AAP

Mining companies are so desperate for workers some are throwing their selection criteria in the bin and spending money on training raw recruits, the Department of Treasury has found.

US stocks closed out April Monday with all three indices slipping lower, helped by weak US consumer spending data and ongoing worries about Spain and the eurozone.

The Australian dollar is almost a full US cent higher as global markets priced in the possibility that the US central bank could embark on a new round of economic stimulus.

National Australia Bank will spend £456 million ($A713 million) and cut 1,400 British jobs to prevent its struggling UK business from causing more damage to its bottom line.

 The Australian share market closed stronger, driven by resource and banking stocks on the expectations of a cut in domestic interest rates and a soft economic landing in China.

Retail gas prices in Western Australia will increase 8.3 per cent from tomorrow, costing an average family an extra 90 cents a week.

Fortescue boss Andrew Forrest has accused Treasurer Wayne Swan of lying about the amount of revenue the federal government will get from its mining tax.

Engineering groups UGL and CH2M Hill have won a $550 million contract to build the combined cycle power plant for the Ichthys liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in the Northern Territory.

Low-income Australians are being priced out of the private rental market in capital cities and miningboom towns, a welfare group says.

Controversial Queensland mining magnate Clive Palmer doesn't think he'd have to "give up anything" if he stands against Treasurer Wayne Swan at the next federal election.

Australia's housing and retail sectors have called on the Reserve Bank to deliver a 50 basis point interest rate cut to boost consumer sentiment, after a survey showed new home sales have fallen to

The Australian share market has opened about half a per cent higher after US investors took a glass half-full approach, leading to gains on Wall Street.

Industrial services company Spotless has agreed to a full take-over by private equity firm Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) for a total cash consideration of $2.71 per share.

Billionaire mining magnate Andrew Forrest has celebrated his Australian Employment Covenant (AEC) finding 10,000 jobs for Aboriginal people by taking a swipe at the federal government's record on i

The Australian dollar has rallied almost one US cent on weak American growth data.At 0700 AEST on Monday, the local unit was trading at 104.61 US cents, up from 103.64 cents on Friday.

Tech giants Apple and Amazon have proved their mettle to doubting investors once again, leading US stocks higher in the week as the markets showed they had not yet run out of steam.

Unrest over Prime Minister Julia Gillard's handling of the Peter Slipper saga has Labor backbenchers revisiting the leadership question, but ministers have come to her defence.

Mining giant Rio Tinto's drive to recruit up to 6,000 workers must target locals first and include training opportunities for young Australians, federal Skills Minister Chris Evans says.

 The Australian share market closed lower as worries about the Spanish economy and local consumer sentiment overtook a positive lead from Wall Street.

The Australian dollar has receded from its overnight gains but could move past the 104 US cent mark heading into the weekend. 

Major retailers such as Coles are to blame for national trucking firm 1st Fleet going into administration, the transport union says.

Finance Minister Penny Wong says returning the budget to surplus is more than just an accounting exercise, it is good economic management for the future.

Shares in industrial services company Spotless have been suspended from trading pending an announcement about its takeover talks with a private equity firm.

The Australian Greens are maintaining pressure on the federal government to scrap the diesel fuel rebate for miners in the upcoming budget.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has welcomed a Federal Court decision to prevent Optus customers from recording and watching football matches on delay.

Atlas Iron says it remains on track to meet its full year production target of 5.5 million to 5.7 million tonnes (Mt).

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher as investors remain cautious about a weakening consumer environment.

Australian house prices made modest gains in the first three months of the year but were still negative over the 12 months to March 31, a report by an online real estate data group says.

US stocks have risen despite a series of uneven data and corporate earnings reports that included a big disappointment from oil giant ExxonMobil.

The Australian share market gave up earlier gains to finish slightly higher following a positive lead from Wall Street.

OZ Minerals lifted its production of gold and copper in the first three months of the year but costs were higher because of heavy rains.

House prices in Western Australia's booming Pilbara region are continuing to outpace major capital cities, with recent sales fetching $300,000 more than the Sydney median.