AAP

The Australian share market has closed modestly higher, led by the banks, as investors await next week's RBA decision on interest rates and financial reports from three of the big four banks.

Treasurer Scott Morrison has told the Chinese company wanting to buy Australia's largest private landholder that its planned purchase is contrary to the national interest.

Broadspectrum shares have surged more than 30 per cent after the detention centre operator recommended the $769 million takeover bid it had previously rejected.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

The Australian dollar is trading lower with investors bearish ahead of the Reserve Bank's rate decision next week.

US stocks have closed down as the Bank of Japan's shocking call to cap monetary stimulus continued to rattle investors while a late day decline in Apple shares on remarks by billionaire investor Carl Icahn added to selling pressure.

Gold has risen more than one per cent as the Bank of Japan held off from expanding monetary stimulus, boosting the yen versus the US dollar, and after the Federal Reserve signalled it was in no rush to tighten monetary policy.

The Australian share market has closed higher as a lift in iron ore futures in China boosted mining stocks, but market gains were curbed by the Bank of Japan's decision not to expand its economic stimulus policies.

Detention centre operator Broadspectrum faces an uncertain future as Papua New Guinea plans to shut down its Manus Island facility.

Quickflix founder Stephen Langsford has sharpened his attack on rival streaming service Stan, accusing co-owner Nine Entertainment of trying to drive his company out of business.

A US clothing company has made a $1.1 billion takeover bid for the owner of Australia's favourite underwear, Bonds.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

The Australian dollar has extended its losses as shockingly weak inflation figures reverberate around global markets.

Wall Street stocks edged up, US Treasury debt yields fell, and oil prices rose to the highest level of the year after the Federal Reserve signalled it was in no hurry to change policy.

Gold has risen for a third straight session, but has pared gains after the US Federal Reserve held interest rates unchanged but left the door ajar to a rise in June.

Australia's big banks have dragged the Australian share market lower on increasing chances of an interest rate cut.

Western Australia can only compete for a bigger share of defence contracts if it has a dedicated minister for defence issues, the opposition says.

Energy giant Shell is talking with staff about job cuts and efficiency improvements as it assimilates the previously BG Group-owned QGC gas project.

Fortescue Metals Group is taking advantage of firmer iron ore prices to further trim its massive debt pile.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

The S&P 500 has ticked up, buoyed by gains in the energy and materials sectors as soft economic data weakened the dollar, giving support to oil and gold prices.

Gold has rebounded after weaker-than-expected US durable goods data knocked the US dollar to a session low against the euro, but prices remained hemmed into a narrow range as a two-day Federal Reserve policy meeting began.

A spike in global oil prices has propelled the Australian dollar higher.

The Australian share market has closed modestly lower as investors await Australian inflation data, a US decision on interest rates and US economic figures.

The federal government's future submarine project will be assembled in South Australia under French company DCNS, although there's still hope for Western Australian industry to win contracts.

Newcrest Mining has reaffirmed its full-year gold production guidance after its biggest mine returned to full production, helping to push up output.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

Gold has risen as a retreat in the US dollar helped to tempt back some buyers after the previous session's 1.3 per cent slide, but moves were muted ahead of a Federal Reserve policy meeting this week.

A dip in global oil prices has dragged the Australian dollar lower.

US stock prices have fallen due to weaker oil prices and disappointing company results, while the dollar has retreated on profit-taking ahead of central bank policy meetings in the United States and Japan later this week.

The share market's good run has come to an end due to falls among the big miners.

Liquidators have been appointed to chase down about $200 million in debts owed by Clive Palmer's failed Queensland Nickel enterprise.