AAP

The share market has fallen as the major banks gave up early gains and weaker commodity prices weighed on the resources sector.

Premier Colin Barnett has denied his leadership is in jeopardy following recent poor polling and insists if anyone was dissatisfied with his performance they would tell him.

Treasurer Mike Nahan appears to have lost any hope his calls to change the GST carve-up will be heeded, declaring "we're on our own" after handing down the state budget yesterday.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher after a mixed overnight session on Wall Street.

 US stocks have ended mixed, with gains in telecommunications and consumer staples helping make up for a tumble in Apple to a two-year low.

Gold has fallen as a strengthening US dollar prompted some buyers to cash in gains after its biggest daily rise this month, briefly paring losses after downbeat US jobs data.

The Australian dollar is flat amid conflicting pressures from oil and iron ore prices.

The financial sector has driven the Australian share market lower after Westpac's shares traded ex-dividend.

Newly appointed Labor candidate for Fremantle, Josh Wilson, says he sympathises with the man he has replaced in what he has described as extraordinary circumstances.

Myer has reaffirmed its full-year guidance despite subdued sales due to the warm start to winter.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

US stocks dropped and the Dow Jones industrial average suffered its worst day since February as feeble quarterly reports from Walt Disney, Macy's and Fossil undermined confidence across the consumer sector.

Stronger oil prices have boosted the Australian dollar.

Gold has rebounded from two-week lows as the US dollar's rally paused and global shares fell, rekindling investors' appetite for the precious metal. 

Labor candidate Chris Brown reportedly could be disendorsed for the seat of Fremantle due to undisclosed convictions from the 1980s.

Woolworths has declined to comment on a media report that it is a takeover target for private equity giant Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.

The Australian bourse has closed higher as energy and resources stocks lifted the market.

Embattled Perth Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi says she doesn't fear a possible leadership challenge.

BHP Billiton boss Andrew Mackenzie is confident that the resources behemoth can boost its value by more than 70 per cent, even without a significant recovery in commodity prices.

Australian energy company AWE has knocked back a $421.4 million takeover bid from a private equity firm, labelling the offer opportunistic and below fair value.

The Australian share market has opened more than one per cent higher.

Gold has closed slightly higher after earlier falling to a near two-week low, after its steepest loss since March in the prior session, as a firm US dollar and higher equities curb appetite for the precious metal.

Stock markets around the world have rallied, helped by solid corporate earnings reports and higher oil prices supporting energy shares.

The Australian dollar has risen amid a bounce on oil prices.

The Australian share market has closed higher after a choppy session.

Lower iron ore prices and a stronger US dollar hit dual-listed Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton in London and the pair continued to suffer locally on Tuesday.

Gold has fallen two per cent in its biggest one-day drop in nearly seven weeks as the strengthening US dollar and a sharper appetite for assets seen as higher risk sparked selling across commodities.

Wall Street has ended mixed after a rally in Allergan Plc and other healthcare companies offset a decline in energy shares.

The Australian dollar has fallen on the back a decline in China's imports.At 0700 AEST on Tuesday, the currency was trading at 73.16 US cents, down from 73.63 cents on Monday.

The Australian share market has closed higher following choppy trade driven by mixed economic signs.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia has lifted third quarter profit about 4.5 per cent to $2.3 billion but has followed its big bank rivals by reporting a rise in bad debts.

The Australian share market has swapped the red for the green in choppy early trade as the major four banks, bar the ANZ, change direction and move into positive territory.