Business News

Shares in telecommunications provider Swift Networks rose nearly 10 per cent today after the company released strong half-year results that show increasing revenue growth and profit margins.

The mining sector needs to embrace automation and address concerns of skills shortages as the industry outlook continues to improve, according to the latest mining business outlook report by Newport Consulting.

Scott Reid has been appointed general manager of Cougar Metals. Mr  Reid was the company’s Madagascar country manager.

Environment Minister Stephen Dawson has disclosed that the review he has requested into Chevron’s Wheatstone project was in response to the removal of abatement conditions by the previous government.

Southern Cross Electrical Engineering has been awarded a $20 million contract for work on the central section of the Northlink WA roads project, while Perth-based Tempo Australia has secured a series of contracts totalling more than $6 million.

Henderson-based Austal has been awarded a $20 million contract, through a joint venture with a Chinese shipbuilding company, for the design and build of four high-speed ferries.

Eduardo Valenzuela has been appointed technical director of Consolidated Zinc.

John Van Der Wielen-chaired Kyckr has announced the commencement of revenue from information services giant Bloomberg through its deal to provide global business registry date for the data service’s customers.

3D printing company Aurora Labs has strengthened its board, announcing the appointments of non-executive chairman Paul Kristensen and director Mel Ashton effective today.

Neil Perkins has resigned as chief financial officer and company secretary of Kresta Holdings. The company has appointed Vivi XiaoWei Jiang as his replacement.

The state’s largest residential builder has enlisted local advertising agency Marketforce to deliver the marketing and strategic requirements across its six divisions for 2018.

A 40 per cent rise in project applications with the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety last year has provided another signal of a turnaround in the mining sector.

Sir Ron Brierley-chaired Mercantile Investment Company has increased its bid for Perth-based Bauxite Resources to 11 cents, putting it within the price range set out in the independent expert’s report.

Fortescue Metals Group founder and chair Andrew Forrest has seen his stake in the miner increase $249 million in value over the past four weeks, according to data on directors’ shareholdings tracked by Business News.

Dr XiaoLing Liu has been appointed independent non-executive director of South32.

Western Australia's unemployment rate has fallen by a surprising 0.9 per cent in the month of December, while job numbers were up for a record-equalling 15th consecutive month nationwide, with economists giving positive assessments of the labour market.

Perth-based Battery Minerals has signed an offtake deal for the supply of graphite concentrate at its Montepuez project in Mozambique to a private Chinese company.

Junior explorer Spitfire Materials has tapped investors for $5.3 million via a strongly supported share placement as the company ramps-up exploration work at its Western Australian gold project.

Osborne Park-based Universal Constructions has been awarded a $13.8 million contract by the state government for work at a new primary school in Perth’s northern suburbs.

Financial services company Euroz says it expects a small dip in half-year profits, with a strong contribution from its funds management operation offset by a significant reduction in corporate finance deals.

Local tech company Power Ledger has been selected as one of three finalists in the 2018 Extreme Tech Challenge at CES in Las Vegas.

Mustang Resources has appointed Richland Resources chief executive Bernard Olivier as its new managing director, while director Cobus Van Wyk will become chief operating officer.

Shares in local explorer Cygnus Gold began trading on the ASX today after the company announced a $6 million initial public offering last year.

IT company Cirrus Networks has secured a managed service contract with the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Victoria.

Kalgoorlie-based bank Goldfields Money has agreed to a scrip-based merger with mortgage aggregator Finsure, valuing the combined group at $97.5 million.

Grant Thornton has appointed Matthew Hingeley head, audit and assurance.

Perth-based startup Tap Into Safety's east coast expansion plans have been boosted by a $750,000 investment from private equity group Dorado Capital.

Embattled sandalwood producer Quintis has announced the purchase of $3 million of sandalwood from growers operating on plantations managed by the company.

The share prices of Orinoco Gold and Doray Minerals have risen today after the companies announced positive drilling results at their respective projects.

The state government has unveiled the Dennis Cometti Media Centre at Optus Stadium, honouring the famous Western Australian sports broadcaster with a state-of-the-art media facility.

Queensland-based mineral sands explorer Diatreme Resources has signed contracts with a Chinese mining services company to conduct a definitive feasibility study and help source funding for its Cyclone zircon project in Western Australia's Eucla Basin.

Local tech company Nuheara has partnered with multinational manufacturer ams AG to launch its new noise-cancelling earbud product, LiveIQ.