AAP

Unemployment in Western Australia surged last month, placing it ahead of South Australia as the worst-performing state in October.

Global miner Rio Tinto has sacked two top executives who it sidelined last week over their role in a payments scandal related to the Simandou iron ore project in West Africa.

The Australian share market has slipped in early trade, taking cues from a lower close on Wall Street, as overnight declines in the metals and energy markets weighed down sentiment.

Wall Street has opened lower - a day after the Dow closed higher for the seventh day in a row following Donald Trump's election win - as investors brace for higher interest rates.

Oil prices have eased in volatile trading as the market gives more weight to a bigger-than-expected US crude inventory build than Russia's comments about a possible meeting with Saudi Arabia that has renewed hopes for a production freeze deal.

Gold has eased as the US dollar climbs to a 14-year high against a currency basket, extending a week-long rally driven by a surge in Treasury yields after Donald Trump's election to the US presidency.

Australian shares closed flat as strong gains in energy producers and the big four banks were offset by falls across the resource, health care and consumer discretionary sectors.

Chairman of selectors Rod Marsh has resigned, effective immediately, after Australia's fifth straight Test defeat.

The head of Australia Post says it took longer than he expected to reform the company's haemorrhaging mail business and reduce its losses, delaying the company's expansion overseas.

Australian workers' preference for job security and shorter hours over pay rises has pushed wage growth to a fresh all-time low.

Woolworths shares have slipped after it announced retail expert Sally Macdonald's resignation as Big W chief executive after less than a year in the job.

Retail and mining conglomerate Wesfarmers is considering offloading its east coast coal operations following a doubling of coal prices since June.

The Australian share market has opened higher on the back rising energy shares and with investors seeming slightly more positive about a Trump presidency.

Gold has edged higher, snapping a three-session losing streak, on uncertainty over the economic policies of US President-elect Donald Trump.

The Australian dollar is little changed against its US counterpart as the greenback's post-election rise stalls along with the surge in US bond yields.

Oil prices have jumped six per cent, with US crude notching its biggest daily percentage gain in seven months, on renewed expectations that OPEC will agree in late November to reduce a global supply glut.

US stocks rose on Tuesday, with the Dow registering its fourth consecutive record high close as tech stocks rebounded from a post-election battering and energy stocks were boosted by a sharp rise in oil prices.

Nine Entertainment has come close to a first strike against its remuneration report as shareholders railed against the high pay awarded to executive and non-executive directors despite the broadcaster's disappointing performance.

The Australian share market has closed weaker despite retracing some of its earlier losses as market enthusiasm for the potential policies of US president-elect Donald Trump moderates.

Every member of the Australian Test side beaten so comprehensively by South Africa in Hobart will return to first-class cricket on Thursday, with the exception of pacemen Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Joe Mennie.

The Australian Shareholders' Association is calling for Gerry Harvey to be removed as Harvey Norman executive chairman after a heated exchange with the retail veteran about the company's accounts.

The Australian share market has opened nearly half a per cent lower.

Oil prices have been largely steady, rebounding from three-month lows, on a report saying that OPEC members were seeking to resolve their differences on a deal to cut production ahead of a meeting later in November.

The Australian dollar is largely unchanged against its US counterpart as the greenback hits an 11-month peak against a basket of currencies.

Gold has fallen for the third straight session, finding a five-and-a-half-month low as the US dollar and Treasury yields strengthen on expectations that President-elect Donald Trump will boost US spending.

US stocks closed little changed on Monday after rising dramatically the week before and a decline in the technology sector offset a steep rise in financial stocks as investors bet on higher interest rates.

The Australian share market has closed lower, shedding some of last week's Donald Trump-led rally as investors take profits and mull over the US president-elect's policies.

Australia's liquefied natural gas exports have risen 6.6 per cent in October to 4.3 million tonnes, according to estimates by consultancy EnergyQuest.

Agribusiness Elders' full-year net profit has lifted 35 per cent to $51.6 million with higher retail sales and a strong performance in its strong livestock agency business.

Fortescue Metals Group has signed a $US473 million ($A626 million) financing agreement with a unit of China Development Bank to fund the ongoing construction of eight very large ore carriers (VLOC).

The Australian share market has slipped in early trade as overnight declines in oil and metals prices weighed on investors' minds along with general uncertainty over the next US administration.

The Australian dollar has been bashed amid market concerns about the potential impact of US President-elect Donald Trump's policies on the Australian economy.