AAP

The Australian sharemarket has opened stronger due to record Chinese credit growth, a strong lead from Wall Street and better-than-expected domestic earnings season.

Trade Minister Andrew Robb says a free trade deal with Korea will be a big boost for Australia's struggling manufacturing and agricultural sectors, with massive tariff reductions making it much easier to compete.

Freight rail operator Aurizon has suffered a 39 per cent slide in first half profit due to asset writedowns and redundancy costs.

Gold has posted the biggest weekly gain since August as signs of a faltering recovery in the US economy boosts demand for precious metals as a haven.

US stocks have surged higher this week as investors were reassured by the Federal Reserve, cheered by a congressional move to raise the debt ceiling and undeterred by disappointing economic data.

The Australian dollar is higher as the prospect of a stable interest rate outlook helps investors shrug off last week's disappointing jobs figures.

The Australian share market closed higher following a good lead from US markets and encouraging company earnings reports.

Opposition leader Bill Shorten has attempted to rebuild bridges with Western Australia's major mining identities, admitting to past Labor mistakes while touting Perth as the iron ore capital of the

Australia's largest car and truck retailer has managed a small rise in half-year profit, as changes in its road transport operations weighed on earnings.

A third consecutive year of weak uranium prices has led to Paladin Energy's half-year net loss increasing to $US255 million.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says he supports changing the law to allow Qantas to be majority overseas-owned, but won't be offering the airline a "free ride on the taxpayer".

The Australian share market has opened half a per cent higher after Wall Street shrugged off disappointing retail sales figures.

History is not a useful guide in predicting movements in the Australian dollar at the moment, a central bank official says.

Newcrest Mining has suffered an 88 per cent profit drop after being hit by a slide in gold prices, a massive tax bill and writedowns.

US stocks have closed higher, shrugging off some disappointing retail sales and jobless claims data.

Gold has posted the longest rally since July 2011, topping $US1,300 an ounce for the first time since November, after signs of faltering US economic growth added to the increasing investor appetite for haven assets.

The Australian dollar has risen after weak US economic figures raised hopes the US Federal Reserve might not increase the tapering of its economic stimulus program any time soon.

Premier Colin Barnett has warned more workers could lose their jobs this year, after the collapse of contractor Forge Group and a jump in the state's unemployment rate.

Mining giant Rio Tinto posted a full-year profit of $US3.7 billion in 2013, with large cost reductions and production records driving its underlying profit growth.

The Australian share market's run of gains has ended, due to mixed reactions to corporate profit reports.

Upmarket retailer David Jones has increased its sales in the three months to January 25 by almost five per cent to $618 million.

Australia's unemployment rate rose to 6 per cent in January, official figures show, the highest level since July 2003.

The Australian sharemarket has opened slightly higher after Telstra lifted its first half profit by almost 10 per cent.

Telstra has lifted its dividend for the first time in eight years after announcing a $1.7 billion profit.

Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says the government is carefully considering calls for assistance from Qantas, saying it is conscious of the restrictions placed on the airline by the Sale Act.

US stocks finished mixed, snapping a four-day winning streak for the S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

China’s aggressive posturing has brought the expected response from countries in the region.

Negativity about the outlook for the European economy pushed the Australian dollar down from the one-month high hit on the back of strong Chinese trade figures.

The head of property developer Stockland says there is no housing price bubble and Australia remains a cheap place to achieve the dream of home ownership.

Australian stocks have finished higher for the fifth consecutive trading session as the resources sector led the gains.

Toyota and Treasurer Joe Hockey are at odds over whether workers' conditions and unions are to blame for the company deciding to pull out of car production in Australia in 2017.

Consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level in seven months as worries about rising unemployment and higher interest rates causes anxiety about household finances.