AAP

Gold has jumped nearly 2 per cent after comments from US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen indicated the central bank's cautiousness in raising interest rates.

The S&P 500 has closed at its highest in 2016 after Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen called for caution on raising interest rates - music to Wall Street's ears.

Woolworths will dump its 33-year-old Homebrand label after spending months narrowing the price gap with discount retailer Aldi.

The Australian share market has closed more than one per cent lower, led by steep falls among the major banks.

Medibank Private has hired Craig Drummond, an experienced banker who helped transform National Australia Bank, to run Australia's biggest private health provider.

The Australian share market has turned lower, weighed down by the major banks.After initially opening slightly higher, the market did an about turn.

The Australian dollar has been boosted by greenback weakness following a mixed batch of US data.

Gold has edged up, as the US dollar retreated after weaker-than-expected US data, but has stayed close to a one-month low with investors focused on speeches by Federal Reserve officials that could give more clues on potential interest rate increases.

Wall Street was mixed as weaker-than-expected US economic data reduced concerns about potential interest rate hikes and a dip in oil prices pushed down energy shares.

The Australian share market has closed around 1 per cent lower as investors consider the timing of the next rise in US interest rates and reposition their portfolios ahead of the Easter break.

China's largest private gas company, ENN Group, is set to become Santos's biggest shareholder after agreeing to buy an 11.7 per cent stake in the Australian energy giant.

The Australian share market is lower, taking its cue from a decline on Wall Street amid cautious trade and falling oil and commodities prices.

Wall Street has closed lower as oil and materials share prices dropped as investors stayed cautious after deadly bombing attacks in Belgium.

Spot gold has fallen about two per cent, one of its deepest declines of the past year, as the US dollar strengthened following hawkish comments by Federal Reserve officials on the path of US interest rates.

The Australian dollar has plummeted as commodities slide.

Premier Colin Barnett clings to hope the Woodside Petroleum-led Browse liquefied natural gas joint venture will be revived, but says he's not surprised it has been shelved.

Clive Palmer has lost a multi-million dollar court case over the alleged non-payment of royalties to his Mineralogy company, hindering plans for upgrades at his ailing Townsville nickel refinery.

Airports are raking in millions of dollars in profit from slugging motorists hefty carpark fees, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission says.

Australian shares have finished in the red, with low trading volumes and falls across all sectors except one.

The Australian market is trading lower after a lacklustre lead from Wall Street after suicide bomb attacks in Brussels prompted a drop in key US travel stocks.

Gold has risen as investors seek assets seen as havens from risk after deadly bomb attacks hit Brussels airport and a rush-hour Metro train in the Belgian capital.

US stocks have closed slightly lower, regrouping from early losses following attacks on the airport and a rush-hour metro train in Brussels.

The Australian dollar has recovered from losses suffered after bombings in Brussels.

The Australian share market has closed flat as investors take a breather from the run upwards in recent weeks and await a major driver.

Perth experienced a slight improvement in the Residential Property Price Index during the December quarter, but still suffered a 2.9 per cent fall for 2015 overall, the Australian Bureau of Statistics said today.

Slater & Gordon is a step closer to being served with shareholder class action papers after JustKapital Litigation Partners and Woodsford Litigation Funding joined forces to fund proceedings against the embattled law firm.

Hailing a cab during busy periods is set to become easier after the competition watchdog decided to allow a new smartphone taxi booking app called "ihail".

Internet provider TPG Telecom has forecast a strong end to the financial year after its interim net profit nearly doubled, thanks to its $1.56 billion takeover of Perth-grown rival iiNet.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher following modest overnight gains on Wall Street.

Iluka Resources is looking for a new chief executive after David Robb decided to step down in the second half of 2016.

Wall Street has closed little changed as investors search for fresh catalysts and show concern about fully-extended share prices after a five-week rally.

Gold has fallen for a third session, with demand for bullion hurt as the US dollar arrests three weeks of declines after hawkish comments from US Federal Reserve officials renewed expectations of US interest rate rises.