AAP

Mining giant BHP Billiton will write down the value of its onshore US oil and gas assets by more than 30 per cent as it factors in the slump in crude oil prices.

The Australian share market has opened higher, driven by resource and financial stocks after a strong performance on Wall Street as the US earnings season got off to a strong start.

Gold has fallen sharply to a one-and-a-half-week low, pressured by a US Federal Reserve president's comments about potentially rethinking further rate hikes, triggering technical sell signals while

The Australian dollar is drifting higher following a recovery from China's share market and gains in most commodities.

A rally in battered energy shares led US stocks to rebound, while financials rose after upbeat results from JPMorgan Chase & Co.

The Australian share market closed 1.5 per cent lower as investors fretted about the economic outlook following another rocky session on Wall Street.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has put a freeze on salaries for all employees as it hunts for savings in the face of a continuing slump in commodities prices.

Dick Smith's fate may not be decided for another six months, with administrators set to apply for more time to investigate the downfall of the electrical retailer.

Northern Star Resources and Regis Resources have capped off a positive first half of the financial year for gold miners, with December quarter results released today.

The Australian share market has plunged by more two per cent in early trade, with losses across the board following a slump on Wall Street overnight.

Perth-based conglomerate Wesfarmers is poised to make its first major move outside Australasia, offering $A700 million to acquire the Homebase home improvement chain in the UK and revealing plans to develop a new Bunnings-branded business in that market.

US stocks have sold off sharply as a brief rally in beaten-down oil prices stalled after US data added to concerns about an oversupplied energy market.

The Australian dollar is down as Wall Street suffers following further losses on Chinese stock markets.

The Australian share market has broken its eight-day losing streak thanks to better-than-expected Chinese trade figures.

Consumer finance software provider ThinkSmart's shares have bounced on hopes of a healthy rise in full year profit.

Australia's biggest iron ore miners are expected to slash dividends next month as the price of the steel-making commodity dropped to $US40 a tonne overnight.

Sundance Resources’ hopes of developing its Mbalam-Babeba iron ore project in Cameroon have been dragged out further, with delays to construction of port and rail infrastructure.

Mining services contractor Sedgman has told its shareholders to take no action towards CIMIC Group’s $153.1 million offer for all the shares it doesn’t already own in the business.

The Australian share market is higher in early trade as a stronger banking sector outweighs weakness among mining stocks.

The Australian dollar is treading water as nervous investors await key Chinese trade figures.

A late rebound in energy and biotech shares has helped push the S&P 500 to a second straight day of gains, while Apple and other technology shares also boosted the market.

The Australian share market has closed in negative territory for its eighth consecutive session, as energy stocks tumbled amid fears of further oil price falls.

Australia's struggling oil and gas producers are expected to put more assets on the market this year as oil prices hit fresh 12-year lows.

The annual number of Chinese visitors venturing to Australian shores has topped 1 million for the first time.

Dick Smith chief executive Nick Abboud has quit the troubled electronics retailer, which has gone into into receivership with debts of about $390 million.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher after Wall Street had a better session.

Fears for China's growth prospects and turbulence on global markets are weighing on consumers.

US stocks have broadly risen, led by Apple, as they rebounded off their worst-ever start to a year and with the corporate earnings season set to kick off.

The Australian dollar has firmed on recovering global risk appetite after China lifted its currency higher.

The Australian share market clawed back some early losses but has still closed more than 1 per cent lower, chalking up its seventh straight session in the red.

The jobs market is expected to have weakened in December, after enjoying the best two months of employment growth in almost 28 years.

Oil and gas producer Origin Energy has shipped the first cargo from its Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility at Curtis Island in North Queensland.