AAP

US stocks have closed solidly higher, buoyed by a better-than-expected report on December retail sales covering the holiday shopping season.

The Australian dollar has lost more than three-quarters of a US cent overnight as investors position themselves ahead of the release of local jobs data.

Australia's largest gold miner Newcrest has extended its debt facility by more than $200 million as it faces a class action from shareholders over its massive financial writedown.

The Australian share market closed more than one per cent lower after a top US central bank official raised the prospect of ongoing reductions in the US's economic stimulus program.

The Abbott government has begun closing immigration detention centres across the country, claiming the move will save the federal budget close to $90 million a year.

Fire authorities say a devastating bushfire in the Perth hills that has destroyed more than 50 properties was probably sparked by a power pole on private land.

Australians have become increasingly worried about job security as the economy shows signs of slowing down.

Regis Resources says gold recovery at its Garden Well operation is likely to be lower than expected until plant upgrades are completed later this year, with quarterly production at the project coming in below guidance.

Mining giant Rio Tinto has paid more than $1.31 billion for 510 million Turquoise Hill shares under a rights issue, clearing the slate as it develops the Oyu Tolgoi mine in Mongolia.

Australian stocks have opened in the red following a sell-off on Wall Street overnight.

Australian bond futures prices continue to rally on the back of weaker-than-expected US jobs data.

US stocks have tumbled as Wall Street awaits a raft of financial reports as earnings season gets into full swing this week.

The Australian dollar continues to rally on the back of weaker-than-expected US jobs figures.

Australia's two biggest supermarket chains Woolworths and Coles continue to punch above their weight, cementing their place among the world's top 20 retailers.

Anti-fraccing campaigners are gearing up for a showdown with unconventional gas explorers in WA's Kimberley region ahead of a series of public hearings next month.

The Australian share market has closed lower following the release of disappointing US jobs figures.

Leighton Holdings subsidiary Thiess has won a $135 million contract from Western Desert Resources to lead the mining operations at the Roper Bar iron ore mine in the Northern Territory.

Telstra has sold a majority stake in its shrinking directories business Sensis to a US-based private equity investor, as it builds up a multi-billion dollar stockpile of cash to fund investment and, possibly, higher returns for shareholders.

A rise in home loan approvals during November means there won't be another interest rate cut, an economist says.

The Australian sharemarket has opened flat as traders position themselves for key Chinese economic data releases and quarterly production reports from major resource companies this week.

Gold futures have climbed as investors recalibrate their expectations for Federal Reserve policy after a much weaker-than-expected reading on the US labour market.

Australian bond futures prices have rallied on the back of disappointing US jobs data.

The Australian dollar has rallied one US cent following weaker-than-expected US jobs data. At 0700 AEDT on Monday, the Australian dollar was trading at 90.03 US cents, up from 89.03 cents on Friday.

Sales of new homes across Australia have jumped to a two-and-a-half-year high, adding fuel to hopes a recovery is underway in the residential construction sector.

The Australian stock market has closed lower as investors worry that the US Federal Reserve may accelerate its tapering program.

The Australian stock market has opened flat following a soft lead from Wall Street and ahead of the release of key economic figures in the US and China.

New claims for US unemployment insurance benefits fell last week, the government has said in a report suggesting improvement in the labour market.

US stocks have closed mostly lower amid concerns about Friday's monthly US labor report and the kick off of corporate earnings season.

The Australian dollar is a little bit higher, trading in a tight range ahead of the release of US employment figures early on Saturday morning, Australian time.

The parties battling for Warrnambool Cheese and Butter are still a long way off from gaining control of the target, with the offer of one suitor set to expire on Friday evening, and the other suitor trapped in the regulatory process.

Australian shares have finished flat as cautious investors worry about a slowdown in China following the release of lower-than-expected inflation figures.

Worries about China continue to weigh on the nation's biggest iron ore miners, despite the release of record shipping figures.