AAP

The Dow has jumped nearly 300 points after the US Federal Reserve made no changes to its monetary policy, saying it can remain "patient" before moving to raise interest rates.

World oil prices have rallied somewhat after the Russian rouble stabilised and the US reported lower crude inventories.

Gold prices have shuffled between gains and losses in electronic trading, after the Federal Reserve made few changes to its statement at the end of its monetary policy meeting.

Grab your wheelbarrow and shovel.

Struggling TV broadcaster and takeover target Ten Network is hoping for a pick-up in the advertising market this financial year.

The share market has closed higher for the first time in more than a week as the energy sector rebounded after recent heavy falls.

There will be no exploration access to Western Australia's famed Pinnacles and its surrounding deserts after a request by Norwest Energy to amend its permit.

Telstra is in talks to buy the company that owns the world's largest private submarine cable network, Pacnet.

Embattled Boart Longyear says a recovery in demand for its drilling services could be more than a year away, as it secured the final piece of a $US342 million bailout plan.

The federal government will not make changes to the GST this term despite a recommendation from an independent economic body, Finance Minister Mathias Cormann has indicated.

New figures highlight the challenge facing Treasurer Joe Hockey in his quest to repair the budget - a slowing economy and weak demand for workers.

Forecasting firm BIS Shrapnel has tipped the Perth office vacancy rate to peak at 23 per cent by 2018, a figure significantly higher than the expectations of the city's leading commercial property agents.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

Construction giant Leighton is handing over a 50 per cent share in its services operations to a US investment firm in a deal valuing the business at $1.075 billion.

Scooter maker Vmoto is launching a new joint venture company in China to meet the increasing demand for electric vehicles.

Boart Longyear is asking investors to support a $400 million bailout package for the troubled mining services company after calling a special shareholder meeting.

US stocks have finished lower following a topsy-turvy session amid unease over plunging oil prices and a crash in the Russian rouble.

Oil prices in New York have stabilised but European crude have sunk again after a Kuwait official said OPEC would not take emergency actions to stop prices from falling.

The Australian dollar is weaker as a plunge in the Russian rouble hit risk sentiment.

Gold futures have fallen on fears of a hawkish monetary policy statement from the Federal Reserve and concerns about the Russian rouble's continued decline.

Banks should be forced to hold more capital in order for them to impress their offshore creditors, the head of the government's financial system inquiry says.

Penfolds maker Treasury Wine Estates says its performance so far this financial year is on track and ahead of the prior year.

A bid by the Western Australian government to allow a certain amount of genetically modified material in certified organic food has failed.

This week, Treasurer Joe Hockey and Finance Minister Mathias Cormann said this was the year that the government "commenced the critical task of repairing the budget".

Telstra has paid a $102,000 penalty for misrepresenting the price of its iPhone 6 plan.

Consumers are becoming more pessimistic heading into Christmas, with weak September quarter economic growth figures not helping their mood.

Crown Resorts has announced the resignation of director Ashok Jacob, who has had a long association with the Packer family.

The high-speed communications network linking federal government departments and agencies could be sold.

The Australian sharemarket has started on the backfoot again after continued weakness in oil prices pushed global stocks lower overnight.

The Reserve Bank believes the Australian dollar is still too high, especially considering recent significant falls in commodity prices.

Woodside Petroleum will spend $US2.75 billion ($A2.98 billion) to buy LNG and oil projects in Australia and Canada.

US stocks have followed European markets lower after another big drop in world oil prices.