AAP

Labor says Tony Abbott will have no more excuses to hold back on his policy costings once the final pre-election budget numbers are released.

The Australian dollar is being weighed down by strength in the greenback amid renewed expectations that the US Federal Reserve will begin tapering its economic stimulus program soon.

Wall Street stocks have closed mixed as investors look to a busy week of data releases on the US economy.

The Australian dollar is higher due to reports Chinese state-owned banks are offering stimulus measures to major cities.

The Australian share market rose by more than one per cent as renewed optimism about China's economy prompted investors to pile into resources stocks.

Building products maker James Hardie expects profit to be steady as housing conditions in the US and Australia improve.

UGL will split its shrinking engineering business from its growing property arm to reflect the property division's greater global focus.

Stronger sales and improved margins have lifted retailer JB HiFi's net profit by more than 11 per cent.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has announced $35.6 million in funding to work with business to retrain Australia's manufacturing workforce for the future.

Mines Minister Bill Marmion says Toro Energy’s acquisition of a uranium project in close proximity to its proposed yellowcake mine at Wiluna is a significant step forward for the sector.

The Australian share market is flat, but the mining giants are bucking the trend to open in firmer territory.

Australia's largest gold miner, Newcrest Mining, has reported an annual net loss of $5.78 billion for the 12 months to June 30.

The state government has gone back on its decision to slash by half the amount paid to households that feed solar power into Western Australia's energy grid.

The Australian dollar is higher as the currency continues to extend gains following the release of strong Chinese data.

US stocks have retreated from record peaks and finished lower after a sluggish week light on news and trading volume.

The Australian dollar is higher despite the Reserve Bank of Australia's weaker outlook for economic growth.

Australian shares rallied late, but closed slightly lower on Friday after being dragged down by the banks.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the price of an average jar of Vegemite will rise by about 50 cents, if the rate of the GST is increased.

ANZ is the last of the big four banks to pass on the Reserve Bank of Australia's quarter of a percentage point interest rate cut.

The deterioration in the economic outlook underpinning the latest interest rate cut was so minor it is barely detectable in new forecasts from the Reserve Bank of Australia.

Australian shares have opened weaker despite a recovery on Wall Street, but local resource giants are defying the trend.

The Australian dollar is near its highest level in almost two weeks after Chinese international trade data showed the world's second largest economy is still going strong.

US stocks have snapped a three-day losing streak, catalysed by stronger Chinese trade data and better sentiment on the European economy.

The Australian dollar is higher despite weak jobs figures, boosted by better than expected trade data out of China.

Rio Tinto's profit for the first half of 2013 has fallen by 71 per cent to $US1.72 billion ($A1.92 billion).

Gold miner Newcrest will take a $6.2 billion hit to its bottom line from writedowns on its assets in the 2012/13 financial year.

The Australian share market has clawed back some of Wednesday's losses due to positive Chinese trade data and a strong profit result from Telstra.

Premier Colin Barnett says he hasn't given up pushing for the Woodside-led Browse gas project to be developed onshore in the Kimberley.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

Kevin Rudd's stoush with media mogul Rupert Murdoch is showing no signs of easing, with the prime minister demanding to know what talks, if any, Tony Abbott has had with him over the future of the

Telstra has reported a 12.9 per cent rise in full-year net profit to $3.9 billion, with revenue up two per cent to $26 billion.

There was good news and bad news for the Labor government in the latest jobs data.