AAP

The 7.3 per cent plunge in Japanese stocks during last week injected needed sobriety into US markets, but they showed a resilience that cheered investors worried about protecting the year's gains.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is resisting pressure from unions and Labor MPs to raise tariffs or significantly boost industry assistance after Ford's decision to stop making cars in Australia.

Australia's domestic flights were a little roomier for the travelling public in March, with the growth in passenger numbers failing to match the extra seats added into the market.

The Australian dollar has finished the day higher, despite falling back from its earlier highs amid uncertainty about the future of the US Federal Reserve's stimulus program.

The Australian stock market has tumbled to a five-week low, with $26 billion wiped from the value of the bourse.

Both major Western Australian political parties fear Shell's Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) project will trigger a departure from onshore processing, slashing state royalties an

The federal government needs to restore consumer confidence by securing jobs and ensuring less red tape, says Australia's peak retail group.

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

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.

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

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