AAP

Australian retail spending has hit a wall after 10 straight months of gains, with big falls in sales of liquor, footwear, food and recreational goods.

Australia's competition watchdog plans to allow Virgin and Delta Air Lines to continue their trans-Pacific alliance because it's beneficial to the public.

The Australian share market has opened higher after US stocks gained on the back of some encouraging economic data.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower after its rally on the back of strong economic data lost steam.

Crude oil prices have fallen after the weekly US oil report showed a rise in US crude output, against expectations that producers were pulling back.

Wall Street stocks have risen following a wave of mostly solid US data and a fresh confirmation of ultra-easy money policies by the European Central Bank.

Gold fell to a three-week low on Wednesday as data showed the US private sector added more jobs than expected in May and prospects increased of a debt deal for Greece.

The Australian share market slumped to its lowest level since January with sentiment about both the local and global economy poor.

Australia's economy has grown by a better than expected 0.9 per cent in the first three months of 2015, helped by strong exports and home building activity.

Prominent Western Australian Labor MP Ken Travers has quit the shadow cabinet, citing personal reasons.

Newcrest Mining has undergone its second management shake up in a year, with two key executives departing.

Australians and the economy would be the loser if resources companies cut back on production to boost commodity prices, says BHP Billiton chief executive Andrew Mackenzie.

The Australian share market is weaker, following falls on Wall Street overnight.

Gold edged higher after the release of disappointing US economic data and as uncertainty persisted over whether a high-level meeting on Greece's debt crisis might lead to a significant breakthrough.

The Australian dollar hit a one week high on expectations the Reserve Bank won't be raising its interest rate any time soon.

US stocks have finished lower in choppy trade, following European equities downward after a senior EU official complained of slow progress in talks to avoid of Greek debt default.

A sharp fall in the US dollar on improved eurozone economic data sent New York oil prices to fresh 2015 highs, even as officials at OPEC defended their generous output strategy.

The share market fell heavily again, its fourth day of losses in the past five.

A charter plane carrying 87 people has been forced to make an early landing near Tom Price in Western Australia's Pilbara region after fears of fumes filling the cabin.

There was no explicit pointer to another interest rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia after its policy meeting today, where it announced it would keep the cash rate at an all-time low of 2 per cent.

A federal government proposal to impose a $5 co-payment for prescription drugs remains on the table.

The Australian share market has had a flat open after a modestly strong lead from Wall Street.

The Australian dollar fell to a seven week low after strong US manufacturing figures gave the greenback a boost.

Gold was little changed on Monday, giving up gains as the dollar rallied after the precious metal was initially buoyed by an unexpected stall in US consumer spending and comments on interest rates from a Federal Reserve's official.

US stocks rose as a busy week of economic news kicked off with Intel's announcement it will buy rival chipmaker Altera for $US16.7 billion ($A21.95 billion).

Oil prices have dipped as the US dollar strengthened and the market looked ahead to an OPEC meeting expected to keep output high.

The Australian share market has made its best single-day gain in a month as investors snapped up beaten-down stocks.

Evolution Mining is set to become Australia's second largest gold producer after successfully raising funds to buy a NSW gold mine.

More than 50 shipbuilding workers have protested at a marine servicing base in Henderson, demanding a local build for the federal government's $20 billion submarine procurement project.

Gina Rinehart's estranged son has no doubt his mother will appeal a court ruling that stripped her of control of the family's multi-billion dollar trust.

The Australian share market has opened significantly higher, despite a weak lead from Wall Street overnight.

Gold prices have inched higher after hitting a two and a half week low on Thursday as the US dollar and global shares fell amid uncertainty about Greece staying in the euro zone.