AAP

Lending for housing is pumping an extra $2.4 billion a month into the economy than it was a year ago.

Union members have protested outside Parliament House in Perth saying floating LNG projects will rob locals of jobs.

Mining services provider NRW Holdings has forecast a drop in revenue and profit because of contract delays and project deferrals.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has dismissed as a "waste of breath" rumour-mongering about her leadership, insisting she is still the best person to take Labor to the September 14 election.

The Australian share market is marginally higher to begin the week, reflecting mixed offshore leads during the long weekend for the Queen's Birthday holiday.

Share market operator ASX is raising $553 million to fund growth by issuing new shares to existing shareholders.

The Australian dollar is just over half a US cent higher after the release of mixed economic data from its major trading partners.

US stocks were flat in early trade as Standard & Poor's raised its outlook for the country's debt rating from "negative" to "stable".

Security screeners at Perth Airport's Qantas terminal are poised to strike again after their employer locked staff out of the job for wearing "Paid Less in the West" T-shirts.

Teachers are threatening strike action unless the Barnett government commits funding to help the transition of Year 7 students to high schools in 2015.

China has reported a sharp slowdown in exports in May compared to the previous month while imports unexpectedly dropped, as the world's second largest economy grapples with slowing growth and slugg

US stocks ended the week higher but it was hardly smooth sailing for investors as the markets remained choppy for a second week in a row.

Australian shares closed lower as cautious investors sold resources stocks ahead of the release of key economic data in the US and China.

The United States is unlikely to export much gas from its shale boom to Japan, poising Western Australia as a major supplier to the Asian country over the next decade, Premier Colin Barnett says.

Gold miner Newcrest is cutting jobs and scaling back its operations in response to the biggest drop in the price of gold in 30 years.

Consumer confidence in Western Australia has fallen to a record low, in terms of both short and long-term outlooks.

Australian shares are weaker as investors worry about sluggish US economic news ahead of the Queen's Birthday long weekend.

New BHP Billiton boss Andrew Mackenzie is confident China's new leadership is rebalancing the economy in such a way that demand for commodities will be sustained in the long term.

The Australian dollar has jumped sharply higher in a morning of volatile trading.

US stocks have swung erratically as the US dollar sank and bond prices rose, but finished higher a day ahead of the government's release of US employment data for May.

The Australian dollar has fallen to a two and a half year low as weak economic figures gave traders more reason to sell the currency.

Talk of recession in Western Australia is "ludicrous", according to Treasurer Troy Buswell.

Australian shares closed more than 1 per cent lower as investors were swayed by ongoing negative sentiment.

A new April record has been set for Australian companies becoming insolvent.

Australia's trade balance has recorded its third consecutive monthly surplus, despite a fall in exports during April.

Employers wanting to take on foreign workers on 457 visas will have to undertake labour market testing under legislative changes to the controversial scheme.

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

The Palmer United Party's Queensland division has been registered under the name United Australia Party, Mr Palmer said in a statement this morning.

The Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest level since October 2011 amid weakness on global stock markets.The currency dropped to a low of 95.11 US cents early this morning.

US stocks have shed more than 1.0 per cent following a global rout as weaker-than-expected data on private jobs creation underscored weakness in the US economy.

The Australian dollar has fallen over one US cent after sluggish national account figures raised the possibility of more interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia.

The persistent weak global aluminium market has resulted in Alcoa's Australian arm being hit with a ratings downgrade.