AAP

Rail operator Aurizon will develop and provide infrastructure to two Pilbara iron ore projects under a deal with explorer Brockman Resources.

Oil and gas major Shell plans to build more floating LNG plants after developing its world first Prelude project off the coast of Western Australia.

Gold futures have ended lower, after two straight sessions of gains, as a US stronger dollar and the swift recovery saw some investors sell their holdings to lock in profits.

US stocks have reversed early gains and ended lower on revived concerns about the eurozone and the political crisis in Egypt.

The share market has posted its strongest day in 20 months as the global economic outlook improves and interest rates remained on hold.

Mining giant BHP Billiton says its new remote operations centre and trial of driverless trucks will boost productivity without sacrificing jobs.

The new-look Labor Party has improved its competitiveness for federal seats in Western Australia, Defence Minister Stephen Smith says.

Perth has a new radio ratings leader, with 96FM taking over the top spot from Mix 94.5 in the fourth survey of 2013.

The central bank has kept the cash rate unchanged at a record low of 2.75 per cent at its July board meeting, with the outlook for the global economy looking a bit better.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is starting the work of rebuilding Labor's ties with the business community.

Former Western Australian government minister Alannah MacTiernan says she'll decide in the next 48 hours whether to nominate as Labor's candidate for Stephen Smith's federal seat of Perth.

The Australian share market has opened significantly higher as positive manufacturing data out of the United States and Europe improved investor confidence.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is unlikely to cut interest rates today as the falling Australian dollar does the central bank's heavy lifting.

The Australian dollar has firmed as the gloomiest US manufacturing employment news since 2009 convinced traders the US Federal Reserve may delay winding back its stimulus measures.

US stocks have spent the day in positive territory on generally strong manufacturing data, although leading indices closed well below their intraday highs.

Australia's export commodity prices fell in June, the third monthly fall in a row, following a run of three rises.

The Browse Basin is pivotal to the nation's future gas production amid expectations that global demand will double within 17 years, a senior energy figure says.

The new financial year brings a swag of price hikes as the state government turns to consumers to prop up its sagging revenue base.

Embattled drilling company Boart Longyear's shares have plunged to four-year lows after it issued a second profit downgrade in two months.

The Australian share market has opened more than half a per cent lower.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says the core task of his new frontbench will be to keep the Australian economy strong.

The future of the stalled multi-billion dollar Browse gas project will be discussed when the joint venture partners meet for talks on Monday.

US stocks closed mostly lower on Friday after a three-day rally, with shares of BlackBerry hammered as the struggling phone maker reported a surprise quarterly loss.

The Australian dollar has fallen close to 91 US cents after a member of the US Federal Reserve board of governors suggested American stimulus measures could be eased from September.

Premier Colin Barnett says he will be happy to sit down with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd to thrash out a school funding deal.

A controversial crackdown on employer abuse of a skilled foreign worker visa program has passed parliament on the final sitting day before the election.

Australian shares fell flat on the last day of trade in the financial year as cautious investors sold mining and insurance stocks.

Labor's treasury spokesman Ben Wyatt has ruled out seeking pre-selection for the seat of Perth following the resignation of Stephen Smith.

Community opposition to coal seam gas projects in NSW has forced mining giant Santos to trim its operations, environmentalists and local activists say.

The state's upper house has passed a bill to keep a tax on the transfer of businesses after a marathon near 24-hour sitting session.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is preparing to announce a key election policy ahead of the naming of his new ministry, after half a dozen key ministers, including Treasurer Wayne Swan, resigned on Wedne