IBTimes.com : Companies

Lower Nickel Prices Affect Western Areas; Gillard Vows Support for Aluminium Sector

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:29:40 EST

Nickel miner Western Areas reported on Tuesday a 64 per cent decline in its first half net profit due to lower prices of the commodity. From July to December 2011, the firm logged a $24.1 million net profit, down from $67.2 million compared to the same period a year ago.

Google Wins US, EU Approval for $12.5 B Motorola Mobility Purchase

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:08:47 EST

Google inches closer on its quest to formally acquire Motorola Mobility with two clearances it received Monday from government regulators in the United States and the European Union.

Brisbane Aims to Double City Economy Within 20 Years

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:41:39 EST

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk announced on Tuesday an ambitious 20-year plan that aims to double the city's economy to $217 billion by 2031. The growth, which includes boosting job creation, would ride on the back of the state's resources boom.

Innes Willox Appointed as Australian Industry Group Chief Executive

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:36:36 EST

The Australian Industry Group National Executive meeting in Canberra today has appointed Innes Willox as the organisation's new Chief Executive.

Carmaker that Laid Off Workers Grants 22% Pay Hike

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:03:58 EST

While hundreds of jobs continue to be shed across Australia since the start of February as businesses complain of the strong currency and weak consumer confidence, workers in Holden would enjoy up to a 22 per cent wage increase spread over the next three years.

Top Goldman Sachs Dealmaker to Retire

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 22:00:12 EST

Goldman Sachs Group said on Monday that George Mattson, a co-head of the firm's global industrials group, will retire after an 18-year career at the investment bank.

RBA: Banks Lift Mortgage Rates Due to Higher Funding Costs

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:41:36 EST

Rising funding costs prompted major Australian banks to lift their mortgage rates despite the freeze on cash rate imposed last week by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

Apple TV Disappearing from Shelves; New Models Coming?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:36:49 EST

Apple's set-top box is running out of stock in multiple stores, which could signal that Apple is about to replace it with Apple TV 3.1.

Australian Stock Market Report - Midday 2/14/2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:00:39 EST

It has been a muted start to the local trading day, following ratings downgrades of several European nations by Moody's. The local share market was tipped to receive a boost, after US and European markets rose overnight in response to the solid vote in the Greek parliament to approve austerity measures.

NAB, Commonwealth Also Raise Interest Rates

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:55:47 EST

National Australia Bank (NAB) and Commonwealth Bank on Monday joined ANZ Bank and Westpac in raising their interest rates. That means the big four had decided to be independent of the Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) overnight cash rate decisions.

Moody's Downgrades Italy and Spain, Warns UK and France

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 20:39:25 EST

Rating agency Moody's warned on Monday it may cut the triple-A ratings of France, the United Kingdom and Austria, while it downgraded the ratings of Italy, Portugal, Spain, Slovakia, Slovenia and Malta.

Rio Tinto Invests $1.4 B in Chile Copper Mine

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:25:18 EST

To increase the production capability of the Escondida copper mine in Chile, Rio Tinto has approved US$1.4 billion for two projects supporting this move.

Google Cleared by U.S., EU to Buy Motorola Mobility

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:49:05 EST

U.S. and European regulators approved Google Inc's $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility and said they would keep a sharp eye on the web search giant to ensure patents critical to the telecom industry would be licensed at fair prices.

Biggest Winner of MF Global Accounts Expands More

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:42:04 EST

Independent Chicago broker R.J. O'Brien, which got more former accounts from bankrupt rival MF Global than any other merchant, built on that success in December, while other brokers lost some of that extra business, data showed on Monday.

'Halftime in America' Ad Spoofed, Hammered by 'Saturday Night Live'

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:35:17 EST

As the political discussion continues over Chrysler's popular "Halftime in America" Super Bowl commercial starring Clint Eastwood, Saturday Night Live took the task of spoofing this latest "controversy." Three times.

Australian Stock Market Leads - 02/14/2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:20:00 EST

The Australian stock market is seen heading for a slow but steady start on Tuesday with the positive global markets performance extending limited gains on commodities and other risk-related assets.

Gas Prices Rising, So Cars' Fuel Economy Rising, Too: Study

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:09:33 EST

The average fuel economy of 2012 model year vehicles is 14 percent higher than the same mark of just four years earlier, according to a University of Michigan study, confirming automakers' push to appeal to consumers' desires for more fuel efficient vehicles.

One Area Where Apple Lags: Its Low Returns on Cash

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:49:05 EST

Apple Inc once again rewarded shareholders richly as its shares surged to new highs above $500 on Monday. There is, though, one part of the iPhone and iPad company's business that is not exactly humming: Its management of a pile of money now probably exceeding $100 billion.

Google Gets Approval to Buy Motorola Mobility

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:42:10 EST

U.S. and European regulators approved Google Inc's $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility on Monday and said they would keep a sharp eye on the web search giant to ensure patents critical to the telecom industry would be licensed at fair prices.

Global Markets Overview 02/14/2012

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:41:05 EST

Stocks added to gains and hit session highs in afternoon trading, buoyed by the adoption of austerity measures by Greece's Parliament. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was recently ahead 82 points, or 0.6%, at 12884. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index advanced 10 points, or 0.8%, to 1353, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 29 points, or 1%, to 2933.

AT&T Doubles Fee to Upgrade Cellphone, Cites More Sophisticated Devices

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:00:55 EST

The Dallas-based company will now charge $36 to upgrade a phone compared to $18 previously.

Fitch and S&P Downgrade Spanish Banks

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:35:07 EST

Ratings agencies Fitch lowered its ratings on four big Spanish banks while Standard & Poor's cut its rating for the industry as a whole on Monday following recent sovereign downgrades and on concerns of funding difficulties and a weak economy.

Reddit Bans Sexual Content Depicting Minors; What Took So Long?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 16:10:39 EST

Social news site Reddit, which hosts a vast range of ever-changing content from puppies to memes to atheist rants, decided on Monday that suggestive or sexual content depicting minors would no longer be welcomed on the site.

Apple at $500: Nowhere to Move but Up?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:26:47 EST

Apple made history Monday as shares of the world’s most valuable company exceeded $500 for the first time. They closed at a record $502.60.

Green Plains Renewable Energy: Fiscal Smarts Turns Corn To Growth

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:03:44 EST

Green Plains Renewable Energy, an ethanol producer that has catapulted itself to No. 11 on the IBTimes 1000 list by taking the nap-inducing what is nap inducing mean? route of smart expansion while minding dollars and cents.

Apple Stock Price Hits $500 Per Share for First Time

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:59:43 EST

Apple's stock price hit $500 per share for the first time on Monday, peaking at $503.83 in yet another sign that the company's fortunes continue to rise.

Google, Motorola Mobility Deal Approved by European Commission

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:35:10 EST

The U.S. Department of Justice is expected to approve of the transaction as early as this week.

Budget Deficit Increases Due to Lower GM Share Values

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:14:36 EST

Lower value of the United States government's stock in General Motors Co. and American International Group will dump $21 billion more on the 2013 budget President Barack Obama released on Monday.

Deere & Company Earnings Preview: Q1 Boosted by U.S. Farm Income

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:01:37 EST

Deere & Co., the world's largest maker of farm tractors and combines, is expected to report strong fiscal first quarter results as U.S. farmers flush with cash update aging fleets and Deere's products gain greater acceptance in Brazil.

Soros: Shale Gas and Oil Prompting Economic Recovery

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:07:42 EST

Billionaire investor George Soros attributed the nation's favorable economic outlook to the nation's shale resources in a weekend interview.

Shares of Cable & Wireless Worldwide Skyrocket as Vodafone Mulls Purchase

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:04:38 EST

Shares of C&W closed up 44.51 percent to £28.54 ($45.02) on the London Stock Exchange.

Apple Approves Foxconn Investigation: Why Tim Cook Deserves Credit

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:24:45 EST

Apple issued a press release on Monday announcing that the Fair Labor Association has begun investigating Foxconn's upon Apple's request. It was a necessary move, but it would never have happened without CEO Tim Cook at the helm.

Credit Card Rewards Grow as Debit Rewards Dwindle

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:15:44 EST

Nearly half of cash-back cards, or 48 percent, paid 1 percent cash back from the first dollar of spending, up 44 percent last year, according to a credit card study conducted by Bankrate.com. Fourteen percent of cash-back cards paid more than 1 percent.

Review: Grand Slam Tennis 2 (PS3 and Xbox 360)

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:30:43 EST

Grand Slam Tennis 2 steps onto an already crowded court, with Top Spin 4 and Virtual Tennis 4 seemingly covering all bases for tennis lovers, but can Grand Slam offer something the others can't?.

Defying Weak Economy, GE To Go on U.S. Hiring, Plant-Building Spree

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:07:00 EST

General Electric Co., the blue-chip U.S. conglomerate widely seen as a bellwether of the state of the American economy, is going on a hiring spree. The company is set to employ 12,000 new workers over the next five years, including 5,000 veterans hired through a special priority-placement program, GE said Monday.

Apple iPad 3 Release: Leaked Parts Reveal Thicker Shell, LCD Display by Sharp

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:40:17 EST

As Apple readies its next-generation tablet -- the iPad 3 -- for a March release date, countless questions about the device still remain. Who made the display? Is it thinner or thicker than the iPad 2? What does it look like?.

Empire State Building Owner Files for IPO

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:31:18 EST

The Malkin family, owner of the Empire State Building and other properties in New York and Connecticut, has filed for an initial public offering that will allow the public to own a piece of the storied Art Deco landmark.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 Announced and to be Released in UK First

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:18:57 EST

Samsung has announced the new Galaxy Tab 2 with Ice Cream Sandwich, and it will be arriving in the UK before anywhere else.

Apple, Under Fire, Seeks Fair Labor Probe of Chinese Plants

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:10:10 EST

Apple, under attack for poor labor practices at its Asian contract manufacturers, said it had asked the Fair Labor Association to inspect them.

USA Today Publisher Gannett Offers Buyouts to 665 Employees

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:01:09 EST

The voluntary buyouts are for employees who are at least 56 years old and have worked at the McLean, Va.-based company for at least 20 years as of March 31, according to a company memorandum.

Apple Shares Top $500, Setting New Milestone

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:32:07 EST

Shares of Apple, the world’s most valuable technology company, hit the $500 mark Monday valuing the company at $462 billion. It remains the world's most valuable company.

Retail Sales Rose in January: U.S. Economy Preview

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:17:04 EST

Sales at U.S. retailers probably climbed in January as Americans bought more new cars and shoppers took advantage of post-holiday promotions, a sign that the U.S. economy is recovering, economists said before a report this week.

Mass Effect 3 Demo Spoiler: First and Second Missions Revealed [VIDEOS]

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:09:04 EST

The demo for Bioware's "Mass Effect 3", the conclusion to its best-selling video game series, is due to launch on Feb. 14, for all three major platforms - PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Larger Amazon Kindle Fire Sets Sights on Apple iPad 3

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:04:04 EST

Amazon is believed to be planning a 9-inch version of the popular Kindle Fire tablet, which will be released in the middle of 2012.

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx vs. Droid 4: QWERTY vs. Better Battery – Which Smartphone Wins?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:57:19 EST

Motorola Droid Razr Maxx, which was released only a few weeks back, has gained rave reviews for its battery longevity. Motorola with Razr Maxx has successfully addressed the age-old battery problem that smartphone users often complain about.

Google Secret Project: 'Next-Generation Personal Communication Device' in Testing

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:33:43 EST

Fresh speculation suggests that Google's mysterious new project is a completely next-generation personal communication device.

Motorola Droid 4 Released: All About the Keypad-Enabled Smartphone

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:17:29 EST

Droid 4, which was released Friday (Feb. 10), is Motorola's first 4G LTE smartphone that comes with the QWERTY keyboard.

Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Top 5 Improvements that Might Arrive as DLC

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:12:57 EST

Skyrim was one of the best games of 2011 and since then the developers have introduced a host of patches to address different in-game issues and improve the overall gameplay. Patch 1.2, 1.3 and 1.4 are already there to remove and repair any kind of bugs in the game. However, new DLCs are already on the way and there are speculations about what they will bring.

Apple iPad Stock Seized by Chinese Authorities Amid Trademark Dispute

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 06:05:21 EST

Chinese authorities have started to seize iPad stock from retailers, following a trademark dispute over the Apple tablet's name, which Proview Technology claims to own.

Google to Pay Users to Browse Web But There's a Catch...

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 05:47:27 EST

Google Inc. is offering web users $25 a year to browse the web so Google can monitor their browsing habits in detail.