AAP

The Australian dollar has dropped back below 103 US cents following weakness on global share markets and commodity prices.

US stocks rallied last week despite mediocre economic data and middling corporate earnings, revealing once again the power of the US policy regime of easy money and low interest rates.

A rise in commodity prices has helped push the Australian dollar back above the 103 US cent level.

The Australian market has closed slightly lower despite commodity stocks staging a comeback.

Australia's last listed major grains marketer, GrainCorp, is set for foreign takeover, following the likes of AWB and ABB Grain.

Clive Palmer wants to be prime minister and his candidates are coming to a seat near you.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's "fair dinkum" paid parental leave scheme could be heading for the scrap heap, if corporate Australia has its way.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher, boosted by stronger mining stocks on the back of improved prices for commodities.

Gold prices have closed at their highest level in nearly two weeks, as investors drew confidence from data showing central banks' purchases of the precious metal in March while brisk demand for gold coins, jewellery and bullion bars in Asia continued.

The Australian dollar is almost half a US cent higher as overseas stock markets and commodity prices gain ground.

US stocks have finished a volatile trading session higher following improved jobless claims data and a mixed bag of corporate earnings.

Troubled surfwear retailer Billabong has extended its exclusive takeover talks with the Sycamore consortium.

The Australian share market has closed about 1.5 per cent higher as low inflation figures raised investors' expectations of an interest rate cut.

Premier Colin Barnett is ticked off that his complaints about the GST carve-up are mocked by other state leaders who think the state is "paved with gold".

Farmers say a $7.8 million state government emergency aid package for those on the brink of financial ruin is too little, too late.

The Reserve Bank of Australia still has plenty of scope to cut the cash rate, if need be, after the inflation figures for the March quarter were in the middle of the central bank's target band.

Oil and gas major Chevron says it has made more gas discoveries in the Carnarvon Basin.Chevron has now made 21 discoveries offshore Western Australia since mid-2009.

The Australian market has opened higher, led by industrial stocks with exposure to the US and the major banks heading into reporting season.

The Australian dollar is higher after traders went bargain hunting when the currency fell to a six-week low.

Australia's company directors are more optimistic about business growth prospects in the year ahead.

US stocks have finished up more than one per cent despite a two-minute mini-crash caused by a false news agency tweet, with good earnings results from DuPont, Travelers and Netflix.

The Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest level in six weeks following the release of disappointing Chinese manufacturing figures.

The Australian share market has closed higher, boosted by a 10 per cent rise in the shares of Woodside Petroleum, which announced a $520 million return to shareholders.

The nation's three most populous states would miss out on more than $2 billion over two years if Western Australia was given a greater share of GST revenue, Assistant Treasurer David

The Australian market has opened higher, lifted by a positive session on Wall Street and gains for Woodside Petroleum.

Investors have rejoiced in Woodside's decision to pay a generous dividend, despite concerns about the company's lack of short-term growth projects.

Tech start-ups could add $109 billion to the Australian economy and create 540,000 new jobs by 2033, according to a new report commissioned by Google.

Oil prices rose in choppy end-of-contract trading, as bargain-hunters moved in following last week's plunge that prompted speculation about a possible cut to OPEC output.

US stocks have moved higher amid mixed earnings reports, bouncing back after last week's losses.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd has joined global business and political heavyweights as an adviser on a new, $US300 million, China-focused scholarship program established by a billionaire US busi

The Australian dollar has started the week on the back foot, after losing more than three quarters of a US cent late on Friday.

The Australian share market closed higher, led by resources stocks that rebounded after being battered last week due to falling commodity prices.