AAP

Wall Street stocks have suffered one of the worst weeks of 2014, with global growth fears overwhelming some positive economic news and pushing the Dow into negative territory for the year.

The Australian dollar has dropped below 87 US cents as global economic growth concerns weigh on risk appetite.

China's surprise decision during free trade talks to impose tariffs on Australian coal shows the importance of getting an agreement soon, Prime Minister Tony Abbott says.

The share market in its largest daily fall in 15 months, 2 per cent, because of renewed concerns about global economic growth.

Traditional bricks and mortar retailers trying to compete with rapidly expanding online outlets are being hampered by red tape, a new report has found.

Growth in housing finance cooled in August, but investors continue to dominate the market due to sluggish growth in loans for owner occupiers.

Western Australian brides and grooms have been left out of pocket to the tune of $180,000 after a company that offered weddings in Bali became insolvent.

The former managing director of China's Hanlong Mining has been extradited to Australia for what could be the nation's biggest insider trading case.

The Australian sharemarket is headed for its biggest fall of the year as investors worry about weak global economic growth.

The Australian dollar is almost one US cent lower as concerns grow about slower global economic growth.

Oil prices have tumbled as fresh evidence of economic weakness in the eurozone, especially in Germany, added to concerns of slowing global growth and abundant crude supplies.

Wall Street stocks have tumbled, losing about two per cent in a broad sell-off, as weak economic data from Germany heightened concerns about poor overseas growth.

The share market has achieved its largest daily rise in almost two months on signs of continued low interest rates in the United States.

About 1,500 jobs will be slashed from Western Australia's public sector in a bid to tackle the state's slowing economy.

The unemployment rate rose in September, but economists are taking the figures with a grain of salt after the Australian Bureau of Statistics admitted there were problems with its recent data.

Treasurer Joe Hockey says the government will spend whatever it needs to defend Australia.

The Australian share market has opened higher following overnight gains on Wall St where the US Federal Reserve hinted it would not raise interest rates.

National Australia Bank has flagged a slide in its full-year earnings of up to 14 per cent after taking a more than $1 billion hit to its books.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has completed the sale of its Mozambique coal assets to International Coal Ventures Private Limited.

Gold prices have risen, after minutes from the Federal Reserve's September meeting showed the central bank expressing concern about a stronger US dollar and weak economic growth overseas.

Wall Street stocks finished with large gains on Wednesday after traders viewed new Federal Reserve meeting minutes as a sign the US central bank will remain dovish on monetary policy.

The Australian dollar has hit a two-week high after the US Federal Reserve indicated that it is no rush to raise its interest rate.

ANZ's latest financial planner is a quiz-show champion with zero personality and no feelings.

Ratings agency Standard and Poor's has cut its iron ore price forecasts amid continued weakness in the steel-making commodity.

The Australian share market has closed lower as almost all sectors fell on a weaker than expected global economic outlook.

The death of 174 sheep, believed to be from Western Australia, on an export cargo plane due to a ventilation failure is being investigated by Singapore Airlines.

Optus chairman Paul O'Sullivan has called for Telstra to be broken up.

The huge rise in employment in August and the spike in the jobless rate a month earlier didn't actually happen - the Australian Bureau of Statistics intends to revise most of it away.

BC Iron is close to completing its acquisition of Iron ore Holdings, which was part-owned by media magnate Kerry Stokes.

Glencore International has abandoned its bid to merge with Rio Tinto, a day after it was first made public.

The International Monetary Fund expects Australia will have the worst jobless rate in the Asia-Pacific region, bar the Philippines, over the next two years.

The Australian stock market has fallen sharply following major selloffs in the US and Europe overnight.