AAP

US stocks sold off further on Thursday, giving the Dow its worst start to a year since the 30-stock index was created in 1928, dragged down by another drop in Chinese equities and oil prices at 12-

Metals giant Alcoa of Australia says its WA alumina refining operations have not been affected by the Waroona bushfire but its Farmlands business has sustained some damage.

Nearly $87 billion has been wiped from Australian equities in the first four trading sessions of 2016 after another Chinese meltdown sent the local market plunging by more than two per cent on Thursday.

Laura Ashley faces an uncertain future in Australia after the women's clothing and homewares retailer, famed for its pastels and prints, called in the administrators.

Home building approvals have suffered their biggest slide in three and a half years in November, with Western Australia's residential construction sector expected to take a hit over 2016.

The Australian share market is lower after Wall Street and European shares suffered another session of losses.

The Australian dollar has hit a two month low after services sector data added to fears about the state of the Chinese economy.

Gold prices have hit a seven-week high, extending gains for a third session as persistent concerns over the Chinese economy battered stock markets.

US stocks have closed at their lowest level since early October, weighed down by fresh concerns over China and slower global growth and as energy shares tumbled with oil prices.

The latest report on the services sector from the Australian Industry Group was a bit of a worry, not just for the industries covered by the AIGroup's monthly survey, but for the rest of the economy as well.

The consumer watchdog is speaking with the receivers at Dick Smith to find out how the electronics retailer's collapse will affect customers.

Perth-based Algae.Tec's share price is blooming after the company started producing algae for the nutraceuticals market.

The Australian share market has closed lower for its third straight session in the new year - and its fourth in a row - as significant events elsewhere in the world make investors nervous.

The Australian share market has had a flat open to trade after US stocks only managed to eke out small gains overnight.

Shoppers might be busy spending up at the post-Christmas sales, but new figures are expected to reveal retail sales got off to a modest start ahead of the recent festive season.

The Australian dollar has hit another post Christmas low, as the fallout from Monday's weak Chinese manufacturing figures overshadows currency markets.

The Dow and S&P 500 have finished slightly higher, stabilising after a weak start to the new year, though investor nervousness stayed high.

The Australian share market has dropped by about 1.6 per cent after concerns about Chinese economic growth sparked falls on major markets around the world.

Shares in Perth-based Orthocell have soared after the tissue regeneration company was granted a patent for its "cell factory" technology in the United States.

The Australian share market is one per cent down after Wall Street suffered two per cent falls amid worries about the Chinese economy and renewed Mideast tensions.

Dick Smith, one of Australia's best known electronics retailers, has been put up for sale, with lenders taking charge of the troubled company after it failed to secure a funding injection.

Australian businesses plan to increase capital investment in 2016 despite having downbeat expectations for their bottom line.

Gold prices have rallied two per cent to a four-week high, buoyed by rising tensions in the Middle East and a sharp drop in stocks following weak Chinese data.

Consumers have started the year in an upbeat mood as confidence about their finances improves.

US stocks have begun 2016 sharply lower, with the Dow marking its worst start to a year since 2008.It came after weak Chinese economic data fanned fears of a global slowdown.

The Australian dollar has fallen to a two week low amid concerns about the Chinese economy and renewed Mideast tensions.

The Australian share market has made slight gains but is not showing any signs of a Christmas rally.

A Perth man who cheated Indonesian farmers out of more than $600,000 by falsely claiming to sell Australian cattle "greatly tarnished" business relations between the countries, a judge says.

The competition watchdog is seeking market feedback after a fresh undertaking by Canada's Brookfield Infrastructure in its takeover battle for ports and rail operator Asciano, which includes the divestment of its bulk rail operations in Western Australia.

Broadspectrum says a $692 million takeover offer from Spanish group Ferrovial undervalues the company.

The Australian share market has started on a strong note following positive cues from Wall Street, with gains across the board.

Brent crude oil prices have touched their weakest level in over 11 years on concerns of global oversupply, while Wall Street ended higher as investors went shopping after two days of sharp declines.