AAP

The Australian dollar eased back below 107 US cents after trading within a tight range as the market awaited key jobs data from the US.

Australian shares edged lower to a weaker finish as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of key US employment data.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is wary of an economy where the only signs of strength are in the mining sector, after hundreds of jobs were slashed in the banking and manufacturing sectors.

Shares in Decmil Group gained ground after the engineering and construction firm won a $90 million contract for work at BHP Billiton Mitsubishi Alliance's Caval Ridge coal mine in Queensland.

Shares in Magma Metals have skyrocketed after nickel miner Panoramic Resources launched a $40 million takeover bid for the base metals explorer.

Skilled labour in the residential building industry remained in moderate surplus for the last three months of 2011, in a soft building market, according to an industry study.

The effectiveness of the Council of Australian Governments will be put to the test over this year as it tries to drive reforms to make the national economy more seamless.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the jobs of manufacturing workers won't be safe until Prime Minister Julia Gillard loses her job.

Australian shares have opened largely flat on the back of mixed leads from overseas.

The Australian dollar is slightly lower, backing away from the three-month high reached yesterday.

US stocks have ended the session mixed after weekly jobless claims fell, but Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke told congress the jobs market had a long road to recovery.

A renewed appetite for more riskier currencies, sparked by encouraging manufacturing data in Germany, the US and China, took the Australian dollar to a fresh three-month high.

Mongolia-focused Xanadu Mines says it seeks to partially sell or completely divest its thermal coal assets in the Asian nation as it simplifies itself into a copper and gold play there.

The Australian share market snapped its three-day losing streak to finish strongly on the back of resurgent mining stocks.

Qantas has increased its fares on domestic and international routes in response to increased fuel costs and carbon pricing schemes in Australia and Europe.

A Federal Court ruling allowing Optus to broadcast sports matches online means multi-million dollar exclusive rights deals are worthless, media analysts say.

The mining boom has helped Australia post its second highest level of monthly exports despite an economic slowdown in Asia, economists say.

A mortgage specialist is urging borrowers to hunt around for a better home loan deal if their lender does not pass on official interest rate cuts in full, as the banking industry tries to explain h

New data showing a continuing decline in building approvals means activity in the housing sector is set to remain soft for some time, economists say.

Australia's richest person, billionaire Gina Rinehart, is also the richest woman in Asia and on the way to becoming the richest woman in the world, according to Forbes' latest rich list.

Prosecutions have been dropped against former Premier Brian Burke, lobbyist Julian Grill and former ministerial staffer Nathan Hondros, due to a lack of public interest.

Rare earths miner Lynas says it has a responsibility to the Malaysian community to operate a newly-approved plant in a safe manner.

Wesfarmers' largest business, Coles, has recorded its best ever Christmas sales in 2011 as the supermarket chain continues to lure customers away from rival Woolworths.

 Australian shares have risen sharply after strong gains in commodities prices overnight sent resources stocks surging.

The Australian dollar rose to a three-month high as the cost of borrowing for European governments falls and after the release of good manufacturing data from Europe and China.

Facebook is updating its status from a private to public company.

Premier Colin Barnett has touted the wealth of Western Australia's industry barons, after one of the state's mining billionaires, Gina Rinehart, spent almost $200 million increasing her stake in pu

Mines and Fisheries Minister Norman Moore says he will retire at the next election after serving 35 years in parliament.

Rio Tinto says it will take a controlling stake in South African mineral sands miner Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) through the acquisition of BHP Billiton's 37 per cent interest for an undisclosed su

Beleaguered uranium miner Energy Resources Australia says its 2012 production remains highly dependent on the amount of rain in the Northern Territory during this year's wet season.

Santos' Wortel operation in Indonesia has produced its first gas, the fourth project in the company's base business to begin output in the past eight months.

Export commodity prices rose marginally in January after a run of four monthly falls.