AAP

The Australian share market has made solid gains after a surge in energy stocks and improvements for the big banks turned around a mixed overnight lead out of the US.

Australian shares have opened lower following a mixed lead from Wall Street's key indices and despite a generally strong performance across the commodities market.

US. stocks have pulled back from earlier gains as bond yields rose and technology stocks retreated ahead of a host of high-profile earnings.

The Australian dollar is a bit weaker after a sluggish night on commodities markets, and a mixed night for overseas stock markets.

The share market posted its best daily gain in four months as investors anticipated strong half year earnings results for Australian companies.

The Australian share market is stronger during morning trade following a positive lead from Wall Street and positivity over the local company earnings season.

The Australian dollar is lower, extending the losses that started after the release of weaker than expected inflation figures on Wednesday.

Oil prices have rebounded from earlier losses to end higher, after the US Energy Department said oil inventories rose for the first time in nearly three months, but was offset by strong demand for gasoline and distillate products and news that OPEC countries maintained heavy supply cuts in January.

Oil and gas producer AWE has given suitor Mineral Resources three business days to match a superior proposal lobbed by Mitsui & Co, after reaching an in-principle agreement with the Japanese firm.

Australian shares staged an afternoon recovery as US President Donald Trump delivered a market assuring State of the Union address.

Malaga company Galvin Engineering has developed Australia's first lead-free drinking tap as the state government deals with new revelations of lead contamination in taps at a number of Western Australian schools.

Australia's inflation rate has risen slightly in the December quarter, lifting the annual headline rate closer to the central bank's target range of between 2 per cent and 3 per cent.

The Australian stock market has opened lower, after Wall Street's Dow Jones index suffered its largest two-day fall in well over a year, and most commodities prices also fell.

The Australian dollar has managed to eke out some small gains despite broad based weakness across US markets and in commodity prices.

Oil prices have fallen for a second day, driven by ongoing evidence of rising US crude output, while wary investors sold off stocks, bonds and commodities.

The share market has posted its largest daily fall since mid-November, with the mining, energy and healthcare sectors the worst performers.

Fortescue Metals shipped less iron ore in the December quarter as it continued to lower production costs.

Gold miners Perseus Mining, Ramelius Resources and Evolution Mining have all released positive quarterly reports today, with Ramelius upgrading its full-year guidance and Evolution confident of reaching its target comfortably.

Australian shares have opened lower dragged down by falls in energy and mining stocks and after Wall Street backed off from record levels they reached last week.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher despite falls on Wall Street overnight.

Oil prices have fallen, pressured by a strengthening US dollar and rising US crude output, but prices remained on track for the biggest January increase in five years.

The Australian share market has closed higher after a strong lead from US stocks and with more investors looking to the share market as a potentially better alternative to property.

The end of the mining construction boom continues to cause economic pain for Western Australia but strong employment growth paints a very positive future, according to Treasurer Ben Wyatt.

Commonwealth Bank has turned down the chance to signal a fresh start at the scandal-hit lender, instead promoting insider Matt Comyn to "rebuild trust" as its new chief executive.

The Australian share market is trading higher following a strong lead from Wall Street.

The Australian dollar is unchanged against the US dollar after Wall Street got a boost from healthcare stocks and a solid economic growth data.

Oil prices rose on Friday after hitting fresh three-year highs in the previous session, as weakness in the dollar continued to underpin prices with crude on track for a weekly gain.

AWE has urged shareholders to take no action on a takeover offer from the state-run energy giant China Energy Reserve and Chemical Group, which remains unchanged from its initial bid of 73 cents per share, after it lodged its bidder's statement.

The Australian share market has finished marginally in the red with only a resilient mining sector keeping a soft market out of deeper losses.

Gold miner Northern Star Resources expects to meet its full-year sales target despite a fall in December quarter gold sales.

David Jones' South African owner Woolworths will take a $713 million write-down on the value of the department store chain as Australia's tough retail market bites harder into the business.

The Australian share market has opened lower following a night of mixed trading in the US and dips across Europe, with only resource and energy sectors showing real gains.