AAP

Australia's interest rates are likely to stay low for years, perhaps even decades, a top global economist warns.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

The Australian dollar has gained against the US dollar as investors await the US presidential debate with Republican candidate Donald Trump and Democrats Hilary Clinton.

Oil has settled up three per cent as the world's largest producers gathered in Algeria to discuss ways to support prices, with nervous trade driving volatility to its highest since a similar meeting to freeze output in April in Doha which failed.

Gold has steadied, after a retreat in the US dollar helped it build on last week's gains but moves were muted with markets awaiting a US presidential debate for pointers as to the outcome of November's election.

Australian shares have ended the week in positive territory after a strong US market pushed local stocks to a fourth consecutive day of gains.

ASX boss Dominic Stevens has apologised for the "unacceptable" outage that stopped trading on the Australian stock market on Monday but defended its handling of the situation.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher, taking cues from steady gains on Wall Street a day after the US Federal Reserve's decision to hold interest rates.

US stocks have climbed, with big tech names leading broad gains, building on strength from a day earlier that was fuelled by the Federal Reserve's decision to stand pat on interest rates.

Gold prices rose to a two-week high after the US Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates on hold sent the dollar to its lowest level since the start of last week.

The Australian dollar has fallen against the greenback, but is set to test the 77 US cent level on the back of the US interest rate hold.

The share market has posted a third straight day of gains as major central banks leave their interest settings unchanged to help stimulate economic growth.

Brickworks managing director Lindsay Partridge says Western Australia remains an attractive market despite setbacks during the year, when it undertook a major restructure of its Austral Bricks WA and Auswest Timber businesses.

New Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe has defended the central bank's monetary policy framework, telling a parliamentary committee "we are not 'inflation nutters'".

Indian business couple Pankaj and Radhika Oswal are "very satisfied" with a commercial settlement with the ANZ Banking Group believed to be worth hundreds of millions following their high profile legal dispute.

The stock market has opened 46.3pts higher to 5,385.9.

US stocks have rallied and the US dollar index eased further after the US Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, keeping its low-rate environment intact for now.

The Australian dollar has bounced after the US dollar fell as the Federal Reserve downgraded its rate projections.

The share market has closed higher, along with other Asian markets, after the Bank of Japan kept its benchmark interest rate at minus 0.1 per cent.

Wesfarmers chief executive Richard Goyder has taken a substantial pay cut with a halving in his short-term incentive payments after a year in which his Coles-owning conglomerate took a hefty hit to profits.

The collapse of a ceiling section at Perth's Children's Hospital has been blamed by the construction union on builders John Holland doing a "rush job" on remediation work after asbestos was found in roof panels in July.

BHP Billiton is locked in a $1 billion dispute with the Australian Taxation Office over the amount of taxes payable on the sale of Australian commodities to its Singapore marketing business, while its chief executive has seen his annual pay slashed in half follwoing the Samarco dam disaster.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

US oil (WTI) prices have edged up on hopes the planned restart of country's main petrol pipeline after a leak more than a week ago will boost demand, while Brent has slipped amid scepticism over a proposed deal to freeze production.

The Australian dollar is unchanged against the greenback as investors await interest rate decisions from the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.

Gold has steadied as Federal Reserve policy makers begin a two-day meeting that investors bet will leave interest rates unchanged.

The Australian share market has closed slightly higher as investors wait for crucial central bank interest rate decisions from Japan and the US.

Shares in TPG Telecom, which purchased iiNet last year, have plunged almost 19 per cent with investors disappointed by its underlying results, dividend and outlook.

The Australian share market has opened flat.

The Australian dollar is unchanged as global investors wait for key central bank decisions on interest rates in Japan and the US.

Oil prices have rallied rallied before settling off their highs on scepticism over Venezuela's bid to talk up a potential OPEC output freeze and on indications US crude stockpiles have risen.

Gold prices have risen as the US dollar has slipped but gains were capped by jitters ahead of a Federal Reserve monetary policy meeting and a rise in US government bond yields.