Bankwest has announced a range of new initiatives geared towards offering support to communities hit by the natural disasters that have recently rocked Australia.

Outlining its main areas of support, the bank has explained how it was quick to step in and offer support to the victims of the Queensland floods, with $50,000 donated to the Disaster Relief Appeal and consumers across the state seeing fees both at Bankwest ATMs and those in a number of stores lifted.

Additionally, those customers living in areas affected by the floods or by Cyclone Nasri, including those with credit card debt with the bank, are also being given the chance to benefit from Bankwests financial relief package.

Elsewhere in the country, the bank has also donated $100,000 to the Lord Mayors Distress Relief Fund for those affected by the recent Western Australia bushfires, while in Carnarvon, customers whose livelihoods have been affected by the floods seen there are able to make use of a range of hardship options.

The summary of Bankwests support packages has been published just days after the bank celebrated the launch of its Super Start Home Loan, designed to offer consumers in the market for home loans the chance to enjoy a low introductory rate and a lack of maintenance and exit fees.

Australias economy is not out of the woods yet, with new figures suggesting business conditions will remain hard across the country for some time yet.

While a number of recent reports have warned that the recent floods seen in Queensland will hit everyday consumers hard, with banks tipped to put up rates on debit cards or home loans in order to compensate for their losses, figures show that this may have been the case even without the natural disaster hitting.

Indeed, according to the National Australia Bank (NAB), business conditions were weakening at a steady rate towards the end of 2010, with its business conditions index dropping markedly several weeks before the first of the floods hit.

Notably, several of the sectors most likely to impact upon the lives of ordinary Australians, such as utilities, finance and agribusiness were all seen to suffer at the end of the year, with conditions found to be tough in the state of Victoria as well as Queensland.

Meanwhile, shares in some of Australias biggest banks have taken a hit in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake.

CHICAGO (Reuters) – Wal-Mart Stores Inc is moving its Vudu video streaming and rental service to a place where it can get attract more eyeballs — the Walmart.com web site — as the growing service competes for attention with a variety of video services.

Adding Vudu to the main Wal-Mart site is the latest way the world’s largest retailer is trying to be the go-to destination for shoppers, both in stores and, increasingly, online.

Vudu, which Wal-Mart bought last year, streams films and shows to computers, certain televisions, Blu-ray DVD players and Sony Corp’s Playstation 3.

Wal-Mart declined to say how many people use its service, which does not offer monthly subscriptions like competitors such as Netflix Inc, although it did say Vudu continues to grow rapidly.

“Our user base has tripled since Christmas,” said Edward Lichty, Vudu’s general manager, who added that Walmart shoppers are a growing part of Vudu’s business.

Before Tuesday, Vudu essentially operated on its own. Read full article…

You’ve probably seen a list like this list ten times already this summer. But you haven’t seen this one. If you’re young and looking to blow off steam from the weekly grind at work take a minute to review. These are the best cities for nightlife, live music, good times, and places where anything can happen. Each link here will take you to our friends over at TripAdvisor, so that you can find the best hotels and restaurants to eat in. I don’t go anywhere without checking TripAdvisor first. So enjoy the Young Money summer fun list.

1. Las Vegas, NV

2. Austin, TX

3. Montreal, Quebec, Canada

4. New York, NY

5. Miami, FL

Are your employees ready to mutiny? Despite national unemployment hovering around 9 percent, they might be, according to a new study by global consulting firm Mercer LLC reported by the Wall Street Journal.

Thirty-two percent of U.S. employees report they are seriously considering leaving their jobs. The risk is especially big with younger employees. Some 40 percent of those aged 25-34 and a full 44 percent of those 24 and under are ready to bolt.

With finding new jobs still so tough, why would employees consider leaving?

Read full article…