AAP

Job advertisements are almost at their lowest point since the global financial crisis, suggesting subdued business confidence and a softening labour market.

The ability of micro parties to harvest preferences to win Senate seats could be investigated by the new federal government, deputy Liberal leader Julie Bishop says.

The number of home loans approved has risen for the seventh month in a row, showing the housing sector continues to strengthen.

Cash Converters is seeking to raise $50 million to $60 million through an issue of corporate bonds to repay part of the group's existing debt and to fund further investments.

The Abbott government is determined to press ahead with its bid to repeal Labor's carbon tax despite a hostile Senate.

Engineering consulting firm Sinclair Knight Merz has been bought out by global giant Jacobs Engineering in a deal worth around $1.3 billion.

Australian shares have opened slightly firmer on the back of positive economic news out of the US, China and Japan.

Status quo was the election headline in Western Australia - but there will still be several new voices on the state's political stage.

Weak US jobs data and strong Chinese trade figures, along with a decisive federal election outcome, have given the Australian dollar a boost.

Strong car sales, revived merger and acquisition activity and an expected product launch from Apple have helped propel stocks higher in a week that also featured some major headwinds.

It came as a surprise to many this week that BHP Billiton proudly opened a new coal mine when the business has bled money in the last two years.

The Australian dollar is marginally weaker as an upbeat US private sector jobs report helps the greenback.

Potential coalition foreign minister Julie Bishop says she'll work to re-establish relationships with Australia's neighbours, especially Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and Singapore, if she gets the j

A former director of a stock trading firm that collapsed owing about $630 million to creditors says he hopes to get his life back after being found not guilty of dishonesty using his position.

The local share market finished flat as investors sit on their hands ahead of Saturday's federal election.

The next federal government will need to legislate to raise the country's $300 billion debt ceiling, shadow treasurer Joe Hockey says.

Kevin Rudd and Tony Abbott are blitzing the airways and key marginal seats on the final day of a gruelling five-week election campaign, as Labor continues to dig holes in the coalition's costings.

Australian shares are flat as investors on hold until the election is over, with banking and mining stocks taking a hit.

Australia's construction industry continues to struggle despite low interest rates, with activity in the sector falling for the 39th consecutive month.

The coalition's costings are full of holes and dodgy maths, Treasurer Chris Bowen says.Mr Bowen says the coalition's numbers - finally revealed yesterday - are wrong in a number of ways.

The Australian dollar has lost some ground amid more evidence that US employment growth is picking up pace.

US stocks have ended slightly higher as investors looked ahead to Friday's crucial monthly jobs and unemployment report.

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.