AAP

The Australian dollar is firmer but off its earlier highs reached after data showed a rise in imports in July.

The Australian market has finished lower, pulled back by falls among resources and banking stocks.

The man hired by Newcrest Mining to investigate its disclosure scandal has found no "smoking gun".

Rio Tinto's aspiration of producing 360 million tonnes of iron ore each year is achievable, despite concern about its Pilbara expansion, analysts say.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey says a coalition government will make about $40 billion of savings if it wins the federal election.

Clive Palmer says he will sue Rupert Murdoch over a report published by News Corp Australia.

Experts hired by the coalition to check its election policy costings say the figures are based on "reasonable assumptions".

Wall Street stocks have jumped after surging US auto sales pointed to robustness in the manufacturing sector.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 96.91 (0.65 per cent) to 14,930.87.

Housing is costing some Western Australians almost half of their weekly income, a new report has shown.

The local share market is lower as investors hold out for the federal election and America's response to Syria.

The Australian dollar has extended its rally, heading toward 92 US cents, after official data showed local economic growth was solid in the June quarter.

Wall Street stocks have jumped after surging US auto sales pointed to robustness in the manufacturing sector.The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 96.91 (0.65 per cent) to 14,930.87.

The Australian share market has lost ground as renewed concerns about a possible US military strike on Syria outweighed encouraging figures on economic growth.

Premier Colin Barnett has hit back at critics of his education funding cuts, saying they should check out Tasmania and South Australia to realise Western Australia still has a quality school system

The federal coalition is releasing its final policies today and will reveal its full costings "very, very soon", opposition leader Tony Abbott says.

Gross domestic product grew by 0.6 per cent in the June quarter, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported this morning.From a year earlier, GDP in the quarter was up by 2.5 per cent.

Bosses would be paid to hire workers aged 50 years or over under a federal coalition government.

Consumer confidence in Western Australia has plunged because of political uncertainty at the federal level and following a belt-tightening state budget, a survey shows.

Australian stocks have opened lower as investors respond to an increased possibility the US will launch a military strike on Syria.

The Australian dollar rose to a two-week high after the Reserve Bank of Australia kept the cash rate unchanged and issued a neutral statement on the chance of further cuts.

US stocks have kicked off a holiday-shortened week higher, but concerns about a possible US military strike on Syria cut into early gains.

A neutral statement on monetary policy from the central bank has given the Australian dollar a bounce after earlier being dragged down by weak retail sales data.

Federal Education Minister Bill Shorten has addressed workers protesting against the Barnett government's cuts to the sector in Western Australia, warning that the federal Liberals will do likewise

The Australian share market has closed slightly higher despite disappointing figures on retail sales and Australia's widening current account deficit.

Companies with a plan to innovate would be guaranteed a slice of a $72 billion pie over the next four years under a re-elected Labor government.

Resources and Energy Minister Gary Gray is not sure whether he has done enough to retain his seat in Saturday's federal election.

Western Australia’s retail sector is showing the strain of the slowing state economy, with consumer spending falling for the first time since April 2010.

Australian stocks have opened slightly higher following positive leads from European markets.

The Reserve Bank is likely to keep the cash rate on hold as it waits on the outcome of the federal election and allows its August rate cut to work its magic.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower as traders move out of riskier assets, playing it safe ahead of a big day of economic events.

Neither the conclusion of the federal election nor the most recent interest rate cut is likely to stimulate Australia's slowing economy, says credit information bureau Dun & Bradstreet.

Upbeat Chinese and eurozone economic data, combined with receding investor concerns over a US intervention in Syria, have sent European equities climbing.