AAP

 The first half of 2012 could be the best period in years for Australian agriculture, underpinned by a sizeable increase in Western Australian average farm cash.

Unions will launch a test case to lift apprentice wages to at least the minimum wages in their industry.

The Australian share market has opened more than half a per cent lower.

The Australian dollar has fallen almost half of a US cent as global markets reacted to China's reduced growth target.

Confidence among small and medium businesses took a backward step in the March quarter, a quarterly survey by information management firm Sensis found.

US stocks have fallen on worries about the slowing global economy after China lowered its growth estimate eclipsed positive numbers on the US services sector.

The Australian dollar rose 0.3 of a US cent in the absence of any major market-moving data, by contrast to what has otherwise been a volatile week.

The mining boom has helped cities in Western Australia and Queensland top a list of property hotspots to look out for this year.

The Australian stock market closed higher after a positive lead from Wall Street, shrugging off higher unemployment levels in Europe.

Sundance Resources shares were heavily traded on the ASX after the iron ore explorer entered an agreement with a private West African company about sharing infrastructure planned for the Perth-base

Water Minister Bill Marmion admits a 13.5 per cent interest rate being charged on unpaid water bills is high and says he will ask the Water Corporation to justify it.

Consumer goods retailer Harvey Norman is drastically scaling back plans to conduct five per cent of its trade online, only months after launching a brand new website.

Major shareholders in UCL Resources will not accept a hostile takeover offer from Minemakers, casting a cloud over the likelihood of the proposal succeeding.

A Western Australian parliamentary committee will investigate whether organisers of the Kimberley Ultramarathon, in which two women were badly burned in a bushfire, took reasonable steps to ensure

Engineering firm Downer EDI will supply mining giant BHP Billiton with trains in a deal that could be worth more than $400 million.

The Australian stock market opened higher this morning, led by the big miners after strong gains in the US overnight.

The Australian dollar has risen as demand grew around European bonds.

ta and a key ruling for the pending Greek debt write-off that had boosted the Dow back above the 13,000 line.

The Australian dollar lost ground as strong demand for the US dollar overshadowed domestic capital expenditure data.

Export commodity prices edged up for the second month in a row in February.

A male worker has died at AngloGold Ashanti's Sunrise Dam gold mine near Laverton.

The Australian share market closed lower as cautious investors searched for an elusive lead.

Sandfire Resources has started mining underground ore at its DeGrussa copper-gold mine northeast of Meekatharra.

Cashed-up corporate shell Murchison Metals has reshuffled its board in the wake of the one-time iron ore miner's sale of assets to Japan's Mitsubishi.

Junior gold explorer Crest Minerals is planning to raise up to $5 million through its initial offer of shares to the public, with funds earmarked for four key areas in Western Australia's Eastern G

Capital expenditure fell in the last three months of December, but it is expected to make a comeback in the new year as the mining boom gains renewed momentum.

Economists believe the building sector is recovering, albeit weakly, after official data showed a small rise in building approvals for January.

The opportunity to worry, gloat, and maybe soon even take bets on house prices is about to get a big boost with the launch of a daily home value index.

Woolworths says its net profit has fallen more than 16 per cent, due to the restructure of its Dick Smith chain, and it expects trading conditions to remain subdued for the rest of the year.

Australian stocks market opened nearly one per cent lower this morning following Wall Street's lead where US markets tumbled following the Federal Reserve chairman's address to Congress.

Economists expect the reserve bank will keep the cash rate steady at its next meeting, citing comments suggesting its benign view of domestic and global conditions.

The Australian dollar has fallen after rising to its highest levels in nearly three weeks.