AAP

The Australian dollar is flat as it consolidates gains after rallying to a two-week high overnight.

Gold prices have risen, supported by weakness in the US dollar index, although receding worries about the outcome of the US election and expectations of a US rate increase in December could mean lower levels.

Oil has settled higher as expectations of OPEC output curbs lifted prices despite forecasts that data would show a second straight weekly build in US crude stockpiles.

Wagering giants Tabcorp and Tatts Group have revived the likelihood of a merger that would create a $9 billion gambling behemoth, less than a year after initially failing to reach a deal.

An Australian Federal Police officer based in Western Australia has been stood down from duty after being charged with drug offences.

The Australian share market has closed higher as resource stocks, in particular BHP Billiton, extend gains on the back of better commodity prices.

Fuel refiner and retailer Caltex has confirmed it has made an offer to buy the service station business of supermarket giant Woolworths.

The Australian share market is slightly higher in listless early trade as investors await cues on the market direction after two days of losses.

Wall Street has ended modestly lower as energy stocks retreated along with oil prices, while Amazon and Netflix weighed on the consumer discretionary sector.

Oil prices have settled lower, weighed by oversupply concerns, with a spike in trade volume driving US prices below US50, but losses were limited amid a projected drop in American shale output.

The price of gold has risen, partly lifted by steady flows into exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and a dip in the US dollar after touching seven-month highs.

The Australian dollar has continued to climb against the US dollar, which traded lower against most of the major currencies in the wake of a softer manufacturing sector report.

The Australian share market has closed lower, led downwards by casinos operator Crown Resorts, which fell 14 per cent after 18 of its employees were detained in China.

A key supporter of the federal government in the Senate, Family First's Bob Day, is quitting parliament because of financial problems with the housing group he founded, which trades as Collier Homes in Western Australia.

Shares in James Packer's casinos operator Crown Resorts have fallen sharply in the wake of China's detention of 18 Crown employees, as investors fear a crackdown on gambling in China.

The Australian share market has slipped lower in early trade as investors try to assess the impact of Federal Reserve comments and stay cautious ahead of key data this week.

Oil prices have fallen slightly as traders balance a stronger US dollar and another increase in the US oil rig count against expectations that more OPEC talk of output cuts will keep crude above $US50 per barrel.

The Australian dollar has bucked the trend and risen against the greenback.

Gold has fallen as the US dollar has risen after US economic data came in within analysts' expectations, cementing assumptions of an interest rate increase by the Federal Reserve by year-end.

The share market has ended the week with a flat performance, as inflation data from China conflicted with the previous day's disappointing trade numbers from the economic powerhouse.

The corporate watchdog is looking at how the ASX, brokers and investors operate on the share market following the exchange's September crash.

Shares in Australian furniture maker and retailer Fantastic have soared on news it has received a $361.4 million takeover offer from larger rival Steinhoff Asia Pacific, the owner of Freedom and Snooze brands.

The Australian share market is barely hanging on to early gains as investors look for positives after a gloomy day in overseas markets following weak Chinese trade data.

The Australian dollar has gained against its the greenback after disappointing Chinese trade data and a fall in US bond yields.

US stocks slipped on Thursday led by falls in financial shares and following weak Chinese economic data but a late-day rebound in oil prices limited the day's decline.

Oil prices have settled higher after a US government report showing hefty draws in diesel and petrol offset the first crude inventory build in six weeks.

Gold prices have edged higher as the US dollar declines and world shares slip following renewed worries about China's economy.

The share market has fallen as energy, resources and financial companies felt the impact of weaker than expected Chinese trade data.

Australia's largest chicken company Ingham's Group is set to list on the share market with a value of up to $1.5 billion.

The Australian share market has opened lower in the wake of a drop in oil prices and a mostly flat finish to trade on Wall Street.

Spot gold has held modest gains, after minutes from the Federal Reserve's September meeting that showed several voting policymakers judged an interest rate rise would be warranted "relatively soon" if the US economy continued to improve.

The Australian dollar has slipped further after the US dollar hit a fresh seven-month high overnight, continuing its recent trend.