AAP

Banks have rejected calls for a new tax on the industry, saying the move would hurt retirees and small businesses.

The competition watchdog has delayed its decision on Virgin Australia's proposed takeover of Tiger Airways Australia.

Australian shares remain near four-and-a-half year highs, pushed up by a fifth straight day of gains on Wall Street.

 Just 24 additional women were appointed to the boardrooms of some of the nation's biggest companies over the past year, with men still outnumbering women six to one.

Growing investor enthusiasm for equities in the wake of this week's records pushed US markets higher again on Thursday.

Global miner BHP Billiton has rejected allegations that it manipulated the iron ore market, saying it seeks to improve transparency in its trade with China.

Five people have been taken to hospital after a leak of chlorine gas at James Packer's Crown Casino complex at Burswood.

Premier Colin Barnett can breathe easy now - the Community and Public Sector Union says it will hold off on potential industrial action until after the state election.

The Australian dollar spent the day trading lower after better than expected US employment figures boosted the greenback.

A call for Health Minister Kim Hames to be sacked over his response to a string of fatalities among patients discharged from Northam Hospital is understandable, the opposition says.

Federal Finance Minister Penny Wong has indicated the government isn't about to launch into a spending spree to garner votes for the September election.

ANZ has cut another 50 jobs, this time reducing staff in its institutional and international banking operations.

The Australian share market has finished lower, despite some resilience in the resources and materials sector.

Rail operator Aurizon has signed a deal to haul up to 65 million tonnes of coal a year from the Queensland mines of BM Alliance Coal Operations and BHP Billiton Mitsui Coal.

 The federal government should use its powers to override state counterparts and stop some approvals for coal and coal seam gas mining, an environmental lobby group says.

A fall in coal exports and other mining commodities have increased the trade deficit.

Maligned Treasurer Troy Buswell has moved to quell talk that he's set to succeed Premier Colin Barnett, reiterating he will never lead the Liberals again.

 Australian stocks have opened firmer with mining companies leading the way.

Australian construction sector activity posted its strongest result in almost three years, helped by strong results in housing and engineering.

The Dow pushed to fresh highs on Wednesday one day after notching an all-time record, even as the Federal Reserve said economic growth continued at a dull pace.

Australian shares have closed at new four and a half year highs as local investors joined the global buying spree.

Protesters calling for a ban on live animal exports have shouted during an Adelaide forum held by federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Cost of living pressures including power prices have been largely ignored in the state election campaign, a group representing the non-government community services sector says.

The Australian economy managed what the Reserve Bank of Australia likes to call "about trend" growth in the December quarter, the national accounts showed today.

Shares in iron ore hopeful Flinders Mines have risen after it struck a deal with four Chinese steel mills that brings its mine closer to reality.

Wage growth under recent enterprise bargaining agreements have proved to be restrained, posing little threat to the inflation outlook, new federal government figures suggest.

The Australian market was hovering around four-and-a-half year highs at open after Wall Street soared to a record high.

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says he has "personal evidence" Australians are having trouble finding work in the mining and other industries because overseas workers are filling jobs through the 457

 A legal challenge against the federal government's mineral resources rent tax has started in the High Court with lawyers for miner Andrew Forrest arguing the controversial impost breaches the

Australian homes are the most affordable in three years, thanks to rising incomes and falling interest rates.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared to an all-time record high on Tuesday, passing the five-year-old mark to leave behind the deep losses of the economic crisis.

The Barnett government is facing the prospect of a third bout of industrial action during the state election campaign, with Western Australia's public sector union calling a mass meeting