Lorna Brett

A rare piece of good news for business has been revealed in figures released by IP Australia, which found trade mark applications have risen to pre-GFC levels.

Just four months after it began testing its daily deals offering, Facebook has killed the product, saying it’s learned a great deal from the exercise and will “continue to evaluate how to best serve local businesses.”

The first of Woolworths’ big-box hardware stores has opened for business, with consumers in the Victorian suburb of Braybrook the first to set foot in the 13,500 square-metre Masters store.

Appliances Online has received seven nominations in the Online Retail Industry Awards (OIRAs), making it the most-nominated online retailer in the country.

Queensland Premier Anna Bligh has hit the road with Treasurer Andrew Fraser this week in a bid to lure investment and businesses back into the state, in the wake of the devastating floods that hit the state earlier this year.

Harvey Norman has reported a 9 percent rise in profit for the year ended June, saying its franchising operations segment continues to underpin the overall performance of the group.

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has just made available a new draft regulatory guide which sets out best practice guidance for the advertising of financial products and advice.

Double digit revenue and profit growth is predicted for the local franchise sector in the 2011 financial year, though poor consumer confidence and unstable global financial markets are leading franchisors to be more conservative in their outlook.

Soon-to-be mother of four and owner of Babes in Arms range Anita Lincolne-Lomax has been recognised as AusMumpreneur of the year, at the Bio-Oil AusMumpreneur Awards Ceremony held in Sydney on Saturday night.

Victorian retailers have welcomed news the state Government is looking to enact reforms to the definitions of ‘restricted retail’ zoning, to include a wider number of retail types in an effort to boost economic development.