AAP

US crude futures strengthened Monday before retreating in post-settlement trade as the market lost confidence OPEC cuts would be sufficient to reduce oversupply given increased US drilling.

Gold fell to its lowest price in 10 months as global equities strengthened and investors shrugged off worries of political instability in Italy, while US Treasury yields rose after US economic data.

The share market has closed lower with most sectors in negative territory led by a heavy sell-off among the big four banks.

National Australia Bank and Westpac have raised interest rates on certain types of mortgages as Australia's biggest lenders seek to offset some of the pressure on their margins.

Shares in DUET Group have jumped 16 per cent after the energy utility operator confirmed it has received an indicative and conditional takeover offer from Hong Kong billionaire Li Ka-Shing's Cheung Kong Infrastructure.

The Australian share market has slipped lower in early trade as investors brace for fresh uncertainty sparked by exit poll results from the Italian referendum on constitutional reforms.

Gold edged higher on Friday, climbing for the first time in four sessions as it shrugged off data showing rising US job numbers, with analysts saying that an expected rise in interest rates had already been priced in.

The Australian dollar has risen against the US dollar as the greenback gives up some of its post-election gains.

Oil prices rallied for their best week in at least five years on Friday, steadying above $US51 a barrel, following OPEC's decision to cut crude output to rein in a global glut that has weighed on prices for more than two years.

The share market ended the week with a fall of 1 per cent, with investors cautious ahead of the release of US jobs data and Sunday's Italian constitutional referendum.

Staff at Perth's ageing Princess Margaret Hospital are said to be under strain as maintenance work slows and supplies run low in anticipation of the move to the long-delayed new children's hospital.

The federal government is on the brink of striking a deal with Western Australia to let the state run the National Disability Insurance Scheme locally.

Jetstar will stop automatically adding extras such as travel insurance to its customers' online bookings, as Australia's consumer watchdog looks to prevent travellers from paying unnecessary costs.

Graincorp's biggest shareholder, Archer Daniels Midland, has sold its 19.9 per cent stake in the Australian grain merchant for about $387 million, three years after its failed $3.4 billion takeover bid.

The Australian share market is slightly lower in early trade, after a mixed end from Wall Street overnight and a continued push in oil prices.

A sharp decline in technology stocks pulled both the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 indexes into the red on Thursday, while the Dow managed to notch a record closing high with a lift from bank and energy shares.

Gold hit its lowest since February on Thursday, extending losses after its biggest monthly decline in more than three years, as a surge in oil prices boosted bond yields, denting interest in non-yielding gold as an alternative investment.

The Australian dollar is flat against the greenback, which lost ground as oil prices continued to rally on the back of OPEC's agreement to cut oil production.

Oil prices surged 4 per cent on Thursday, with Brent crude at its highest in about 16 months, extending gains after OPEC and Russia agreed to restrict output to reduce the global supply glut more quickly.

The Australian share market has jumped more than 1 per cent, driven by a surge in energy stocks after the world's leading oil producers agreed to cut oil production for the first time in eight years.

he Australian share market has kicked off with gains in early trade as investors cheer an agreement between the world's largest oil exporters to cut output for the first time in eight years.

The Australian dollar has dropped more than three quarters of a cent against a US dollar that has surged on positive economic data.

Oil has soared more than 10 per cent to over $US50 a barrel and its highest in a month as some of the world's largest producers agree to curb production for the first time since 2008 in a bid to support prices.

Gold has fallen to nearly a 10-month low, adding to its deepest monthly price declines in more than three years as strong US economic data and higher US Treasury yields buoy the US dollar, further cementing the case for a December rate increase.

US stocks ended with big gains for November on Wednesday thanks to a sharp post-election rally, but the S&P 500 finished the day flat as drops in utilities and technology offset energy's surge.

Western Australian women have gone backwards in terms of the gender pay gap, with full-time workers earning on average 30.9 per cent - or $43,000 a year - less than men.

Steep falls across the mining and energy sectors have driven the Australian share market lower.

Medibank boss Craig Drummond has committed to halting the decline in the private health insurer's market share by overhauling its approach to customers.

The Australian share market has kicked off the trading session lower, due to renewed pressure on resource and energy companies, including Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and Woodside Petroleum.

Oil has slumped four per cent as OPEC's leading oil exporters struggle to agree on a deal to cut production to reduce global oversupply and boost prices, with Iran and Iraq at loggerheads with Saudi Arabia a day ahead of meeting.

Gold prices have fallen due to expectations of rising US interest rates and improving sentiment for global economic growth, which mean investors are likely to favour risk assets such as equities.

The Australian dollar is marginally higher against its US counterpart after gains in the greenback fizzled out following strong third quarter US economic growth data.