AAP

Dairy farmers have accused the federal government of having no regard for their future, despite two major Senate inquiries into the supermarket milk price wars.

Labor can win an election in 2013 if it delivers its plans for reshaping the economy, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.But it will take a lot of hard work.

Qantas boss Alan Joyce has warned a federal parliamentary hearing that proposed legislative changes are a major threat to the airline's future.

The big banks should fully pass on any rate cut by the central bank to help improve consumer and corporate confidence, a business lobby group says.

 Retail sales figures for December were poor but a rebound is expected once the full affect of recent interest rate cuts sinks in, economists say.

Job advertisements have posted their largest monthly rise since February 2010, a private survey shows.

Australian shares have opened almost 1.5 per cent higher after the release of better-than-expected US jobs figures.

The latest Fairfax/Nielsen poll shows Julia Gillard is in front of Tony Abbott as preferred prime minister for the first time in nine months.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher, reflecting positive US jobs data.At 0705 AEDT, the Australian dollar was trading at 107.27 US cents, up from 106.88 cents on Friday afternoon.

A strong January jobs report on Friday sent US stocks soaring, pushing the Dow to pre-crisis levels, as investors celebrated a surge in job growth that pointed to new vitality in the fragile recove

Westpac boss Gail Kelly became the latest bank executive to try to soften up the public to the prospect of banks not passing on the central bank's expected interest rate cuts next week.

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.