AAP

Seven West Media chairman Kerry Stokes says Australia's high broadcast licence fees and lack of incentives for local content are making production in overseas markets more attractive.

Global miner Rio Tinto has suspended one top executive with immediate effect while another is stepping down over payments made in 2011 related to the Simandou iron ore project in West Africa.

The Australian share market has risen strongly in early trade, taking cues from Wall Street, as investors bet on the likelihood of a Hillary Clinton win the US presidential elections.

US stocks rose for a second straight session as investors bet Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win the US presidential election.

Oil prices have been mixed with WTI flat and Brent falling as voters headed to the polls to elect the next president of the United States.

Gold prices have turned lower as the US dollar and global equity markets firmed with investors growing more convinced that Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton could win the US presidential election.

The Australian dollar has rallied on market expectations that Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton could be elected the next US president.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares dipped after the nation's largest lender said a lower net interest margin contributed to its flat first quarter earnings.

The Australian share market has closed slightly higher but investors are treading cautiously for fear of a Brexit-like surprise from the US presidential election.

The company in charge of rolling out the national broadband network says it is well on track towards its long-term goals after adding about 338,000 new homes and businesses to the system in the September quarter.

The competition watchdog has raised concerns about the way Aldi, Coles and Woolworths treat suppliers when dumping products from their supermarket shelves.

The Australian share market is slightly higher after a choppy morning as traders hold positions before US voters head to the polls.

Oil prices have risen more than 1 per cent, supported by a rebound in other asset classes after news that US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton will not face charges over her email server use, but gains were capped by a rallying US dollar and doubts over OPEC's planned production cuts.

The Australian dollar has comfortably breached the 77 US cents barrier and also has risen strongly against the yen and the euro on news the FBI had closed its investigation into Hillary Clinton's email server use.

Gold prices have fallen, posting their biggest one-day drop in five weeks as the US dollar and stocks rallied on news Hillary Clinton will not face criminal charges over her use of a private email server.

Usman Khawaja and Peter Nevill showed admirable resistance on day five of the first Test but couldn't stop South Africa recording a 177-run win over Australia late in the second session at the WACA.

The Australian share market has closed more than one per cent higher as investors speculated that Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's chances of winning the US election had improved.

The majority of UGL's directors are recommending the engineering group's shareholders accept Spanish-controlled construction giant CIMIC Group's $524 million takeover bid.

Westpac shares jumped after the bank reported a flat full-year cash profit of $7.82 billion.

The Australian share market has opened more than half a per cent higher.

Oil futures have fallen by their biggest weekly percentage decline since January of around nine per cent as signs of tensions resurface between Saudi Arabia and Iran that could scupper a key supply cut pact.

The Australian dollar has slightly strengthened against its US counterpart, despite a steady US jobs report that has reinforced the likelihood of a Federal Reserve rate rise.

Gold has steadied, heading for its biggest weekly rise since mid-September as jitters over next week's US election offset a solid payrolls report that shored up expectations for a US interest rate rise in December.

Mitch Marsh's spot in the Test squad is hanging by a thread following his latest failure with the bat, as Australia was all out for 244 by 3pm.

Mining explosives maker Orica has flagged a cautious outlook for the 2017 financial year despite swinging to a full-year profit on the back of sharp spending cuts and improving commodities prices.

Big falls across the financial and energy sectors pushed the share market to its lowest level in more than four months, amid mounting uncertainty of the outcome of next week's US presidential election.

Australian shares have opened lower following weak leads from overseas, with financial and energy stocks pulling the market into the red.

The S&P 500 fell for an eighth straight session on Thursday, its longest losing streak since the 2008 financial crisis, as Facebook shares weighed and investors grappled with uncertainty over next week's US presidential election.

The Australian dollar has strengthened further against its US counterpart, helped by increased commodity prices.

Oil prices have settled more than one per cent lower as investors reeled from a record weekly surge in US crude inventories, and remained sceptical about whether OPEC can actually implement its planned output cap.

Gold has edged higher in response to a lower US dollar and also uncertainty about the outcome of a tight US presidential race.

Australian spearhead Mitchell Starc sizzled, while the Marsh brothers snaffled spectacular catches, as South Africa reached 7-176 at tea on day one of the first Test at the WACA.