AAP

Recent interest rate cuts have helped house prices in Australia's capital cities post their strongest monthly gains in more than two years.

Borrowers will be raising their glasses to the Reserve Bank of Australia after the central bank delivered its fifth interest rate cut in 12 months.

Central Petroleum shares have risen more than 11 per cent after the company announced a $150 million joint venture with oil and gas producer Santos.

Rallies will be held around the nation this weekend to protest against animal cruelty and the live export trade, following reports that Australian sheep were inhumanely slaughtered in Pakistan.

Business trading conditions have hit the weakest level in 14 years, prompting calls for 50 basis points worth of interest rate cuts before Christmas.

Qantas will have to pay the tax office $34 million in GST it collected from passengers who booked tickets but then didn't turn up for their flights.

Fortescue Metals has welcomed its High Court victory against the corporate regulator, calling the long-running case an expensive distraction.

The Australian share market has opened higher after gains on overseas markets.

Fortescue Metals Group has commissioned a second ore processing facility at its Christmas Creek iron ore mine in the Pilbara.

US stocks opened the fourth quarter on Monday with a solid jump propelled by an unexpected positive reading on manufacturing sector activity in September.

Global miner Xstrata will cut 150 jobs from a Western Australian nickel mine to go with the 600 Australian coal job cuts announced earlier this month.

The Australian dollar is higher, on improved sentiment, and ahead of a meeting of the Reserve Bank of Australia board next week.

Harvey Norman chairman Gerry Harvey took a $115,000 pay cut in the 2011/12 financial year after the retailer's profits plunged 32 per cent.

Australian government agencies are failing to enforce standards designed to ensure kangaroos are humanely killed, a report says.

The Business Council of Australia has joined a growing number of industry groups concerned that the federal government may tweak existing concessions to pay for a cut in the corporate tax rate.

Australian shares closed down for the week and had a almost flat day, with investors cautious after the Spanish government unveiled budget plans to slash its deficit.

The builder of the $37.4-billion national broadband network has committed to freezing the prices of its consumer and business products for five years.

ANZ has been fined $US350,000 ($A336,619) by commodity regulators in the United States over its handling of wheat and cotton futures contracts.

Woolworths non-executive director and World Cup cricket organiser Ralph Waters has been elevated to the chairman's job after the surprise resignation of James Strong.

The head of the former Centro Properties Group was paid $3 million in the final five months of the shopping centre owner's operation.

Quickstep has won a $US12 million ($A11.5 million) deal to manufacture carbon fibre wing flaps for Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules aircraft.

Homeowners can bank on at least one interest rate cut by the end of the year, and it's possible it could come on Tuesday.

Green mining technologies such as carbon capture will be a major industry in the future, Rio Tinto's Australian coal boss says.

Shares in Sundance Resources have been placed in a trading halt ahead of an expected announcement from its Chinese suitor Hanlong Mining.

DuluxGroup has finally won over garage door maker Alesco Corporation in its long-running $210 million takeover battle.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

Coles boss Ian McLeod remains the highest paid executive at conglomerate Wesfarmers, despite taking a slight pay cut last financial year.

US stock markets scored solid gains on Thursday amid speculation of additional stimulus measures from China and after Spain announced a 2013 austerity budget.

Budget fix needed to avoid shock – The Fin; Coalition split on wheat exports – The Aus; $3bn handout puts car makers in black – The Fin; Former director's assets frozen – The West; Hancock queries 'curious' timing – The Aus

The Australian dollar has risen by more than half a US cent after the Chinese central bank made its biggest weekly cash injection into money markets.

Australian shares have closed higher, after an announcement of an economic stimulus program by the Chinese central bank boosted local market confidence.

The Australian Labor Party is on track to meet its target of recruiting 8000 new members by the end of 2012, senior party figures say.