AAP

Energy, chemicals and resources company Worley has posted a 40 per cent jump in interim net profit to $115 million thanks to improved market conditions and the benefits of its Jacobs Engineering division buy, while at the same appointing Andrew Liveris as its deputy chairman.

Health insurer nib has posted a 23 per cent fall in first-half profit, blaming a rise in claims for the softer result.

Australian stocks have plummeted after offshore markets fell on fears the coronavirus outbreak is spreading across Asia and will increasingly affect global economic activity.

Oil prices fell about one per cent on Friday on renewed concerns about crude demand being pinched by the economic impact of the coronavirus outbreak, while OPEC and allied producers appeared to be in no rush to curb output.

Gold has jumped more than 1.5 per cent to its highest level in seven years as investors rushed to the metal's safety due to concerns over global economic fallout from the fast-spreading coronavirus.

The Australian share market has finished lower for the first time since Tuesday, with every sector down except financials after the two days of gains sent it into record territory.

Australian shares have dipped following a record high on the local market and after US markets soured following a rise in coronavirus cases.

Oil prices rose on Thursday after the US government reported a much smaller-than-anticipated rise in crude stocks, but gains were capped by worries about the spread of coronavirus outside China.

Gold prices climbed to their highest level in seven years overnight as an uptick in the number of coronavirus cases in South Korea fuelled worries over the wider economic impact of the outbreak.

Australia's share market has hit a record high - while the Australian dollar has sunk to a decade low after China's central bank cut interest rates.

Western Australia's unemployment rate has risen to 5.8 per cent in January, sitting above the national average, despite the state recording 6,700 more people in employment for the month.

Santos has posted a 7 per cent rise in annual net profit as a jump in production helped offset weaker gas and oil prices across the year.

Super Retail Group's shares have jumped more than 10 per cent despite announcing a 20 per cent drop in first-half profit and admitting its underpayments problem is worse than first thought.

Boral has halved its interim payout on a 40 per cent first-half profit dive, with the troubled building materials firm weighed down by higher costs and weak housing construction activity in Australia and South Korea.

Australia's share market has hit a new high amid a slew of mixed local earnings results and positive leads from offshore.

Oil prices gained more than 2 per cent overnight as worries eased about demand declining due to the spread of coronavirus cases in China.

Gold has risen, holding above $US1,600 per ounce, as worries over the new coronavirus and its impact on global growth boosted safe-haven demand, while palladium continued its record run driven by short supplies of the metal.

The Australian share market has clawed back its losses from earlier in the week to hit a fresh all-time closing high - even as five more companies announced their earnings had been affected by the coronavirus epidemic.

Vocus shares have risen after the broadband provider said it had made progress digging out of its mountain of debt and had delivered on major projects as part of a three-year turnaround.

Crown Resorts has posted net profit of $173 million for the year to December 2019, an 11 per cent drop on the previous period that chief executive Ken Barton attributed to mixed trading conditions across various arms of the business.

Britain's EG Group had offered to acquire Caltex Australia for $3.9 billion in cash and separate shares to be issued in a newly listed company on the ASX.

Fortescue Metals Group has reported a near four-fold jump in first-half profit as it cashed in on higher iron ore prices, while analysts said a lower than expected dividend reflected caution on the global economy.

Australian shares have opened flat amid mixed local news and after US markets and oil slid overnight on another coronavirus scare.

Gold has surged more than 1.0 per cent to fetch more than $US1,600 an ounce as Apple's surprise warning about the impact of the coronavirus outbreak fuelled concerns about global economic weakness, driving investors to lower-risk assets.

The Australian share market has finished marginally lower for a second day as investors digest local profit results in the absence of strong offshore leads.

Low rainfall and high temperatures in spring have resulted in significantly lower wheat, barley, canola and winter crop production in Western Australia.

Miner Rio Tinto has lowered its forecast for the volume of iron ore it expects to ship from the Pilbara region after tropical cyclone Damien hit the coast of Western Australia.

BHP shareholders will receive a heftier, fully franked 65 US cents per share interim dividend after the global miner lifted its first-half statutory profit 29 per cent to $US4.87 billion ($A7.25 billion).

Attorney-General Christian Porter has sent a warning to corporate Australia after Coles became the latest major company embroiled in an underpayment scandal.

Shares in Seven West Media have dropped to a record low after the media company posted a $67 million first-half loss as Australia's TV market continued its rapid decline.

Australian shares have fallen across almost right across the board as investors react to local profit results in the absence of strong offshore leads.

Oil prices inched up overnight as concerns over the economic fallout from the coronavirus outbreak in China were offset by expectations that potential production cuts from major producers could tighten global crude supply.