A director at Australia's Qantas Airways resigned from the board Monday after being linked to scandals at Italy's Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest surviving bank.

Shares in Australian media firm APN News and Media plunged Tuesday after a walkout from board members over a capital raising dispute with major shareholder Ireland's Independent News and Media.

Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index surged above 5,000 points for the first time in almost three years Wednesday on bullish corporate earnings reports and consumer confidence data.

Australia's central bank on Tuesday announced the sale of its stake in scandal-hit note printing firm Securency and said an independent governance review had cleared it of “inappropriate” insight.

Global technology giants Microsoft, Apple and Adobe were Monday ordered to appear before a pricing inquiry examining the often-higher cost of tech goods in Australia compared with other economies.

Be polite but not too familiar, display lucky symbols and take things slowly — unusual advice for the frantic world of retail but Australian stores hope it will help lure cashed-up Chinese tourists.

Australia's highest court on Wednesday threw out a ruling against Google Inc. that had found the Internet giant guilty of breaching trade law by hosting deceptive advertisements.

Australia's central bank left official interest rates on hold Tuesday, saying downside risks to the global economy appeared to have abated, particularly in China, Europe and the United States.

Australian flag-carrier Qantas Monday announced plans to broaden its reach in Asia as part of a strategy to turn around its struggling international arm, with several extra destinations being considered.

Electronics giant Philips on Tuesday reported 2012 net profits of 231 million euros (US$311 million), after losses of 1.29 billion euros in 2011, and announced the sale of its entertainment business to focus further on health products.