Home
Search
thewest.com.au
BusinessChevron Right Icon

Trade

The Arafura project in the Northern Terriroty. Inset, Anthony Albanese and Donald Trump with the signed agreement.

MiningCommentsPremiumWA projects lead $3b US-Australia minerals investment

The wide-ranging agreement included funding support by the Export-Import Bank of the US and Export-Finance Australia to Australian companies targeting rare earths, graphite, magnesium, titanium and scandium.

Sean Smith

Alcoa chief operating officer Matt Reed.

MiningCommentsPremiumRare earth cash splash overlooks huge supply chain gaps

Industry has welcomed a multi-billion-dollar critical minerals pact between Australia and the United States, but experts say a supply chain gap needs to be bridged to break China’s stranglehold.

Adrian Rauso

Despite the ructions with China, BHP on Tuesday said it was leaving full-year guidance unchanged at between 258 million tonnes and 269mt.

MiningBHP keeps the faith on China as iron ore sales slip

BHP has given nothing away about its ongoing tiff with China while reporting a marginal slip in iron ore production for the first quarter. 

Daniel Newell

Australian and the US will cooperate on and invest in critical minerals and rare earth projects (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

PoliticsCommentsThe projects to benefit from Trump’s $13b critical minerals pact

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump have signed a landmark bilateral framework on critical minerals and rare earths.

Staff Writers

flag, china, shanghai

TradePremiumChina’s economic growth continues to slow

China’s economy probably grew at the slowest in a year during the third quarter despite a boom in exports, in a disconnect the Communist Party may move to rectify at a key meeting in the coming week.

Bloomberg News

Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese will meet next week.

MiningIs Trump lining up for his slice of Aussie rare earths?

Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers will promote his nation’s ability to be a crucial part of Washington’s efforts to diversify the rare earths supply chain away from China.

Jason Scott

Scott Bessent, Jim Chalmers The Nightly

CommentsChalmers resists US calls to ‘decouple’ from China

Treasurer Jim Chalmers has dismissed US officials’ push to ‘decouple’ from China, calling critical minerals an ‘absolutely golden opportunity’ for Australia.

Caitlyn Rintoul

US pushes Australia to join China critical minerals fight

updated
updated
WORLD TRADEComments
updated
‘China vs world’: US drags Aus into critical minerals fight

The Trump administration has warned that China is working to isolate itself from the world over a critical minerals ‘global supply chain power grab’.

Caitlyn Rintoul

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the fight over rare metals is "China versus the world." (AP PHOTO)

Mining‘It’s China v the world’: US asks Australia for critical minerals help

Australia is being called upon to join the United States in the global fight against China for critical minerals dominance.

Zac de Silva

Geraldine Slattery says the company’s relationship with its Chinese customers remained ‘strong’ and negotiations were a ‘normal’ annual event.

MiningCommentsPremiumSlattery says BHP-China relationship ‘strong’

BHP’s Australia boss has said the mining giant’s relationship with China is ‘strong’ amid a rumoured ban on the company’s iron ore and she revealed her price prediction for the vital commodity.

Adrian Rauso

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House. He has walked back decades of free market economic reforms this year. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

EconomyPremiumTrump’s wars on trade, Fed top economic threats

American President Donald Trump’s attacks on free trade and the independence of the Federal Reserve bank are among the biggest threats to prosperity next year, Commonwealth Bank reckons.

Matt Mckenzie

US President Donald Trump has sent jitters through world markets.

MiningCommentsPremiumAustralian shares brace for hit on new US-China tensions

Australian shares are set to start the week with a sharp sell-off after fears of a renewed trade war between the US and China sent jitters through global financial markets.

Sean Smith

Euro Steel tariffs

CommentsAussie steel to be hit by mega tariff as EU follows Trump

In a huge blow to Australian steel producers, the European Union has announced plans to double tariffs and halve the amount of foreign steel it imports.

Latika M Bourke

China’s property market decline continues.

Iron orePremiumAustralia pays the price of China’s steel slowdown

Government economists are predicting leaner years ahead for Australia’s resources export sales, with rallying gold prices unable to make up for iron ore supply pressures and China’s industrialisation comedown.

Simone Grogan

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese meets with Japan's then-PM Fumio Kishida at the Quad summit in 2024.

TradeCommentsPremiumMajority of Aussies back nation’s relationship with Japan

An overwhelming majority of Australians back the nation’s relationship with Japan, according to a survey revealing the level of trust between the two countries is ‘very high’.

Cheyanne Enciso

Port Hedland harbour. Pilbara Ports Authority

MiningCommentsPremiumNo impact to BHP iron ore exports in China fight, for now

Ships laden with BHP’s Western Australian iron ore are continuing to set sail for China despite the global superpower’s supposed ban on the mining giant’s key export. But the champagne should stay on ice.

Adrian Rauso and Simone Grogan

Opposition finance spokesman James Paterson said it was not “good enough for the federal government to take a hands-off attitude”.

PoliticsCommentsAustralia must back BHP in China iron ore standoff: Opposition

Anthony Albanese has been urged to ditch a ‘hands-off attitude’ and get involved as Australia’s biggest miner faces off with Beijing.

Joseph Olbrycht-Palmer and Thomas Henry

Premier Roger Cook is confident BHP and Chinese customers will reach an agreement.

MiningCommentsPremium‘Weaponisation of trade’: China & BHP in iron ore standoff

Anthony Albanese and Roger Cook have expressed their concerns about a Chinese ban on BHP iron ore imports, hoping any squabble over Australia’s lifeblood commodity can be ‘resolved quickly’.

Simone Grogan

Anthony Albanese has concluded his 10-day international tour with a visit to Abu Dhabi in UAE. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)

TradeAlbanese courts Middle Eastern supermarket giant Lulu

A free trade pact between Australia and the United Arab Emirates will enter into force this week, growing investment and trade between the two nations.

Ben McKay

US President Donald Trump has announced a string of new tariffs.

updated
updated
BusinessVideoComments
updated
‘100 per cent’: Trump shocks with huge new tariffs

Donald Trump has announced a string of huge new tariffs which will come into effect on October 1, with the Coalition blaming Anthony Albanese for a brutal tax that threatens a $2.2b Australian industry.

Max Corstorphan

There's been no progress on core trade irritants between China and US despite rounds of talks. (AP PHOTO)

international (foreign) tradePremiumUS, China officials to hold technical talks on trade

Chinese and US officials will focus on technical details related to trade issues during talks at the US Treasury.

David Lawder

Roger Cook said the office would play “vital role” in furthering WA-China relations.

State PoliticsCommentsCook hails WA-China relations as he opens new trade office

Roger Cook has hailed the ‘mutually rewarding’ relationship between Western Australia and the Zhejiang Province as he officially opened a new trade office in China.

Oliver Lane

Ships berth at Kwinana bulk jetty

InfrastructureCommentsPremiumCall for clear battle lines at crowded Henderson hub

A $12 billion commitment to kit Henderson out as a crucial defence outpost has been billed a boon for the State, but businesses already using the space say they “urgently” need clarity.

Simone Grogan

The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Oil & GasPremiumWoodside locks in Petronas LNG deal to 2043

Woodside Energy has inked a 15-year deal with Petronas to ship liquefied natural gas to Malaysia as the south east Asian country ups energy imports.

Matt Mckenzie