AAP

Qantas Airways chairman Leigh Clifford has tried to reassure the airline's shareholders about their lack of dividends and languishing shares.

The Australian market has opened higher, led by gains on Wall Street and higher commodity prices.

Peter Tinley, who was once touted as a future state Labor leader, has quit as an opposition spokesman after a company that his wife is linked to went into receivership.

Some buoyant data on consumer confidence and the manufacturing sector gave Wall Street a solid bump higher after Wednesday's flat reopening following the Hurricane Sandy shutdown.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the latest jobless figures from Europe are a stark reminder of the difficult conditions in the global economy.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has been accused of ditching Liberal party values and sanctioning muckraking against Prime Minister Julia Gillard as Labor continues to seek the political upper hand a

The West Coast Pirates have vowed to make their bid for a Perth-based NRL side "irresistible" when the ARL Commission puts expansion back on the agenda in 2014.

The Australian dollar is almost level, as a weak share market performance puts a lid on any gains it makes on the back of strong Chinese manufacturing data.

Investors wiped almost 13 per cent from the share price of steelmaker Arrium after its Asian suitor walked away from a $1 billion plus takeover bid.

If manufacturing was a boxer, the referee would have stopped the fight and held the Australian dollar's bloodied glove in the air.

The Australian share market has closed more than one per cent lower, despite encouraging manufacturing data from China.

Troubled clothes line, electronics and building products maker Hills Holdings is to start shedding jobs as part of a massive restructure.

Whitehaven Coal managing director Tony Haggarty says investors have sent majority shareholder Nathan Tinkler a clear message after they overwhelmingly re-elected chairman Mark Vaile and four other

Household and automotive products supplier GUD Holdings says most of its businesses are under pressure and has warned that profits in the first half of the current financial year may be 15 per cent

The closure of car component maker aiAutomotive in Adelaide will have a serious impact on the entire automotive supply chain, South Australia's opposition says.

Penalties totalling $36,300 have been imposed against the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and two of its officials over unlawful strikes at Fremantle and Broome in 2009 and 2010.

Television broadcaster Ten Network Holdings has confirmed that it is selling its Eye Corp outdoor advertising arm for $113 million to a private equity-controlled company.

Building products supplier Boral Ltd says it expects its fiscal 2013 first half underlying profit to be similar to that in the second half of 2012 with trading conditions still difficult.

The federal government is facing a revolt of independent MPs that could jeopardise its ability to return the budget to surplus this financial year.

The Australian share market has opened lower as investors consider the impact of the massive storm in the United States on the world economy.

The agribusiness sector has welcomed the passing of legislation to fully deregulate the wheat industry through federal parliament’s lower house, thanking those politicians that sided with Labor for

A company that booked the ship Athena for a series of Australian cruises has gone into voluntary administration, casting doubt on the travel plans of thousands of people.

US financial markets have re-opened after a historic two-day closure forced by superstorm Sandy, with the interruption having little impact on share prices themselves.

The Australian Greens have attacked Labor for sending mixed messages about the renewable energy target after chief whip Joel Fitzgibbon suggested it should be reduced.

The Australian dollar is higher, as traders focused on next week's central bank board meeting and the decreasing expectations that there will be an interest rate cut.

Fireworks are expected at Whitehaven Coal's annual general meeting tomorrow in Sydney after majority shareholder Nathan Tinkler said he would vote against all resolutions.

 People caught harming or smuggling critically endangered species could face fines of up to $500,000 under new laws being suggested by the state government.

West Coast chief executive Trevor Nisbett says the Eagles won't push for a stand-alone reserves side if their new alignment with WAFL club East Perth works.

JB Hi-Fi says trading conditions remain challenging but it remains confident that it can grow market share during fiscal 2013.

The Australian share market closed higher after gains across most sectors despite low volumes of trading.

Rupert Murdoch's News Limited will double its stake in Foxtel within a fortnight after Consolidated Media shareholders approved a $1.94 billion takeover deal today.

The Australian Greens will support moves by the federal government to abolish Wheat Exports Australia and fully deregulate the export grain market.