FGC BOLSA - FGC FINANCIAL MARKETS INFO

    Ambulance staff threaten to strike A union representing senior paramedics and non-operational Ambulance Victoria staff will lodge an application through Fair Work Australia to take protected industrial action. Chinese data, US trade deficit spooks markets Wall Street fell sharply overnight, with investors unnerved by some weaker-than-expected factory data from China, and a blowout in the United States' trade deficit. Spyglass nears deal to run MGM Spyglass Entertainment is nearing an agreement to run Metro Goldwyn Mayer once the film studio restructures $US4 billion of debt through the bankruptcy process, the Wall Street Journal reports. More Business Stories >

Weak start tipped for local market Australian shares are set to open lower, after markets in the United States and Europe lost value last Friday.   Inspectors to probe alleged safety breaches at quarry Mines and explosive inspectors will this week visit a quarry at Kin Kin, north-west of Maroochydore on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, as part of an investigation into alleged safety breaches at the site.     RACT traffic lights concern There are concerns about an increasing number of traffic lights with globe failures around Tasmania. More Australian Stories >

Xstrata boosts profits in north Qld Mining giant Xstrata says its northern operations in Queensland have recorded a positive result for the first half of 2010. Doubt cast over cattle train cuts A south-west Queensland mayor says rail is the best way to move thousands of cattle produced every year in the Channel Country. Rockhampton can't sustain international airport: consultant A senior aviation consultant says there is no way the Rockhampton airport in central Queensland could operate as a sustainable international airport. More Business Stories >  

Coal miners strike over pay Miners at an open-cut coal mine south of Townsville in north Queensland are on strike. Truck crash fuels inland highway push A western Queensland mayor says a truck crash that closed the state's main link with the Northern Territory last week highlights the need for another inland highway. UAE bans Blackberry The United Arab Emirates government says it will suspend Blackberry services because of security concerns. More Business Stories >

WA economy roars as Qld, NSW snore Research shows Western Australia is the best-performing economy in the country, supported by a strong labour market and increased demand for resources from India and China. Cooper Basin operation still recovering from floods: Santos Oil and gas producer Santos says it is still not up to full production in central Australia's Cooper Basin after massive flooding earlier this year. Nyrstar production to resume in August Management of the Nyrstar lead smelter at Port Pirie in South Australia say a three-week shutdown is not a direct reaction to a recent spike in children's blood lead levels.   More Business Stories >

Economic concerns weigh on Wall Street Stocks in the United States retreated overnight, with investors worried about tighter financial regulation, and new signs of consumer weakness emerging. Keneally urged to keep jobs local The New South Wales Government is under pressure to buy locally-built buses, trains, and ferries instead of vehicles from interstate or overseas. Power price squeezes business The head of Tasmania's Chamber of Commerce and Industry fears some large companies will be forced to leave the State if the power price continues to rise.

 A Business Turtle Island fight goes to court The Supreme Court has been told a lack of approval from Gladstone Regional Council in central Queensland prevented a company from taking over Turtle Island. Gas exploration companies focus on sustainability Coal seam gas companies exploring in the Galilee Basin in Queensland's central-west have formed an alliance to discuss how the sector can develop sustainably . Wall Street down as yuan enthusiasm wanes Shares in the United States were unable to hold on to early gains, with pharmaceutical and retail stocks weighing heavily, and the initial optimism about China's pledge to allow a flexible currency fading in the final hour. More Business Stories 

GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS Industrials, tech stocks lead US rebound By finance reporter Rebecca Hyam Wall Street rallied by more than two per cent overnight, with several successful European debt auctions calming investor nerves about the region's debt problems. RAMS clips fixed home loan rates Home loan lender RAMS has cut its two- and three-year fixed interest rates, saying it wants to see increased competition in the sector. Greek debt slashed to junk status Sovereign debt fears in Europe are spreading, with the international ratings agency Moody's downgrading Greek government debt to junk status.

Oysters could offer carbon offset option Companies wanting to buy carbon credits to offset pollution could soon look to the sea. Peru puts kangaroo meat on the menu Peru government officials say their government has approved the import of kangaroo meat from Australia. Bank sells Gunns shares Shares in Tasmanian timber company Gunns dropped nearly seven per cent during yesterday's trade. More Business GLOBAL FINANCIAL CRISIS Business confidence fell from 13 to 5 in May, as mining and manufacturing confidence slumped Business confidence slumps in May Posted 6 hours 48 minutes ago Updated 2 hours 42 minutes ago There has been a sharp fall in business confidence, particularly in the mining, wholesale and manufacturing sectors. Australian market overcomes foreign falls It has been a surprising day on the Australian share market, as a bullish outlook for iron ore contract prices helped the local market overcome overseas losses. Rudd redoubl