AAP

Australia will find it difficult to achieve meaningful economic growth without boosting productivity through micro-economic reform, National Australia Bank chairman Michael Chaney says.

South Africa are continuing to defy the odds on day five, with Australia still needing six wickets in the final two sessions to win the second Test in Adelaide.

The federal government should abandon plans to increase the compulsory superannuation guarantee for workers, an independent think tank says.

Australian stocks are firmer, with gains among metals companies leading the broader market higher.

US stocks solidly snapped a six-week slide on Friday, with gains topping three per cent, the best rise in five months.

The Australian dollar has moved slightly higher on a quiet day of trading, after the US markets were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Australian stocks finished flat due to a lack of local and offshore leads.

Engineering group Monadelphous says it has secured an $80 million contract to provide maintenance services to Queensland Curtis LNG at its new gas plant.

It's been the buzz term for the past decade, but the decline in Australia's terms of trade will make it crucial that all the talk about lifting productivity be acted on.

Poor customer service at David Jones is causing as much angst among shareholders as the troubled retailer's earnings woes.

The Australian share market has opened lower, after markets in the United States were closed for the Thanksgiving holiday.

West Australians are expected to spend $3.4 billion in total this Christmas, which would be a relief to the ailing retail sector.

European stock markets and the euro rose as traders welcomed strong Chinese manufacturing data and an Israel-Gaza truce, while a Greek bailout deal was put on hold ahead of an EU summit.

The Australian dollar is higher on further signs economic conditions in China, the world's second largest economy, are improving.

Uranium miner Paladin Energy hopes a new Japanese government will decide to restart the country's nuclear reactors, as the price of uranium hovers around two-year lows.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has gathered tributes from advertising millionaire John Singleton and Indian industrialist GVK Reddy for her new book, which she is launching in Sydney today.

The Australian share market closed higher on Thursday, with positive manufacturing data out of the US overnight and China during the day promoting positive investor sentiment.

There are further signs the Chinese economy is in recovery mode, with new data showing its manufacturing sector growing for the first time in 13 months - a welcome result for Australia's iron ore a

Perth Glory owner Tony Sage will use next month's opening of the Spice Girls musical in London to try to persuade David Beckham to come to the A-League.

Finance Minister Penny Wong insists the federal government is sticking to its budget surplus strategy despite figures suggesting it's falling short of the target.

A third council has been plunged into crisis within a week, with the Shire of Ashburton in the state's Pilbara region dismissing chief executive Jeff Breen after several complaints from ratepayers.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has taken a bold swipe at the prime minister, accusing Julia Gillard of attempting to start a "gender war".

The Australian Greens have urged Treasurer Wayne Swan to work with them to limit the reimbursement of state royalties to big miners under the federal mining tax.

An interest rate cut in December will give the non-mining sector a boost and support retailers in the lead-up to Christmas, Myer chief executive Bernie Brookes says.

The Australian share market has broken back through the 4,400 point mark following a rise on Wall Street.

Oil and gas company Santos expects its production to rise in 2013 as new projects come online.

US stocks notched up modest gains in light trading ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday after Israel and Hamas reached a ceasefire agreement.

A council in Perth's southeast has been suspended by the state government after a damning report criticised the local mayor's "inappropriate" power and highlighted long-term dysfunction.

The indigenous group that rejected a financial package from Fortescue Metals Group in exchange for the right to mine their land - but were pipped by a breakaway claimant group - says there's still

Superstar chef Heston Blumenthal has pulled out of a scheduled headline appearance at a gourmet food festival in Margaret River after two of his chefs died in a Hong Kong car crash.

Premier Colin Barnett says while he is "sympathetic" towards workers on lower wages in the public sector, he will not be swayed by protesters.

State disability ministers have criticised the lack of flexibility in draft federal legislation to establish a National Disability Insurance Scheme ahead of its planned introduction to parliament n