AAP

WorleyParsons and its 50/50 joint venture partner in Indonesia have been awarded a $US180 million contract by oil and gas giant Chevron.

Billionaire iron-ore heiress Gina Rinehart has no right to suppress the details of her family trust battle, the NSW Court of Appeal has found.

Junior iron ore producer BC Iron is hunting for acquisitions and has achieved positive quarterly cashflow for the first time after beating its production guidance.

The head of Wesfarmers' insurance arm has defended the local industry in the face of premium rises of as much as 15 per cent for home insurance.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the government is "determined" to return the federal budget to surplus, despite a soft jobs market and reduced expectations for global growth.

African Iron's board recommends its shareholders accept Exxaro's takeover offer.

Australian shares have added one per cent in early trading as successful debt auctions in Europe and more positive bank earnings in the US buoy optimism.

The Australian dollar is firmer as concerns about Europe's debt crisis eased overnight.

It was another day of quiet but solid gains on Wall Street on Thursday.

 The Australian dollar was marginally lower in response to worse that expected domestic unemployment data.

After slashing more than 3000 jobs in 2011, banks are set to drip-feed more job cut announcements in the name of corporate restructures and managing costs.

Australian shares ended flat after disappointing jobs data wiped out earlier gains that were driven by positive offshore leads.

 Australia's third largest oil and gas producer Santos is confident of an increase in production this year after it fell in 2011.

Western Australian Labor leader in waiting, Mark McGowan, says some decisions by the federal government have hurt his party's chances at a state level.

Australia might be enjoying a resources boom but its oil and gas sector has been given a negative credit outlook for 2012 by ratings agency Fitch.

 Shares in Lynas Corporation have surged 3.8 per cent as investors speculated that the rare earths miner will be granted the go-ahead on its lucrative Malaysian facility.

Australia's jobs market is still weakening, official figures show, adding to the case for a further cut in interest rates next month, economists say.

The federal government has vowed to pursue companies that exclude Australian steel manufacturers from bidding for work on massive resources projects by using foreign standards.

Woodside Petroleum has beaten its full-year production forecast after oil assets performed strongly, while high prices have boosted revenue by 15 per cent.

The Australian share market has opened more than three quarters of a per cent higher.

Gold miner Resolute Mining lifted production in the December quarter and has maintained its full-year production target.

The Nasdaq led US markets toward strong gains on Wednesday, helped by news that the IMF was to raise $US500 billion ($A483.35 billion) to boost its crisis-fighting capacity.

Westpac Banking Corporation has put the future of 28 IT management roles in doubt by commencing a review of their roles as part of a group-wide restructure.

Australian shares edged up marginally to a fresh five-week high as upbeat mining figures and hopes for a Greek debt deal dragged shares out of the doldrums.

Biofuels producer Algae.Tec has signed a deal to fund the construction of a facility in China that will produce a renewable alternative to fossil fuels.

Australian travellers and British expats will be cheering after the dollar hit a 27-year high against the pound.

Australia is in for a tough economic year after the World Bank slashed its global growth forecasts and warned there could be a worldwide recession worse than three years ago.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard will write to Premier Colin Barnett about reports the builder of Australia's largest infrastructure project is being directed to import Chinese equipment and services.

 Western Areas hopes to become Australia's second largest nickel producer through the expansion of its existing domestic operations and new mines in Finland and Canada.

Property developer Cedar Woods says it expects a boost in sales in 2012 after two consecutive rate cuts.

OZ Minerals lifted gold output in the final quarter of 2011 while copper production fell but it still achieved full-year production in line with guidance.

Recent interest rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of Australia have failed to lift consumer confidence, says Westpac.