will remain "sluggish" as it left its super-low interest rates unchanged amid growing fears of a recession.

Virgin Blue shares plunge 20pc
VIRGIN Blue shares have plunged over 20 per cent after the carrier posted a 55 per cent drop in annual profit due to higher fuel prices and warned of a challenging year ahead.

Wages rise 5pc in a year - survey
DEMANDS for bigger paypackets remain restrained despite inflationary pressures and the higher cost of living, a survey shows.

Small businesses 'need interest rate cut'
SMALL business is being hit hard by a slowdown in the domestic economy and needs an interest rate cut now, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) says.

Virgin Blue shares plunge 20pc
VIRGIN Blue shares have plunged over 20 per cent after the carrier posted a 55 per cent drop in annual profit due to higher fuel prices and warned of a challenging year ahead.

Dollar down despite RBA comments
THE dollar was lower at noon, despite benefiting from reduced expectations that the Reserve Bank will cut interest rates by 50 basis points next month.

Banks drag share market lower
THE share market was more than 1.5 per cent lower at noon with both the financial and resources sectors in the red.

JB Hi-Fi beats profit expectations
ELECTRONICS retailer JB Hi-Fi has delivered an upbeat outlook on its sales growth for the current year after its 2007/08 net profit exceeded its own guidance.

Non-bank lenders attack banks on rate rise
NON-bank lender Resi Mortgage Corporation says the banks have misrepresented the true impact of the global credit crisis after a third big lender increased rates on home loans.

Building approvals surge, mostly in NSW
THE number of residential building approvals surged in November, but the jump was largely the result of growth in multi-unit dwelling approvals in New South Wales.

Housing affordability falls almost 10pc
HOUSING affordability declined by almost 10 per cent over the past year, a report shows, and there appears to be little relief in sight for renters and those looking to enter the property market.

New home sales tumble 2.6pc
THE sale of new homes and units among Australia's largest builders and developers fell 2.6 per cent in November, according to new figures out today.

Hutch narrows losses
HUTCHISON has recorded a net loss of $85.4 million for the first half to June - a vast improvement over the same period last year.

Red Hat hikes Australian investment
OPEN source-based software provider Red Hat has increased its headcount and more than doubled its footprint in Queensland.

Unwired trouble, heavyweights wade in
VODAFONE and Optus yesterday unveiled new mobile broadband offerings that could sound the death knell of wireless net provider Unwired.

Oracle to star in NAB's online plans
NATIONAL Australia Bank has given a crucial component of its legacy systems overhaul to Indian banking software developer i-flex.

Botnets hit Georgian government websites
ATTACKS by Russian hackers against Georgian websites, including one hosted in the US, have continued despite Russian President Dmitri Medvedev ordering a halt to hostilities against Georgia.

Google blogger case goes to court
A SMALL Indian construction equipment company is demanding that Google disclose the name of a person who used its blogging service.

Seek boosts profit by 37pc
ONLINE employment agency Seek lifted its full year profit by 37 per cent, and says its confident of improving profitability further.

Internet trade catches Greeks
A STEROID that suddenly became available for sale on the internet this year has claimed another alleged Greek cheat.

Ombudsman could intervene in Telstra pay dispute
THE Workplace Ombudsman could intervene in a pay dispute between Telstra and trade unions, the federal government has warned.

Public service replaces PC fleet
THE Rudd Government's climate change focus will lead to hundreds of thousands of desktops being replaced - a boon for local businesses.

Grocerychoice website under fire
THE Rudd government's $13 million grocery price watch website is under legal threat a day after it began operation.

Sector applauds O'Kane report
PEAK bodies were quick to endorse Mary O'Kane's review of co-operative research centres, released yesterday.

T-Mobile takes on Apple, BlackBerry
THE T-Mobile unit of Deutsche Telekom will start selling a mobile phone using Google's Android software in the fourth quarter.

Dell reboot colours the picture
THE revamp initiated by Michael Dell since his return as chief executive last year is beginning to pay off with new products.

Oracle to star in NAB's online plans
NATIONAL Australia Bank has given a crucial component of its legacy systems overhaul to Indian banking software developer i-flex.

Unwired trouble, heavyweights wade in
VODAFONE and Optus yesterday unveiled new mobile broadband offerings that could sound the death knell of wireless net provider Unwired.

Hutch narrows losses
HUTCHISON has recorded a net loss of $85.4 million for the first half to June - a vast improvement over the same period last year.

Red Hat hikes Australian investment
OPEN source-based software provider Red Hat has increased its headcount and more than doubled its footprint in Queensland.

Unwired trouble, heavyweights wade in
VODAFONE and Optus yesterday unveiled new mobile broadband offerings that could sound the death knell of wireless net provider Unwired.

Oracle to star in NAB's online plans
NATIONAL Australia Bank has given a crucial component of its legacy systems overhaul to Indian banking software developer i-flex.

Gates foresees another revolution
MICROSOFT chairman Bill Gates said last week the dramatic growth of the internet would help to eventually eliminate "the last constraints we have", leading to a software-writing revolution.

Infineon chip causing problems on iPhone
AN Infineon chip could be at the root of complaints that Apple's new iPhone drops calls and has unpredictable internet links.

Mobile TV wins at the gadget Games
UNPRECEDENTED demand for Telstra's BigPond Beijing Olympic mobile television packages has created some network congestion.

Basic box shunned as HD wins at Games
GERRY Harvey has declared selling standard definition digital TVs a waste of time after huge HD sales leading up to the Olympics.

Switch maker beats expectations
BROCADE Communications Systems has reported a profit that beat analysts' estimates after an acquisition boosted its services unit.

Cadence scraps bid for Mentor Graphics
CADENCE Design Systems, the world's largest maker of programs for creating computer chips, has withdrawn a .6 billion ($1.84 billion) bid for Mentor Graphics, saying the board refused to negotiate.

Tandberg in talks with equity suitor
TANDBERG, a Norwegian maker of videoconferencing equipment, says it has been approached by a private equity company about a possible bid and agreed to enter "preliminary discussions" with the unidentified suitor.

EU puts roaming charges in the dock
EUROPEAN regulators have increased pressure on mobile phone operators to change their billing practices.