THE NEWS WRAP: Boeing warns of Dreamliner delays

Boeing has warned of delays in deliveries of its 787 Dreamliner jumbo jets, with the aircraft grounded by air safety regulators in several countries as a result of overheating batteries.

“We have informed our customers expecting 787 deliveries in the near-term that those aircraft either have been or are at risk of being delayed,” Boeing said.

However, Qantas says it has received no notification from the aircraft maker of delays to its order, with the airline still expecting to take delivery of its first Dreamliners in August.

Bunnings registers Masters brand in New Zealand

Senior executives at hardware giant Bunnings have registered the Masters trademark in New Zealand, as competition intensifies between the two chains.

The Australian has revealed Bunnings chief executive John Gillam, chief operating officer Peter Davis and the head of its New Zealand division, Jacqueline Coombes, have registered a company in New Zealand named Masters Home Improvement Limited less than a month after Woolworths announced its plans to enter the hardware business under the Masters brand.

Woolworths claims the move is part of a “dirty tricks” campaign by the Wesfarmers-owned Bunnings chain, which has also included coercing suppliers not to sell to Masters and buying up potential development sites.

Napoleon Perdis tells Australian department stores to hire more staff

Cosmetics entrepreneur Napoleon Perdis has urged Australian department stores to “bite the bullet” and hire more Australian staff to avoid losing customers to online retailers.

”Department stores are going to have to bite the bullet further with increasing their staffing levels so that customers feel there is a reason to go in to them; it’s expensive upfront but not expensive long term,” Perdis told Fairfax.

”At the end of the day there has to be a major incentive for a woman to go in the department store and feel beautiful.”

Overnight

On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.35% to 13992.97. The Aussie dollar is up to $US103.18 cents.