AAP

Billionaire Gina Rinehart has seen off the first shipment of iron ore from her $10 billion Roy Hill project, on the same day BC Iron entered a trading halt ahead of a review of its Nullagine joint venture project.

Supermarket giant Woolworths allegedly pressured more than 800 of its suppliers for make extra payments worth up to $60 million to shore up the retailer's profits, the consumer watchdog says.

The Australian share market has closed lower as big investors look to markets overseas for better value shares.

Western Australia’s unemployment rate has lifted 0.2 per cent in November to 6.6 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms and employment eased back from a record high, in contrast to strong employment growth in the rest of the country.

The Australian share market is lower despite strength in materials and energy stocks, after Wall Street fell as a brief rally in oil prices fizzled.

The prime minister wants the Perth Freight Link completed as soon as possible, despite controversy continuing to dog the project.

The Australian dollar has edged lower ahead of key jobs figures.

Gold prices have flattened, giving back earlier gains as oil prices fell and shrugging off support from the weak US dollar and shares as investors remained cautious ahead of an anticipated Federal Reserve rate rise next week.

US stocks have closed lower in a choppy session as oil resumed its decline and the S&P 500 index fell through a technical support level ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting next week that is expected to result in an interest rate hike.

A company has been fined $80,000 plus $6,000 in costs after a worker was severely burned when a tractor engine caught fire during an apprentice "challenge" in Western Australia.

Australian shares have closed lower as investors worry about global growth prospects and falling commodities prices.

Billionaire Gina Rinehart is excited about the Roy Hill project's expected first iron ore shipment this week despite the commodity trading at a fresh 10-year low.

Labor has urged the prime minister to redistribute federal government infrastructure funding, beginning with the Perth Freight Link.

Premier Colin Barnett has warned the state government's mid-year budget review would be 'horrible' as the state continues to suffer from a downturn in revenue.

The Australian share market is lower and under pressure from the continuing commodities rout and weaker US markets.

US stocks have fallen after a choppy session as lower oil prices pressure energy stocks for a fifth day and weak Chinese trade data reignites fears of a global slowdown.

The Australian dollar is getting crushed by a decline in commodity prices.

Gold has risen as the US dollar has receded slightly and stocks have fallen globally, though expectations that the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week has kept gains in check.

A large-scale fish kill in Cockburn Sound was caused by an algal bloom, possibly associated with low levels of oxygen in the water, the Department of Fisheries says.

The Australian share market has closed almost 1 per cent lower as a steep slide in oil prices and a weaker price for iron ore weighed on the energy and mining sectors.

Woolworths and Aldi have vowed to give suppliers more bargaining power following complaints against the supermarket giants' conduct.

Broadspectrum has suggested that Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial has undervalued the detention centre operator with its $715 million takeover bid.

Woodside Petroleum has formally abandoned its attempted takeover of rival energy company Oil Search by withdrawing its $11.6 billion bid.

The Australian share market has opened sharply lower after a steep slide in oil prices drove US stocks south.

US stocks have fallen, led by the S&P energy index's biggest one-day percentage drop since late August as oil prices slid to their lowest point in nearly seven years.

The Australian dollar has been dented by declines in the global oil price.

Oil prices have skidded to their lowest level in nearly seven years, hurting the shares of major oil companies on Wall Street as a global glut showed no signs of abating, while European stocks benefited from a weaker euro.

Gold has fallen more than one per cent from the prior session's three-week high, after the US dollar gained from Friday's upbeat US jobs data that reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next week.

CBH Group has confirmed half a tonne of canola grain was spilt into Cockburn Sound last month, as Fisheries experts continue to probe why more than 1,500 dead fish have washed up in Perth's south.

The Australian share market has finished flat after the major banks failed to hold onto strong gains and as the energy stocks suffered steep falls.

Spanish infrastructure giant Ferrovial has announced a $715 million takeover bid for Australian contractor Broadspectrum, which was formerly known as Transfield Services.

The services sector has driven the fourth consecutive month rise in employment advertisements.