AAP

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.

Dexus Property Group has notched up a 3.8 per cent rise in its half year net profit to $277.2 million.

OZ Minerals has announced a loss of nearly $300 million and the departure of its chief executive Terry Burgess.

Shares in Australia's largest building materials company Boral have shot up to a three-year high after a 73 per cent jump in half year profit, excluding significant items.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia has increased its half yearly profit by 14 per cent to $4.27 billion, but its chief is still warning of volatile global and domestic markets.

The Australian share market has risen on the back of the Commonwealth Banks' strong half year profit.

The federal government's steely resolve to make Australian businesses fend for themselves faces its next test when Qantas chief Alan Joyce visits Canberra.

Oil prices have traded sideways after the new head of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen, indicated the Fed would stay the policy course mapped by her predecessor Ben Bernanke.

The Abbott government is reportedly preparing to sell off Medibank Private for $4 billion without having received expert advice on whether to do so and how.

US stocks have jumped more than one per cent after new US Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen confirmed she would continue existing Fed monetary policy.

The Australian dollar has rallied to an almost one-month high after US Federal Reserve head Janet Yellen said she would maintain policy set under her predecessor, Ben Bernanke.

Bradken shares have tumbled after the engineering firm announced its half yearly profit had dived 18 per cent.

The resignation of David Jones chairman Peter Mason could keep chief executive Paul Zahra in his job and pave the way for merger negotiations with rival Myer.

A double digit jump in ANZ Banking Group's first quarter profit has analysts predicting a sixth consecutive year of record earnings for the major banks.

The sharemarket has closed higher as strong profit growth by ANZ drove gains in the banking sector.

Australian farmers are on target to produce their second largest winter crop on record but the summer crop is heading for a significant decline because of drought and low rainfall, the federal government's commodity forecaster says.

Australian business conditions have risen to close to a three-year high, a private survey shows, while business confidence is up for the first time in four months.

The Australian share market has opened slightly weaker after the lost of manufacturing jobs and mixed earnings reports impacted investor confidence.

Grains marketer GrainCorp will close its Murarrie plant in Brisbane and cut 130 jobs.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott says there is nothing the federal government could have done to prevent the closure of Toyota and the end of car manufacturing in Australia.

US stocks have edged higher the day before new Federal Reserve chief Janet Yellen gives her premier testimony to Congress, with attention focused on how she views recent employment weakness.

Gold futures have risen to their highest level in 12 weeks amid strong appetite from Chinese buyers and as concern about US economic health fanned demand for a haven.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher in quiet trade as investors wait for events later in the week before making any significant moves.

Australia's consumer watchdog says it would investigate the impact of a potential tie-up of David Jones and Myer on competition if the department store chains decided to pursue a merger.

Fortescue Metals Group chairman Andrew Forrest has lost a fight to prevent mining on his cattle station in the Pilbara.