AAP

Afterpay and rivals Zip and Sezzle have fallen heavily on the Australian share market due to a possible US probe into consumer harms from their services.

Western Australia will be effectively closed to every state and territory for Christmas under plans to further strengthen border controls.

Winemakers have welcomed a new trade deal between Australia and the United Kingdom, while sugar, beef and sheep exports are also expected to benefit.

NAB chairman Philip Chronican has assured investors he is yet to learn of any fines from a financial crimes regulator investigating money laundering.

A heavy fall for market giant CSL has prevented Australian investors from enjoying a lower jobless rate and an overnight rally on the US market.

Jobs in WA grew 1.6 per cent in November, with unemployment falling to 3.8 per cent, while east coast states posted strong improvements.

Shares had their biggest loss on the Australian market in more than two weeks as investors brace for the final US Federal Reserve decisions of the year.

Western Australia's Labor-dominated upper house has pushed through the government's contentious Aboriginal heritage legislation overnight, despite protests by Indigenous groups.

Woolworths and Afterpay shares had sizeable falls as investors questioned their short-term outlook and kept the Australian market steady.

The federal government will appoint Gina Cass-Gottlieb as the ACCC's first female head, replacing outgoing chairman Rod Sims.

Retail giant Woolworths has endured one of its most challenging trading periods following the emergence of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19.

There was plenty of optimism to start the week on the Australian share market, despite a US Federal Reserve meeting looming and more warnings about Omicron.

Crown Resorts leaders are not pinning their hopes on a Blackstone takeover and have spruiked the potential of the Sydney casino to encourage higher offers.

Western Australia's premier is set to finally reveal when the state's borders will open, ending months of speculation and frustration for locked-out families.

Australia's share market slipped as traders turned cautious before the release of US inflation figures, which may shift interest rate expectations.

The consumer watchdog says the average Australian mobile user is paying more for data they simply do not use.

A midweek relief rally downplaying the Omicron variant has ebbed on the ASX while optimists found hope that inflation has peaked in China.

ANZ Bank has agreed to a $25 million fine for failing to give customers their entitled benefits such as rate discounts across about 580,447 accounts.

Australia's competition regulator says it will not oppose Seven West Media's proposed acquisition of regional operator Prime Media.

A midweek rush of money to the ASX is under way as investors around the world bet the Omicron variant will not complicate the economic recovery.

Oil and gas supplier Woodside will invest $US5 billion ($7 billion) in low carbon energy by 2030 while still benefitting from its recently-announced merger with BHP's petroleum business.

Australia's share market had its best day in more than two months as investors lapped up supportive central bank decisions and became less concerned by the Omicron variant.

The Reserve Bank of Australia has left the cash rate unchanged at its final board meeting of the year and will reconvene in February.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says the value of the nation's housing stock surpassed $9 trillion for the first time in the September quarter.

Supermarkets and gold stocks proved the safe choices on the Australian market as a flagging dollar added interest to Reserve Bank commentary on Tuesday.

Job advertising has risen sharply as COVID-19 lockdowns eased and suggests the unemployment rate will be back below five per cent in the near term after the unexpected spike to 5.2 per cent in October.

Energy shares and the oil price had an end-of-week surge but the Omicron coronavirus threat sent the Australian market to its fourth consecutive week of decline.

Targeted action plans providing more tailored support will form the centrepiece of the government's new plan to help people with disability.

Hydrogen industry developers in Queensland and Western Australia are set to benefit from a federal government-funded initiative.

ASX investors are proving resilient to overseas gloom about earlier stimulus-tapering and Omicron after a second consecutive afternoon rally cut losses.

Crown Resorts has told Blackstone to improve its offer if the private equity group is to take control of the casino operator.

Woolworths has pitched an $872 million takeover offer for Australian Pharmaceutical Industries, pitting the retail giant against Wesfarmers.