Bitcoin loses dazzle as second-tier crypto coins catch up

• 10 mins ago

Bitcoin alternatives are closing the gap with the market leader after names like stellar and cardano became red hot as 2017 was closing.

Vale is negotiating BHP exit from Samarco venture, source says

• 36 mins ago

Vale is in talks with BHP Billiton over the future of their joint venture, Samarco Mineração, and one alternative is for the Brazilian miner to buy out its partner, a source with knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

Spotify files to go public as it faces $2b copyright action

• 43 mins ago

Music streaming company Spotify has confidentially filed to go public - moving forward with an unusual plan to list its shares directly on the New York Stock Exchange - even as it faces a new $US1.6 billion ($2 billion) lawsuit alleging copyright infringement.

Markets Live: ASX rallies as oil firms

• Live
• 48 mins ago

The Australian sharemarket is higher at the open, for its strongest session this year.

SUVs lead charge as new vehicle sales have record month and year

• 1 hr ago

Demand for sports utilities showed no sign of cooling, while strong sales of commercial vehicles pointed to solid business spending.

Housing market decline tipped for 2018

National property markets ended 2017 with a whimper, with half of Australia's capital cities recording falling house prices in December. Vision courtesy Seven News, Melbourne.

Fed sees rate increases in 2018 but lacks consensus on frequency

The Federal Reserve has entered 2018 without a clear plan for raising its bench mark interest rate and with the added uncertainty of an imminent change in its leadership.

8@eight: Wall Street, energy set to boost ASX

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With Wall Street reaching new highs and strong moves expected in energy after a rise in US crude, the local market is expected to get off to a positive start.

Leadership, tax cuts top business leaders' wish lists for 2018

Australia must remain a competitive investment destination, business leaders say, and for that we need tax cuts.

2018: the year getting a mortgage will become harder

• COMMENT

How far will house prices fall in 2018?

Miners in the fast lane on electric vehicle surge

In car factories and showrooms, and on highways and streets around the world, a quiet revolution is gathering speed.

Pressure on NSW as Victoria in line for large-scale battery

The Victorian government has signed a "support agreement" for a 20-megawatt battery for the Bulgana Green Power Hub.

Lower $A a cue to buy miners: UBS

Australia's current economic challenges may not immediately scream "invest in small caps" but there are many interesting opportunities on offer, UBS says.

Markets Live: Resources stocks light up slow session

• Live

The Australian sharemarket closed slightly higher on Wednesday at 6070.39 points. US equities posted fresh record highs.

Resources rise in soft ASX trading

On the second session of 2018, the sharemarket rose by 9 points to close at 6070.39 points led by mining stocks.

ASX winners and losers - a snapshot

The stand out listings traded on the ASX captured at key moments through the day, as indicated by the time stamp in the video.

A bumper year for super but Aussies can do better

• COMMENT

Do you feel richer than you did a year ago? You should.

Iceland has mandated equal pay and Australia has to take note

• COMMENT

Hats off to Iceland. On New Years Day the island nation became the first in the world to slap companies with fines if they pay a woman less than a man, because it is illegal.

Beijing's battle against smog

Environmental consultants say the Chinese government deserves much of the credit for introducing tough anti-pollution measures.

'They are sending a signal': China halts production of 500 car models

China is suspending the production of more than 500 car models that do not meet its fuel economy standards, several automakers confirmed Tuesday

Yowie shares dive 36 per cent as guidance slashed, CEO exits

Yowie shares have slumped to a near-five-year low after the confectionary maker slashed its full-year sales guidance and replaced its chief executive.

Real-time payments on its way

The New Payments Platform, set to go live this year, will change the way businesses and individuals make electronic payments.

'Critical battles': the biggest threats facing China's economy

China's economy begins 2018 facing what its own leaders call three years of "critical battles."

37,000 per cent price surge has made Chris one of the world's richest people

XRP, a cryptocurrency for international money transfers by the fintech company Ripple, has been on a tear over the past month, skyrocketing to the No. 2 cryptocurrency by market cap.

Google's 'Dutch Sandwich' shielded $24.5bn from tax

Alphabet's Google moved 15.9 billion euros ($24.5 billion) to a Bermuda shell company in 2016, saving the company billions of dollars in taxes that year.

8@eight: Global optimism still reigns

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US investors have come back feeling refreshed and ready to do more of what worked in Q4 2017 and it appears they continue to hold an optimistic mindset.

Criminal underworld dumps bitcoin for a new 'favourite'

Bitcoin is losing its luster with some of its earliest and most avid fans - criminals - giving rise to a new breed of virtual currency.

The world is facing a 'big, unexpected crisis' in 2018

2018 could see a geopolitical crisis on the scale of the financial crash a decade ago, Eurasia Group has warned in its annual outlook.

New year, little cheer for Brexit Britain

The festive season seems to have come to an abrupt halt in Britain, where a number of surveys point to a deteriorating outlook amid growing uncertainty over Brexit.