AAP

Cocos Islands residents have never been consulted about basing American surveillance drones on the Australian territory and were recently assured no military base would be set up there, a local bus

The Australian share market has opened lower, following a weak lead from US markets overnight.

Foreign Minister Bob Carr has urged Chinese telco giant Huawei to push ahead with expansion in Australia despite being banned from taking part in tenders for work on the national broadband network.

US stocks closed lower amid profit taking after Monday's strong surge and a slip in consumer confidence.

The Australian share market closed higher today, with gains across most sectors after strong leads from the United States.

Talks for the sale of liquefied natural gas from the $29 billion Wheatstone project in Western Australia are under way, operator Chevron says.

Land developer Stockland has cut its full year earnings guidance and blamed high interest rates and wet weather for the slowing of property sales.

The mad dash of 96FM from sixth to second place in the Perth radio market has been short-lived.

A compensation fund for asbestos disease victims will receive a much needed cash injection after a legal victory by James Hardie.

The major banks' decisions to raise lending rates are only partly influenced by their own funding cost rises, the central bank says.

Gold mining giant AngloGold Ashanti says it will spend more than $US800 million on its Australian projects in the next two to three years.

Australia trains fewer than half the engineers it needs and the skills shortage is preventing some construction projects going ahead, the profession's peak body says.

Property owner Charter Hall Group has paid $61.5 million for a 50 per cent stake in a Perth distribution centre leased by grocery wholesaler Metcash.

Leighton Holdings shares are in a trading halt as the construction company considers potential changes to its financial guidance.

The Australian share market has followed offshore markets higher in opening trade, with investors encouraged by signs from US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke that the US would keep interest r

The Australian dollar has risen almost one cent and pushed past 105 US cents for the first time in six days following indications from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke that the US would keep i

US stocks have surged following gains on European markets and after Ben Bernanke said a still-weak job market merited the Federal Reserve keeping easy money policy in place.

The Australian dollar was higher amid quiet trading and ahead of potential market-moving economic data from the US and Europe.

Arafura Resources expects to convert a rare earths sales deal with Germany's ThyssenKrupp into a formal agreement and expand the intended customer base in Europe.

Petrol prices hit a three year high last week as re-sellers factored in potential threats to oil supplies in the Middle East, new figures show.

Labor leader Mark McGowan has proudly claimed underdog status in next year's state election but denied unpopular Prime Minister Julia Gillard is a millstone around the party's neck.

The consumer watchdog says it will be closely watching electricity retailers which include a carbon tax impact on power bills sent to customers.

The Australian stock market closed flat after offshore bourses failed to inspire investors with a strong lead.

Phillips River shares soared after the junior minerals explorer agreed to sell its flagship assets to its former suitor, Silver Lake Resources.

Shares in Quickstep Holdings gained ground after the advanced composites manufacturer completed the first production parts for the international F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter military airc

The coalition says the federal government's decision to ban Chinese telecoms giant Huawei from taking part in tenders for work on the national broadband network (NBN) is "clumsy, offensive and unpr

Qantas will set up a budget airline in China under a new agreement reached with China Eastern Airlines.

US stocks eked out a small gain at the end of a rough week in which the market was weighed down by prospects of a global economic slowdown.

India will eventually take over from China as the main engine of growth for the iron ore market but its consumption will be less intense, an analyst says.

The Australian dollar has continued to drift lower after dropping more than two cents in a week.

 Coca-Cola Amatil is back in the beer market after buying the maker of Fiji Bitter for $58 million.