AAP

Australian shares are a little weaker as the market follows Wall street into negative territory.

Gold futures have snapped to a one-week high as a slump in global equities markets and the US dollar drew investors in search of a refuge to the precious metal.

US stocks have finished slightly lower, little-affected by a sharp selloff in Asian and European markets led by the 7.3 per cent plunge of Japan's Nikkei 225 index.

The Australian dollar has surged more than one-and-a-half US cents higher from Thursday's low point, as the US dollar lost ground against all the major currencies.

The Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest level in almost a year following further gains in its US counterpart and disappointing Chinese manufacturing figures.

Australian stocks suffered their biggest one-day fall in two months as more than $32 billion was wiped from the value of the bourse.

A finance manager at a popular Perth theme park has been charged with stealing more than $100,000 from the company's payroll account.

Telstra is not saying how many jobs may be lost as part of a major restructure of its internal operations.

The Australian share market has opened lower after comments the US Federal Reserve overnight suggested stimulus activity there may soon be eased.

Ford will end its Australian manufacturing operations in three years, resulting in 1,200 job losses at its two Victorian plants.

Gold futures have extended their losses in electronic trading after minutes from the Federal Reserve's May policy-setting meeting showed board members considered an early end to the central bank's

The Australian dollar dropped to a one-year low following some positive comments on the US economy by the head of the Federal Reserve.

US stocks have ended lower following a choppy day of trading as the market weighed exit signals on the Federal Reserve's exceptionally loose monetary policy.

It takes a special kind of wealth to lose more than $7 billion in a year and still top a list of the nation's richest people.

The Australian dollar has dropped back below 98 US cents following disappointing consumer sentiment figures.

Australian stocks closed lower for a second consecutive day, dragged down by the banks and a surprisingly poor consumer sentiment report.

Two months after the West Australian election is too soon to start claiming the state government is breaking election promises, Premier Colin Barnett says.

More Australians were feeling bad about the economy in the week the federal budget was released.

The federal opposition has questioned Treasury's budget forecasts, saying the numbers would be different if the department was "left to its own devices".

US stocks have closed higher after a strong earnings report from Home Depot and as the market anticipates Wednesday's testimony in Congress by Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower, as traders speculate over the likelihood the US central bank will wind down its economic stimulus program.

The Reserve Bank of Australia says a softer-than-expected inflation outlook allowed it to cut the cash rate to a record low, as it tries to boost underperforming sectors or the economy.

The Australian market has closed around half a per cent lower, dragged down by weakness among the banks and industrial stocks.

The Australian dollar has pushed back above 98 US cents amid weakness in its US counterpart.

Drilling services company Boart Longyear has released its third earnings downgrade in nine months, saying demand for its services has continued to weaken because mining companies are scaling back o

Almost $141 million has been wiped from the value of diversified contractor Transfield Services as cost cutting in the mining sector hit its earnings outlook.

The Australian share market has opened a third of a per cent higher.

Television executive Tim Worner has been appointed the chief executive of Seven West Media.

US stocks have slipped despite a flurry of merger and acquisition news this week.

The Australian dollar has surged past 98 US cents as the American currency takes a breather from its rally ahead of an economically-busy week.

The Australian dollar is slightly firmer on Monday, after spending most of the past week in a downward spiral.

Shares in Santos closed 1.6 per cent higher after the company said oil production started ahead of schedule at its $490 million Fletcher Finucane project off the West Australian coast.