AAP

Two solar panel companies have been found to have made misleading comments about the impact of the carbon tax on electricity prices.

 The state government plans to repeal 40-year-old legislation that deals with the estates of Aboriginal people in a discriminatory way.

Australia trade balance remained in deficit in May but is expected to return to surplus as exports pick up over the coming months.

Australian stocks opened flat following a lacklustre day on European markets and Wall Street closed for the July 4 public holiday.

The Australian dollar has drifted lower in a quiet overnight session as markets wait to see whether Europe's top bankers will introduce new stimulus measures.

European stock markets were little changed and the euro slipped against the dollar on Wednesday as investors waited for key monetary policy decisions by the European Central Bank and Bank of Englan

More than 3,000 unionists have marched on mining magnate Gina Rinehart's office and Parliament House to protest against imported workers and a lack of training in the resources sector.

The Australian sharemarket has closed higher as local investors took heart from better-than-expected economic data out of the United States and a rosier outlook in the troubled euro zone.

Queensland-based Linc Energy has cut 60 jobs as it aims to achieve a cash profit of $15 million in the 2012/13 financial year.

Bakery chain Brumby's could be fined if found to have incorrectly linked upcoming price rises to the carbon tax, the federal government says.

Pricing carbon may actually stop the transition to cleaner energy, Premier Colin Barnett says.

Virgin Australia carried more domestic passengers than its rival Qantas over the 12 months to the end of May - a first for the industry's traditional number two.

A worker has been killed in a gas explosion in Perth's eastern suburbs.

Retail spending is on the rise as cashed-up consumers enjoy the benefits of lower mortgage rates.

The owners of the Australia Pacific liquefied natural gas (APLNG) project in Queensland have made a final commitment to add a second LNG train to the $23 billion project.

The Australian sharemarket has opened more than three quarters of a per cent higher, following strong leads on Wall Street.

Maintenance and construction company Transfield Services has won new contracts in the United States, New Zealand and Western Australia totalling $200 million.

Manchester United plans to go public. In the United States, to boot.

US stocks racked up solid gains in a holiday-shortened trading session, boosted by reports of strong June sales from the leading US auto makers.

The Australian dollar has risen to a fresh two-month high on the back of strong domestic building data.

A single-issue party is poised to enter Western Australia's political scene.

The Australian sharemarket has closed slightly weaker as investors weighed up recent weak economic data out of the United States and China and as Australia's central bank left the cash rate unchang

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he would call a double-dissolution election if Labor senators block his attempts to dump the carbon tax.

No rate cut. No clear pointer to future moves. No surprise.

The corporate watchdog will investigate the $1.65 billion mystery takeover offer David Jones received from an obscure UK private equity firm.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says the eurozone's latest jobless figures highlight the deep-seated challenges facing the region, despite some progress in resolving its debt crisis.

Aurora Oil & Gas has moved closer to taking full control of takeover target Eureka Energy.

Woodside Petroleum says it has received the all-clear to sell part of its stake in the Browse gas project to Japan's Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsui & Co.

The Australian sharemarket has opened flat ahead of a holiday in the US and mixed overseas leads.

Younger Australians are more upbeat about the future than baby boomers while Labor voters are Australia's political pollyannas, a new poll has found.

US stocks have finished mixed after news that manufacturing contracted for the first time in almost three years in June, raising concerns about a key pillar of the US economic recovery.

The Australian dollar continues to trade above 102 US cents following concrete developments from a crucial summit of European leaders late last week.