THE Rudd Government has received a stark warning from business that unions are starting to flex their industrial muscle and push for inflationary wage claims.

ADMINISTRATORS of Opes Prime have seized control of the shadowy British Virgin Islands-registered company Riqueza that was responsible for the firm's collapse, and will now focus on any evidence of cash leakages from the company.

BANK of Queensland (BoQ) has posted profit for the first half up 19 per cent, while its interest margin dropped on the back of the worldwide turmoil in credit markets.

AUSTRALIA will survive the recession in the US, achieving growth of more than 3 per cent this year and next, the IMF says.

BHP Billiton says it is unaware of any move by Chinese interests to acquire a stake in the world's biggest miner.

NEXT month's federal Budget will contain tough decisions for the long-term economic health of the country, Treasurer Wayne Swan says.

THE multi-billion dollar duopoly between Tatts and Tabcorp has been axed by the Victorian Government in a shock decision.

QANTAS says it's entitled to damages from aircraft maker Boeing for a further 15-month delay in the delivery of its new generation 787 aircraft.

EXOTIC luxury cars worth millions of dollars have been discovered in a company linked to collapsed stockbroker Opes Prime.

AUSTRALIA'S unemployment rate was a seasonally adjusted 4.1 per cent in March, compared with an unchanged 4.0 per cent in February, figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show.