AAP

National Australia Bank is severing ties to digital currency providers, saying they pose an unacceptable level of risk to the bank's business and reputation.

The share market has been driven higher by financial stocks after the release of better than expected jobs figures.

The Australian share market has made strong gains in opening trade continuing Wednesday's momentum when it hit near-six-year highs.

Base metals on the London Metal Exchange (LME) have closed mixed as prices within the complex showed signs of diverging.

The New Zealand dollar jumped three quarters of a US cent against the greenback to its highest since July 2011 after the Federal Reserve minutes from its last meeting in March pushed out expectatio

Treasurer Joe Hockey is flagging a new era of personal and corporate responsibility in the lead-up to the budget, declaring that welfare must be a "safety net, not a cargo net".

The Australian market looks set to open strongly higher following Wall Street's surge led by tech stocks after US Federal Reserve minutes showed no support for an early rise in interest rates.

Wall Street stocks have bolted higher with tech equities leading the way after US Federal Reserve minutes showed no support for an early rise in interest rates.

The Australian dollar has reached a fresh four-month high on greenback weakness following the release of US Federal Reserve meeting minutes.

The Australian share market closed at its highest level since the global financial crisis in mid-2008, boosted by a range of positive drivers.

The huge Chinese market is expected to open up to Western Australian cattle producers, with a further step taken towards trial shipments.

A surge in investment housing has driven monthly home loan approvals higher than expected, with Western Australia again posting strong growth.

Alcoa lost $US178 million in the first quarter as revenue fell on lower aluminium prices, but profit beat expectations after excluding charges to idle capacity at aluminum smelters and mills.

Global engineering group WorleyParsons will cut more jobs in a new restructure that will hit this year's bottom line by $35 million.

The share market is higher as resource stocks rally on talk of more stimulus in China.

The business sector hopes a royal commission into union corruption will lead to changes in workplace relations and practices and help lift productivity.

The tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index has rallied, leading the market to its first day of gains after three straight losses.

Global oil prices have jumped on renewed Ukraine tensions after pro-Russian protesters seized government buildings in the eastern city of Donetsk.

The Australian dollar has rallied, reaching a four month high against a weaker greenback.

The Western Australian government has moved to extend its controversial shark cull trial by three years, despite public protests against the program.

The share market has rebounded from early losses to close flat, as bargain hunters stepped in.

Public servants in Perth's central business district were this morning set to walk off the job as part of a campaign for a better pay deal.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says Australians will feel the benefits of a historic trade agreement inked with Japan with cheaper cars and consumer goods and better access for the agriculture sector.

The Australian dollar has drifted lower following soft economic data.

Global oil prices have fallen after rebels agreed to reopen two of the four blockaded oil-export terminals in eastern Libya, suggesting the country's blockaded supplies might come back on the market.

US stocks have slumped for a third day in a row with investors worrying about whether high-flying technology stocks are overvalued and cautiously anticipating earnings season.

Australia has secured a historic free trade agreement with its second-largest trading partner Japan after seven years of negotiations.

The share market has fallen despite making up some of the early losses incurred due to a negative lead from Wall Street.

China's economic growth will slow slightly in 2014 but the nation remains the key to the fortunes of the East Asia Pacific region, a new World Bank report says.

Half of Australia's working mothers report discrimination during pregnancy, parental leave or when returning to work, according to an Australian Human Rights Commission report.

The Australian share market has started the week lower with negative sentiment and heavy sell-offs in the US blamed for the fall.

Key Labor figures have backed a call by Bill Shorten to allow non-union members to join the party and overhaul the way candidates are selected but the opposition leader is likely to face some resistance, with union chiefs wary of the reform.