AAP

Elon Musk has reached an agreement to buy Twitter for $61 billion, promising a more lenient touch to policing content on the social media platform.

A hearing to consider wage rises of up to 25 per cent for aged care workers is underway at the Fair Work Commission.

The Australian share market has been saturated with red over concerns the global economy is headed for a difficult period.

Travel booking company Trivago has been fined $44.7 million after a Federal Court judge found it intentionally misled consumers about hotel room rates.

Most sectors, including energy, property, industrials and financials, have recorded strong trader interest, pushing the Australian share market higher.

Firms are being warned to look out for and report dodgy payments as criminals opt for the anonymity of cryptocurrencies.

Healthcare stocks lifted the S&P/ASX200 to just shy of its record high before the market pulled back in afternoon trading.

Consumer confidence has increased to its highest level since early March in response to a further drop in petrol prices in the past week.

Traders have backed energy and banking stocks after returning to their desks following the Easter long weekend.

Scott Morrison has used his trip to Western Australia to announce grants for eight businesses in the mining and energy sector, with the biggest grants going to two new hydrogen hubs.

Australian shares gained 0.6 per cent before the Easter long weekend despite financial stocks coming under pressure.

The government has announced a $220 million forestry package, while Labor is keen to keep the focus on health as the first week of campaigning nears its end.

Australian shares have closed higher, helped by gains in the heavyweight energy and materials shares.

Cobalt from Australia's Murrin Murrin mine will power General Motors' Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Hummer and Cadillac Lyriq electric vehicles under a new deal.

Investors have lowered all ASX share categories before the release of US inflation figures, which are tipped to show a 40-year record.

Gillon McLachlan is set to announce that he will step aside as AFL chief executive at the end of the 2022 season.

Consumer confidence rose for a second week in a row as petrol prices continued to retreat from the $2 a litre mark.

Investors baulked at moving the Australian share market as an election campaign, hefty dividend payouts and surging bond yields gave them plenty to reconsider.

This week's jobs data will give Scott Morrison's election campaign a shot in the arm, with the nation's unemployment rate expected to fall below four per cent.

Investors on the ASX bounced back to post gains at the end of a week highlighted by central bank warnings of rate increases.

Scott Morrison says rising inflation levels are not just limited to Australia, amid a predicted rise in interest rates in coming months.

Australian shares have had their steepest fall in more than three weeks after US Federal Reserve meeting minutes showed policymakers wanted bigger rate hikes to curb inflation.

Energy companies could soon be forced to give more notice before they close under a proposal from the federal government.

The local market closed lower with materials, energy and tech stocks proving to be a drag.

Households are in a strong enough position to handle a rise in interest rates, Josh Frydenberg says, as the RBA appears to be losing patience with inflation.

A Reserve Bank no longer patient about raising rates helped scuttle the share market and send the Aussie dollar higher to 76 US cents.

The Reserve Bank of Australia board has left the cash rate unchanged, but warns it will be monitoring inflation and wages figures in coming months.

A major new oil project off Western Australia is a significant step for fuel security at a time of intense international volatility, the government says.

A minor gain has helped the ASX200 close above 7500 points, a little more than 100 points from a record high.

Peter Gutwein will resign as Tasmania's premier and quit the state's parliament citing a desire to spend more time with his family.

The March ANZ job advertisement series is likely to point to a further decline in the jobless rate and quicker than being predicted by the RBA and Treasury.

There were no red faces after tame ASX movement on April Fools' Day, although investors may be nervous about the Reserve Bank rates forecast next week.