Fraser Beattie

Local waste management company Tox Free Solutions has won a new contract for work at BHP Billiton’s Olympic Dam mine in South Australia, along with an extension for ongoing work at Chevron’s Western Australian assets, for an undisclosed sum.

Rival bidders for rail and ports giant Asciano are considering making a joint, all-cash $9.05 billion bid in an effort to seal the long-running takeover battle.

Property developer Diploma Group has returned to the black despite a challenging six months for the business.

Perth-based GR Engineering Services has delivered a strong result despite the doom and gloom of the resources sector, announcing today a rise in profit and an increased dividend payout.

The legal battle between BC Iron and Watpac Civil & Mining has intensified with the mining services company serving a counterclaim to the iron ore miner and its joint venture partner, now seeking about $52.8 million.

Austal has doubled its interim dividend after growing revenue and boosting its cash flow, despite posting a 41.8 per cent fall in profit for the six months to December.

Local tech company Captivate On Hold has won a contract to provide its services to a telecoms company based on a remote island near Iceland.

Financial services provider Pioneer Credit says it’s on track for a record FY16, after delivering a 105 per cent rise in half-year profit.

Perth-based contractor NRW Holdings has enjoyed another active day on the ASX, closing nearly 50 per cent higher after nearly tripling in value on Friday.

Gold miner Beadell Resources has received commitments for a $50 million capital raising to fund exploration to build its mining inventory.

CIMIC Group has confirmed a formal contract dispute has been issued to Chevron over work at the Gorgon LNG project, with the construction and contract mining firm claiming it is owed about $2.36 billion.

MMA Offshore has reported a dramatic slide in half-year profit as the marine services company faces challenging conditions in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Local gold miners continue to prove there is still money to be made in Western Australia’s resources playground, with Northern Star Resources, Metals X, Ramelius Resources and Saracen Mineral Holdings all closing higher on the ASX.

NRW Holdings emerged from a trading halt this morning with its share price nearly tripling in value on the back of news yesterday that its joint venture with Salini Impregilo had been named the preferred contractor for the $2 billion Forrestfield-Airport Rail link.

Automotive Holdings Group has posted a solid half-year result with profit and revenue up, driven mostly by the company’s retail business but offset by its logistics divisions.

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources has made good on its commitment to invest further in UK technology company Metalysis, announcing today a $12.2 million injection into the business with plans for another $8.1 million soon.

RCR Tomlinson shares nosedived this morning after the company announced a 53 per cent fall in profit for the six months to December.

Automotive Holdings Group has won regulatory approval for the sale of its Covs Parts business after agreeing to retain four regional stores, and has also expanded its east coast operations through another acquisition in Melbourne.

Southern Cross Electrical Engineering says it has won $20 million in new contracts and extensions since the start of the year, including a contract for work at BHP Billiton’s Jimblebar iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

Gold and nickel miner Independence Group has posted a first-half loss of $78 million on the back of impairments and the acquisition of Sirius Resources late last year.

The controversial Perth Freight Link has been put on Infrastructure Australia’s list of high priority projects that would improve living standards and productivity, as part of a 15-year national plan released today.

Iron ore miner Mount Gibson Iron has booked another half-year loss, but it’s a substantial improvement on its performance in the previous year, despite recording a $23.6 million impairment.

Northern Star Resources says it will consider the sale of its Plutonic gold mine near Meekatharra after receiving a number of unsolicited offers from interested parties.

Local manufacturer Matrix Composites & Engineering lost a fifth of its value on the ASX today after announcing it had received a cancellation notice for two contracts worth a combined $US21.8 million ($A30.5 million).

Perth-based trucking company CTI Logistics has flagged an 18 per cent slide in half-year profit on the back of the economic downturn.

Metals X has once again stepped up its pursuit of Aditya Birla Minerals, announcing today that its off-market $68 million takeover offer is now unconditional, with a quarter of Aditya shareholders already accepting the offer.

Perth-based IT firm ASG Group posted a near-3 per cent fall in first-half profit but maintained its revenue guidance for the full year.

Engineering company Monadelphous Group has posted sharp falls in profit and revenue for the six months to December, but says there is a growing pipeline of work in its maintenance services division.

Mineral sands miner Iluka Resources will make about 33 redundancies when it suspends activities at its Jacinth-Ambrosia operation in South Australia.

Marine services provider Bhagwan Marine has won a contract to provide its services to American company Foss Teras Marine on an oil and gas construction project in Russia.

Employment prospects for geoscientists in Australia deteriorated in the last quarter of 2015, with unemployment in the sector reaching a record high.

Subiaco-based gold miner Perseus Mining has posted a fall in half-year profit to $12 million on the back of the weaker Australian dollar, but grew revenue by 5 per cent.