AAP

The Australian dollar is stronger against the US dollar as the greenback weakened further after the US Treasury Secretary spoke in favour of the trend.

Oil prices rallied on heavy volume, boosted by a record 10th straight weekly decline in US crude inventories, though reduced refining activity and rising production signalled US stocks could rise in coming weeks.

Financial advisers at the big banks have been found to be biased towards their employer's products, which in some cases has left their customers worse off.

The share market gained ground as demand for energy, healthcare and some financial stocks offset the impact of weaker commodity prices on miners.

The Australian share market is higher in morning trade, following positive leads from US and European markets.

The Australian dollar is a smidgen higher against its US counterpart after US lawmakers agreed an interim funding bill but there was no major economic data to inspire the languishing greenback.

Oil has risen more than one per cent, with benchmark Brent crude hitting $US70 a barrel for the first time in a week, boosted by healthy world economic growth prospects and expectations for continued production curbs by OPEC, Russia and their allies.

Gold prices have risen as the US dollar has fallen to fresh three-year lows, but an end to uncertainty created by a three-day US government shutdown capped gains.

The share market has posted its best daily gain since October as investors welcomed an end to the US government shutdown.

The Australian share market has rallied in early trade, buoyed by a positive lead from Wall Street and strong showings from the big banks and healthcare stocks.

Gold has steadied as the US dollar has hovered near three-year lows, but bullishness in the wider financial markets as the US government shutdown ended capped the metal's gains.

The Australian dollar once again has edged above 80 US cents as the US government shutdown weighs on the greenback.

Oil has settled higher after US dollar fluctuations and the restart of some Libyan oil fields caused the market to vacillate, with prices testing lower before rallying to levels just below three-year highs.

Australian shares have closed lower due to weakness from the major banks and investor caution over the US government shutdown.

Domain's shares have plummeted following the surprise resignation of its chief executive, Antony Catalano, which comes less than four months after the real estate classifieds business listed on the Australian Securities Exchange.

Australian shares are flat in early trade despite key indexes around the world having finished the week firmly stronger.

The Australian dollar is lower against a US counterpart weighed down by the threat of a US government shutdown.

Oil prices have fallen, breaking a four-week winning streak after a rally that had taken benchmarks to three-year highs, as investors sold positions on re-emerging US production concerns.

Gold prices have risen slightly as the dollar hovered near a three-year low on heightened fears of a US government shutdown, but the precious metal was still on track for its first weekly drop in six weeks.

The Australian share market has closed lower on concerns around a possible US government shutdown, while the Aussie dollar is trading at a four-month high.

The Australian dollar is fractionally shy of 80 US cents, with the US dollar weakening ovenight amid fears of a possible federal government shutdown.

The Australian share market looks set to open higher despite an uninspiring Wall Street session.

Oil is little changed, after prices ease early in the session, but are supported by a record drawdown of US crude stockpiles at the Cushing, Oklahoma delivery hub.

Gold is flat, trading in a narrow range, first dipping as the US dollar rose and then rising as the US dollar moved lower, but bullion's gains were limited by higher US Treasury yields.

Western Australia's unemployment rate has fallen by a surprising 0.9 per cent in the month of December, while job numbers were up for a record-equalling 15th consecutive month nationwide, with economists giving positive assessments of the labour market.

Australian shares have closed barely lower, with banks and consumer stocks among the few sectors to record gains as energy and mining stock weakness weighed on the market.

A company selling car repair warranties will refund $4.9 million to thousands of customers who were sold high-priced cover by sales staff chasing bigger commissions.

The state's domestic gas market will soon receive a small supply boost, with Woodside Petroleum's Pluto project expected to begin pumping up to 25 terajoules a day into the network from the second half of this year.

BHP Billiton has lifted production of copper, nickel and energy coal for the first half of fiscal 2018, but volumes were flat in its iron ore business while petroleum and metallurgical coal volumes were down.

Australian shares have opened comfortably higher after a strong positive lead from Wall Street with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing above 26,000 points for the first time.

Oil prices have closed higher ahead of the release of US petroleum data that was expected to show a ninth straight weekly drawdown in crude inventories.

The Australian share market has closed lower, with the materials sector heavily sold down on shifting commodity prices and expectations of a correction.