AAP

Strong demand for new apartments and office buildings has helped Lendlease deliver a 13 per jump in annual profit, and it says it has a growing pipeline of projects.

Energy giant Woodside Petroleum's first-half profit has slumped 50 per cent on the back of lower oil prices.

Medibank Private's annual profit has risen by 46.4 per cent to $417.6 million, but the health insurer says it needs to offer better value to customers.

The Australian share market has opened flat, despite Wall Street closing higher.

The Australian dollar has fallen after official job figures for July showed the biggest decline in full-time work in almost three years.

Gold has risen, buoyed by a weaker US dollar after minutes from the US Federal Reserve's July meeting showed policymakers were divided over whether to raise interest rates soon.

Oil prices have risen for a sixth straight day, with Brent crude rising above $US50 for the first time in six weeks as the world's biggest producers prepared to discuss a possible freeze in production levels.

The share market has fallen as the financial sector languished in the red and a mixed bag of earnings reports failed to inspire investors.

Pankaj and Radhika Oswal are close to settling their legal battle with ANZ Banking Group, but are unlikely to end up with the $1.5 billion to $2.5 billion they wanted.

Britain's vote to leave the EU may have caused anxiety for some, but the flurry of trade that followed gave the Australian Securities Exchange a boost to its bottom line.

Former federal ALP Member for Perth Alannah MacTiernan has been backed to return to state politics after veteran Labor MP Ken Travers announced he was quitting parliament.

Western Australia's unemployment rate jumped from 5.7 per cent to 6.3 per cent in July, according to new data.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower despite a weaker greenback following signals from the US central bank that its in no hurry to raise interest rates.

Gold has steadied, after moving in both directions following the release of minutes from the US Federal Reserve's July meeting, which showed the central bank's policymakers expected an interest rate hike soon but were still awaiting more data.

Oil's rally has extended for a fifth day, helped by a weaker US dollar and an unexpected drawdown in US crude and petrol but traders said the runup may not last, pointing to galloping Saudi output and technical factors.

The share market has closed flat as big losses by QBE Insurance, CSL and Commonwealth Bank were offset by gains among big miners and some financial stocks.

Property developer Stockland is reaping the benefits of a surge in house and land sales driven by strong population growth, job growth and low interest rates.

Western Australia is catching up with South Australia and the Northern Territory in introducing a container deposit scheme for drink cans and bottles, likely from mid-2018.

James Packer's Crown Resorts still sees Macau casinos as a good investment despite its joint-venture operations there continuing to weigh on profits.

QBE Insurance Group shares have dropped as much as 11.5 per cent after the insurer downgraded its full-year gross written premium guidance, citing pressure on product pricing and the value of its investments following a sharp drop in first-half profit.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

Oil has settled up nearly two per cent, hitting five-week highs for a second straight day as sources at OPEC spoke of Saudi Arabia's desire for higher crude prices while Russia met the producer group to discuss the market.

Gold has cut its gains after mixed US economic data failed to give clarity on the prospects for a US interest rate rise this year and the US dollar pared losses from a seven-week low.

The Australian dollar is lower against its US counterpart after the greenback strengthened following earlier losses and the Reserve Bank minutes failed to give clear direction.

The Australian share market has closed slightly lower as investors put aside a positive lead from record-setting US markets to digest local company earnings results.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia chief executive Ian Narev took home $12.3 million in total pay in the last financial year, up more than 50 per cent due to performance-related share bonuses.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

The Australian dollar has risen slightly ahead of the release of official minutes from the Reserve Bank board's August interest rates meeting.

Gold has risen as the US dollar has edged lower as expectations dwindled that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rate this year.

Oil prices have hit five-week highs, gaining 10 per cent or more in a three-day rally as speculation intensified over potential producer action to support prices amid a crude glut.

A rally among the big four banks has lifted the Australian share market slightly higher as company reporting season rolled into its second week.