AAP

Australian households are using 25 per cent more electricity compared to a decade ago even though retail prices have skyrocketed 72 per cent in the last five years.

The number of jobs advertised on the internet last month has fallen sharply over the year.

Seven West chief executive and former Woodside boss Don Voelte has joined the board of oil and gas explorer Nexus Energy.

Australian stocks have opened lower after falls on Wall Street and losses for the mining giants.

Japan's Mitsui has approved a $1.5 billion investment to expand iron ore export capacity at its joint venture with Rio Tinto at Cape Lambert.

A Federal Reserve official's doubts about the impact of the QE3 stimulus pulled the rug from under US stock markets Tuesday, sending them lower after strong early gains.

Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson has demanded Opposition Leader Tony Abbott rein in coalition critics of foreign investment, saying recent anti-China comments were sending damaging mixed

Australian shares closed lower, dragged down by resources stocks, with investors responding to commodity price falls and Europe worries.

Leighton Holdings is looking to sell its phone and internet infrastructure assets.

A media analyst and commentator is standing for election to the board of Fairfax Media in an effort to help it improve its flagging financial performance.

The state government has ruled out tapping James Packer for funds towards a new $900 million stadium neighbouring his Crown Perth casino.

Australia's banking system has been given its semi-annual tick of approval but the central bank is keeping a watchful eye on potential longer-term risks.

Gold miner Newcrest is tapping investors for $US1 billion ($A962.97 million) to help reduce its debt.

Australian sheep exporters should consider focusing on Middle East countries with a history of accepting their animals after a shipment was rejected by Bahrain and Pakistan, the WA Farmer

The economic ties between China and Australia are extending beyond the resources sector to financial services, education, tourism and agriculture, the federal government says.

The federal government has announced a crackdown on public service travel, recruitment advertising and printing in a bid to save the budget $550 million.

Tasmanian timber company Gunns has collapsed into voluntary administration and could struggle to find a buyer for its troubled businesses.

Australian stocks have opened slightly weaker, with concerns over Germany's business confidence and euro zone debt weighs down investor sentiment.

A coalition government would provide cheaper broadband services more quickly to Australians with its alternative national broadband network (NBN), opposition communications spokesman Malcolm Turnbu

A sharp fall by Facebook and weakness in Apple's shares despite the strong iPhone 5 launch have helped pull US markets lower.

The Australian dollar has fallen by half a US cent amid talk of more interest rate cuts by the central bank.

Australian shares started the week lower with weaker commodity prices contributing to big falls in mining stocks.

Shareholders aren't getting value for money from Australia's corporate leaders, a union says.

New Zealand-based resins maker Nuplex Industries will eliminate up to 80 jobs in a restructuring that will close four plants NZ and Australia, including one in Canning Vale, over the next

Consolidated Media Holdings shareholders will get to vote on a $1.94 billion takeover bid by Rupert Murdoch's News Limited at a special meeting in October.

Consumer group Choice has called for greater powers to be given to the energy market regulator to ensure "unjustifiable" rises in power prices over the past five years don't happen again.

Federal Communications Minister Stephen Conroy says the opposition should release its costed policy for a national broadband network (NBN), instead of launching a survey.

National Australia Bank has joined its rival ANZ in bringing forward to November its prediction of when the Reserve Bank will next cut the cash rate.

Australia's live sheep exports to the Middle East will resume this week, but producers will have to foot the bill for new measures introduced to appease importers.

The federal government has reported a slightly smaller-than-forecast budget deficit for 2011/12, helped by higher individual tax receipts and lower outgoings.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has denied his comments about "cranks and crazies" taking over the US Republican Party were directed at vice presidential hopeful Paul Ryan.

Australian stocks have opened weaker, with the mining-related sectors leading the broader market lower.