Virgin Orbit launches seven satellites
LOS ANGELES, AP – A Virgin Orbit rocket released from a jet flying off the California coast has carried seven small satellites into space. Virgin Orbit’s modified Boeing 747 took off on Thursday from Mojave Air & Space Port in the Southern California desert, flew out over the Pacific Ocean and dropped the LauncherOne rocket…
China hopes US can enable more trade
BEIJING, RAW – China says it hopes the United States can create conditions to expand trade cooperation, after Chinese purchases of US goods in the past two years fell short of the targets in a Trump-era trade deal. China has been behind in its promises in a “Phase 1” trade pact to boost purchases of…
Hearable tech to dominate disruptive 2022
CANBERRA, AAP – Hearables will dominate wearable technology in 2022, but much bigger themes threaten to disrupt consumers and business, analysts say. Wearable tech such as ear buds and smart watches will be the largest and fastest-growing segment in the lucrative Internet of Things (IoT) consumer market, according to data and analytics company GlobalData. “The…
Omicron to stymie home loan growth
SYDNEY, AAP – Surging coronavirus infections are tipped to limit the pickup in home lending that occurred after many Australians were released from lockdown. The value of home loans in November rose 6.3 per cent on the previous month to $31.4 billion as coronavirus rules eased, Bureau of Statistics data showed on Friday. Owner-occupiers in…
Latest on worldwide spread of coronavirus
* Spain will cap prices for rapid COVID-19 tests and open up its booster shot program to everyone over 18, the government said on Thursday, as infections continued to rise albeit at a slightly slower pace. * Germany’s vaccine committee recommended on Thursday that all children between 12 and 17 receive a booster shot as…
Fed speakers put rate hikes in focus
NEW YORK CITY, RAW – Wall Street’s major indexes closed lower on Thursday with Nasdaq’s 2.5 per cent drop leading the losses as investors took profits, particularly in technology stocks after a three-day rally, while multiple Federal Reserve officials were out talking about inflation and interest rate hikes. Interest-rate sensitive growth stocks such as technology…
Schools must return on time: PM
CANBERRA, AAP – Children must return to school to ease Australia’s growing workforce crisis, Prime Minister Scott Morrison says. Speaking after national cabinet met on Thursday, the PM insisted schools should not delay the start of the year until after the projected peak of COVID cases, as has been done in Queensland and South Australia….
Iron ore miners carry ASX to modest gain
SYDNEY, AAP – Mining giants benefited from a higher iron ore price and helped the Australian share market be one of the best in the region with one day of the trading week remaining. Materials shares gained 2.56 per cent and iron ore miners thrived after their rivals in Brazil stopped work due to torrential…
Unemployed could help feed rural Australia
ORANGE, AAP – Putting unemployed and older people to work could help feed regional and remote communities during the peak of the Omicron outbreak, an industry body says. Acting Small Business Minister Anne Ruston on Wednesday suggested opening up job opportunities for older Australians, the unemployed, and temporary visa holders to ease the burden on…
Tech shares bear brunt of ASX decline
SYDNEY, AAP – Australia’s share market was falling at the end of the week and technology shares were extending their wretched start to 2022. The market was down 0.84 per cent on Friday and technology shares were lower by almost three per cent after a tough night on Wall Street. The US Nasdaq dropped by…
