SYDNEY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Australia's leading online job advertising firm Seek Ltd SEK.AX beat forecasts with a 49 percent rise in first-half profit, helped by increased advertising volumes and new product launches.

Lawyers for victims of BP PLC's deadly 2005 plant explosion in Texas contend the oil giant's fine could be as much as & #36;US3.2b.

SYDNEY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Australian dollar held firm near three-month highs against the U.S. currency on Tuesday, on expectations the central bank would reaffirm a hawkish bias when it releases the minutes of its latest board meeting.

MELBOURNE, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Foster's Group Ltd FGL.AX, Australia's biggest alcoholic drinks company, posted its slowest growth in first-half net profit in several years on Tuesday, as U.S. wine demand slowed and the strong dollar crimped earnings.

MELBOURNE, Feb 19 (Reuters) - OneSteel Ltd OST.AX, Australia's second-largest steel company, said on Tuesday its half-year profit rose 6.3 percent, missing analysts' forecasts, but maintained its full-year earnings guidance.

SYDNEY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Australasian radio and newspaper group APN News and Media Ltd APN.AX said on Tuesday full-year net profit increased 8 percent and trade in January and February was in line with expectations.

The Launceston City Council will write to Qantas urging it to renew its contract with a Launceston woollen mill.

SYDNEY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Australia's breakneck economic growth will have to slow if inflation is to be contained, a top central banker reiterated on Tuesday, while noting that significant uncertainties surrounded the economic outlook.

The miner Rio Tinto believes it can secure an even higher price for its ore than the benchmark established in an international deal yesterday.

SYDNEY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - AXA Asia Pacific Holdings Ltd AXA.AX, a unit of French insurer AXA SA AXAF.PA, reported a 29 percent fall in its second-half profit due to lower investment returns and widening corporate bond spreads.

APN News & amp; Media says it expects to perform well in fiscal 2008, with revenue and profit are ahead of 2007 so far,

Bathroom fixtures and homewares company GWA International reported a 14.1 per cent decline in first half net profit.

SYDNEY, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Australia's Newcrest Mining Ltd NCM.AX said its first-half profit almost tripled, driven by higher gold and copper prices, though it also warned that costs were higher across the board.

The New South Wales Government is defending the purchase of hundreds of obsolete ticketing machines from Brisbane, for use on Sydney's buses.

LONDON (AFP) - Global miner Rio Tinto said Monday it was still discussing 2008 iron ore prices with customers after rival Vale of Brazil won a massive 65 percent increase from its Asian clients.

BERLIN (AFP) - Deutsche Post named logistics chief Frank Appel as its new chairman on Monday following the departure of Klaus Zumwinkel who is under investigation in Germany's biggest ever tax evasion probe.

LONDON (AFP) - World oil prices rose on Monday as worries over tight supplies overshadowed concerns that a US recession could dent demand from the world's biggest energy consumer, traders said.

LONDON (AFP) - British Prime Minister Gordon Brown defended on Monday his decision to nationalise troubled lender Northern Rock in the face of fierce criticism and questions over his reputation for economic competence.

FRANKFURT (AFP) - Shares in crisis-hit German business finance specialist IKB plunged in late trading on Monday on news it would make a capital increase of 1.48 billion euros (2.2 billion dollars).

Tokyo, Japan, Feb 18, 2008 - (JCN Newswire) - Toyota Motor Corporation announced today it has completely redesigned the & quot;Crown Royal Saloon & quot; and & quot;Crown Athlete & quot; series and added a hybrid model to the product