Business | Northern Rivers Echo

Déjà vu for technology investors

OLDER investors could be forgiven for having a sense of de ja vu on hearing the news that Facebook is expected to float at $100billion, writes Julian Knight.
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Strong $A hurts Coffs manufacturer

W.E Smith of Coffs Harbour is battling the strong dollar to win major worldwide tenders.

COFFS Harbour engineering company W.E Smith Engineering says the strong Australian dollar is pricing it out of major mining contracts.

Business boosts Emily's career

20-year-old Emily Perry is excited to take the helm as managerial director at the Boost juice bar in Stockland Rockhampton.

20-YEAR-OLD Emily will become one of Rockhampton's youngest entrepreneurs when she takes the helm of Boost juice bar in Stockland Rockhampton on Wednesday.
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'Hunt for mine jobs waste of time'

A SIGN OF HIS TIMES: Mark Freeman stands behind the sign he erected yesterday at a busy Sunshine Coast overpass, revealing his frustration at not being able to get a job in the booming mining industry.

ALL Mark Freeman has to show for his $6000 investment in securing a mining industry job is a maxed out credit card, an overdue mortgage and mounting bills.
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Mining booty brings hardships

BOOM TIME: There are $32.5 billion of mining projects in the region, planned or under way, which will deliver about 30,000 jobs.

A WHOPPING $32.5b of mining projects in the region are set to deliver some 30,000 jobs, sparking calls for urgent investment in infrastructure and services.
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Farmers' market blasts price war

Paul Wilson of Nimbin is encouraging people to buy the abundance of fresh produce at local farmers’ markets.

FARMERS at the Lismore Produce Market have hit out at the two major supermarkets over a possible “war” to reduce vegetable prices.
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Return of the traditional mortgage

Claite says lenders tightened up on line-of-credit loans during the global financial crisis. ''Unless you could prove what you were using the money for, they weren't too happy with providing these facilities,'' he says.

VOLATILE investment markets and shaky property values are making line-of-credit loans less popular and potentially harder to unwind for those who have one.
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How do I sell my property?

THE major difference between selling a home by auction and private treaty is that the home is taken to market without a declared price.
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Is Facebook really worth so much?

In just eight years, Facebook has attracted 845 million users, more than half of whom use the site every day, and it made a profit of $1bn on total revenues - advertising plus fees - of $3.7 billion.

THE Morgan Stanley bankers who have been hired to run the Facebook flotation find themselves in a months-long jousting match over stock's sale price.
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Westpac ready to bring the pain

Westpac denied that large-scale job cut announcements are in the works, saying that yesterday's disclosure would be "the most significant for this year."

WESTPAC employees are bracing for the loss of as many as triple the number of job losses already announced this week as the bank adjusts to a weak economy.
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Microsoft scam snares Bay mum

Microsoft scammers were at it again this week catching out a young Hervey Bay mum.

A CRIMINAL cell is targeting vulnerable people living on the Fraser Coast, stealing cash, credit card details and personal information.
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Highrise rules to keep kids safe

The changes will be included in the National Construction Code from May 2013.

APARTMENTS and multi-storey homes are about to get a little safer for children thanks to a rule change around windows in new buildings.
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New register to help farmers

BUYER CONFIDENCE: Farmers will soon be able to access a new national register when buying used machinery.

FARMERS across NSW will be able to check if secondhand machinery they are interested in buying is being used to secure a loan now.
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RBA expected to drop rates

MOST Australians are expecting the Reserve Bank of Australia to reduce official interest rates again when its board meets next week.
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Tiger comeback tipped

Residents may have a chance to take advantage of budget flights from Mackay to Melbourne if Tiger Airways can be persuaded to return to Mackay Airport.

PEOPLE may see the return of direct flights to Melbourne if Mackay Airport has its way – but Tiger Airways is yet to confirm any plans to resume the service.
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