Symbion, a wholly-owned subsidiary of EBOS, is also the first-line wholesale supplier to TerryWhite Chemmart​ pharmacies under a long-term Wholesale Agreement.

Under the deal, EBOS plans to acquire all of the minority shares in TWG by way of scheme of arrangement, offering shareholders $3.55 cash per share. The independent directors unanimously recommend that TWG's 450-odd shareholders vote in favour of the scheme, which if implemented TWG will become a fully-owned subsidiary of EBOS.

Carrie LaFrenz has the full story here.

BHP Billiton and CSL are both weighing the index although both have rallied through the afternoon. Rio Tinto and South32 are also weighing.

Emeco Holdings is down 5.4 per cent, Afterpay Touch is down 3.6 per cent and Appen is down 3.6 per cent.

Commonwealth Bank, ANZ and Westpac are leading the market gains, followed by AMP, up 2.2. per cent.

Galaxy Resources has lifted 7.5 per cent, St Barbara is 5.6 per cent higher and Saracen Mineral Holdings is up 5.3 per cent.

Analysts had been expected GDP to expand at 6.6 per cent for the third quarter from 6.7 per cent growth from the previous quarter.

The result takes the annual GDP growth to its lowest level since the first quarter of 2009.

Shares in China have extended their losses in early trade on Friday in response.

"I've been covering REITs for seven years. I've never seen it happen before," CLSA analyst Sholto Maconochie said.

"It's customary to get the necessary consents in place with existing lenders and new lenders beforehand. It could be a technicality that it was overlooked. It seems strange," he said.

Simon Johanson has the full story here.

Mr Shipton told the hearing that the stalled legislation to increase corporate penalties by up to 10 times was essential for ASIC to be able to do its job properly.

"It is vital that the increased penalties and regulatory powers - product intervention powers, design and distribution obligations, as well as a directions power - pass the Parliament as soon as possible," he said.

"I implore the parliament to pass [the legislation]," he added.

Sarah Danckert has the full story here.

TPG received its first strike against the remuneration of the board members in December, with an almost 30 per cent "no" vote against the report from owners of its free floating shares (Mr Teoh and Washington H Soul Pattinson together control 60 per cent of the shares. Mr Teoh was ineligible to vote, though Soul Patts could vote despite its billionaire chairman Robert Millner also sitting on TPG's board).

Jennifer Duke has the full story here.

Leading the losses are BHP Billiton, down 1.5 per cent and CSL down 1.6 per cent while Rio Tinto and South32 are also weighing.

Afterpay Touch is down 3.6 per cent, Ansell is down 3.5 per cent and Emeco Holdings is down 3.4 per cent.

Woolworths is leading the market gains, followed by Commonwealth Bank, Westpac and ANZ.

Galaxy Resources is up 6.4 per cent, St Barbara and Saracen Mineral Holdings are both up 4.9 per cent and Resolute Mining is up 4.7 per cent.

"I have felt through the year as I've heard the cases, through the rounds, upset and disappointed and aggrieved really because our customers, we just haven't treated a number of them with the respect that we should have," he said.

"Would you say that you were ashamed at some of the conduct of the bank?" the House of Representatives economics committee chairman, Liberal MP Tim Wilson, asked.

"Absolutely, yes, absolutely," Mr Thorburn replied.

Clancy Yeates has the full story here.

Mr Warburton told Fairfax Media he would leave the outdoor advertiser at the end of the month, with his sights set on another chief executive role and a directorship.

While he was "very proud" of the APN Outdoor team, in particular a 100 per cent success rate for advertising contracts up for renewal, the acquisition of the company was "fantastic for our staff but for me as CEO it's just a very different role".

Jennifer Duke has the full story here.

She said parliament should block dividend imputation changes until proper economic assessment and consultation was completed, while pledging to push for streamlined small business reporting requirements and fair taxation from multinationals.

Labor will scrap excess franking credits for everyone except pensioners, part pensioners and some recipients from self-managed superannuation funds.

Tom McIlroy and Carrie LaFrenz has the full story here.