AAP

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.

Tax breaks for risk-taking businesses and a boost in science spending lie at the heart of a four-year $1.1 billion innovation package designed to drive an "ideas boom" in Australia.

Australian shares have opened more than one per cent higher after US jobs data at the end of last week gave further support to the idea of a Federal Reserve rate hike this month.

The Australian dollar is higher after US jobs data showed a decent rise in the number of people with jobs in the world's largest economy.

Gold has risen more than two per cent to its highest in nearly three weeks after a US non-farm payrolls report, seen as likely to pave the way for the US Federal Reserve to raise interest rates this month, failed to aid the US dollar's ascent.

The Australian share market has closed sharply lower after overseas markets fell on the European Central Bank's latest economic stimulus.

A third-party arbitrator will be called in to settle a dispute between Gina Rinehart's Roy Hill Holdings and its key construction contractor, Samsung C&T.

Subsidiaries of listed companies Ausdrill and RCR Tomlinson have been ordered to pay more than $450,000 in fines and court costs over two workplace deaths five years ago.

Australian retail spending rose 0.5 per cent in October, official figures show, which beat economists' expectations.

Fremantle Dockers coach Ross Lyon says it's an opportune time for Matthew Pavlich to hand over the captaincy, with Nat Fyfe and David Mundy the leading contenders to replace him at the AFL club.

The Australian share market has opened more than 1.5 per cent lower following big falls overseas in reaction to the European Central Bank's latest policy easing measures.