AAP

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is under pressure from the Labor caucus to make mining companies contribute more to local communities and review the government's plan to allow more foreign mine worker

The Australian market has closed marginally higher on a day defensive stocks shone.

 Western Australia should maintain its AAA credit rating if steps being taken by the Barnett government are as effective as hoped, Treasurer Troy Buswell says.

Australia's renewable energy target has driven $18.5 billion of investment in clean power and eroded wholesale energy prices since it was introduced a decade ago, a new report suggests.

Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan has ruled out pursuing a cut in the company tax rate if battlers have to pay for it

The federal government is playing down reports its new mining tax has failed to raise a single cent of revenue in its first three months.

Western Australia's retirement village residents will have an avenue to appeal unwarranted hikes to charges under laws that have passed state parliament.

Gold miner Newcrest says it expects to produce more than three million ounces of the precious metal annually within a few years.

Australian stocks have opened higher, with local market players looking past a weak lead from Wall Street.

Wesfarmers has overcome tough times in the retail world and lifted its first quarter sales.

ANZ Banking Group has posted a record $5.66 billion full year profit as it grew earnings from its domestic and international operations.

US stocks have closed lower, unable to hold on to earlier gains amid weak corporate earnings and after the Federal Reserve left policies on hold as expected.

Mining billionaire Gina Rinehart has struck a blow against the Fairfax Media board, voting against the company's executive pay report after a torrid annual general meeting.

Labor's controversial carbon tax might not push up consumer prices in its first year by as much as the federal government expected.

The Australia dollar jumped in response to a larger than expected rise in inflation, but ended the session weaker.

Electricity network operator Western Power says it still doesn't know the cause of the 2009 Toodyay bushfire that destroyed 38 homes and continues to deny any liability, despite paying compensation

Global insurer QBE expects to achieve modest premium growth this financial year.Chief financial officer Neil Drabsch said QBE expected premium growth in the low single digits this year.

Australian stocks managed to avoid some of the heavy falls experienced on Wall Street, but the local sharemarket still finished 0.8 per cent lower.

Mining productivity is expected to turn around and post big gains over the next decade, but the sector is unlikely to enjoy the same rate of growth in employment, a central banker says.

China's manufacturing activity contracted in October but at a slower pace than in previous months, a sign the slowdown in the world's number two economy is bottoming out.

Climate Change Minister Greg Combet has attacked Tony Abbott's plan to repeal Labor's carbon tax as a sovereign risk.

Perth's local government structure badly needs to be overhauled and reduced to no more than 20 metropolitan councils, Premier Colin Barnett says.

The massive rises in electricity prices in the last five years should not have occurred and were due to a flawed set of industry rules, says the competition regulator.

Shares in Fairfax Media have gained as much as nine per cent after its executives reassured shareholders a strategic review would help the troubled media company ride out tough trading conditions.

Struggling surfwear company Billabong has reaffirmed its earnings guidance, despite difficult trading conditions.

Economists say a larger-than-expected rise in inflation for the September quarter could encourage Australia's central bank to keep the cash rate steady at its next meeting.

Australian stocks have opened 0.7 per cent lower, outperforming the sharp declines from offshore markets during the overnight session.

Businesses have received some positive news as they head into the crucial Christmas sales period, in the form of a sharp rebound in consumer spending.

Poor earnings and forecasts from major US industrial firms have added to a global markets downturn to send US stocks plummeting, with DuPont losing 9.1 per cent on its earnings plunge.

The Australian dollar is marking time ahead of the release of key inflation data.

The local head of global fuel giant BP has warned that Australia is losing investment because it is increasingly expensive to do business and the federal government is failing to tackle the issue.

The Australian share market closed almost unchanged, as investors awaited key manufacturing data from China and more news on company earnings in the United States.