Income alarms when west trades with east (8)

I believe the answer is:

earnings

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'income' is the definition.
(I know that earnings is a type of income)

I can't explain the rest of the clue.

(Other definitions for earnings that I've seen before include "made money" , "Salaries, wages" , "Salary" , "Returns received for work" , "Remunerations" .)

I've seen this clue in the Sydney Morning Herald.

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