AAP

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.

Oil prices have settled one per cent lower after OPEC reported its September oil output hit eight-year highs, offsetting optimism over the group's pledge to bring a global crude glut under control.

The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones industrial average indexes ended Wednesday's session with small gains as expectations for timing on a rate hike were largely unchanged after US Federal Reserve minutes and investors waited on earnings reports.

Weaker energy and mining stocks have pulled the share market lower, despite gains by market heavyweights including Telstra and CSL.

Former Telstra chair Catherine Livingstone will takeover the chairmanship at Commonwealth Bank of Australia when David Turner retires.

Thousands of aggrieved Slater & Gordon shareholders will be represented in a $250 million-plus class action against the law firm for wrongdoing including allegedly "blindsiding" them with bad news.

The Australian share market has opened lower, with falls across the board following losses on global equity markets and lower oil and gold prices.

Gold prices have fallen as the US dollar has strengthened on increasing bets that the Federal Reserve will raise US interest rates in December.

The Australian dollar is hovering at a three-week low as the US greenback found support among investors following falls in global equity markets and oil prices.

Oil prices have retreated from one-year highs, after OPEC said it was trying to reach a global agreement to cap production for at least six months amid doubts about how much that would reduce a crude glut.

Slumping crude prices and a dour start to Wall Street's corporate earnings season have pulled down US and European equities, while the dollar hit an eight-month high on increasing bets US interest rates will rise in December.

The Australian share market has closed broadly steady as cautious investors await the next trigger to determine the direction of the market.

Oil giant BP's decision to abandon exploration plans in the Great Australian Bight could mean that the region will remain unexplored for some time.

BHP Billiton expects renewable energy to grow at the higher end of expectations but says non-renewable fuels will remain the lowest cost sources in major energy markets for the foreseeable future.

The Australian share market has opened higher, following Wall Street's positive close.

Oil prices have jumped as much as three per cent, with Brent hitting a one-year high, after Russia says it is ready to join OPEC in curbing crude output and Algeria calls for similar commitments from other non-OPEC producers.

Gold has recovered from its biggest weekly drop since November after downbeat US payrolls data dampened speculation of a near-term US interest rate rise and as Chinese buyers returned after the Golden Week holiday.

The Australian dollar is still gaining against the greenback after oil prices jumped overnight.

The Australian share market has closed fractionally higher as gains in financial and resource heavyweights, plus takeover target UGL, offset losses in energy stocks on the back of lower oil prices.

Almost half of Liberal voters in Treasurer Mike Nahan's safe seat of Riverton are opposed to the proposed privatisation of utility Western Power, according to ReachTel data.

The federal government has promised an "arms-length" decision on Gina Rinehart and Shanghai CRED's joint $365 million bid for cattle empire S. Kidman & Co, which will still require foreign investment approval.

Spanish-controlled construction giant CIMIC Group has launched a $524 million takeover bid for its ASX-listed rival UGL.

The Australian share market has advanced in early trade, despite a weak close last week on Wall Street, as investors look to build on gains from the past three weeks.