AAP

 Iron ore pellet producer Grange Resources has forecast a lift in full year output by as much as 15 per cent because of better conditions at its Savage River mine in Tasmania.

Optus has appointed the former head of British mobile phone operator Hutchison Three as its chief operating officer in Australia.

Fortescue Metals Group says it is confident it will find enough customers for its iron ore when it ramps up annual production to 155 million tonnes from next year.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the opposition is being "deeply irresponsible" by talking down the Australian economy while markets are skittish over the European debt crisis.

Total personal finance commitments fell 7.8 per cent in November to $7,199 billion, Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows.

Australian shares have opened higher after a successful French debt auction overnight boosted European markets.

The Australian dollar rose overnight, despite news that Standard & Poor's had downgraded the creditworthiness of the eurozone's bailout fund.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has warned Europe faces an "unprecedented crisis" but urged calm in the face of Standard & Poor's multiple eurozone rating downgrades.

 Australia's banks will endure mandatory stress tests imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to ensure they can withstand another financial crisis. 

 The Australian dollar fell more than half a cent in the wake of Standard and Poor's decision to downgrade France's credit rating.

 Australian shares end sharply lower after a mass downgrade of European bloc countries' credit ratings took the wind out of investor's winning streak.

The first political opinion poll of the year shows the federal coalition continuing to hold an election-winning lead over Labor.

Fortescue Metals Group is considering developing its North Star magnetite iron ore project in Western Australia as a joint venture.

 Europe's debt crisis is worrying Australian employers and keeping them from hiring staff, economists say.

Australia's financial regulator will force superannuation funds to report their investments every six months under new regulations being developed this year.

Australia is set for a higher rate of unemployment in 2012, new figures show.

The number of home loans approved in November has beaten market expectations and the prospects for 2012 look good, economists say.

Australian shares have opened lower after a downgrade of nine of the European bloc countries' credit ratings sparked a fresh wave of risk aversion ahead of more Chinese data this week.

Leighton Holdings says its underlying profit for the six months to December will be stronger than previously forecast.

The mass debt downgrade of eurozone nations has reignited a debate over boosting the bloc's bailout fund, but governments are divided over raising their contributions, a senior EU official says.

 Australian shares have closed slightly higher after strong bond auctions in Europe helped boost appetite for shares.

Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten says states should not expect payments from the Commonwealth if they walk away from deals on national reforms.

The federal government says Australia's strong ranking on a global economic index shows the nation is punching above its weight.

Workers in Australia's big banks are being warned to prepare for the worst after ANZ confirmed it will slash hundreds of jobs over the next six months.

Australian shares rose after strong bond auctions in Europe and a positive session on Wall Street helped to bolster market sentiment.

A drop in oil prices and strong bond auctions in Europe drove stocks to a slightly higher close Thursday. The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose for the fourth straight day.

The Australian dollar rose after the European Central Bank (ECB) said its measures to stem the eurozone's debt crisis were proving effective.

 The Australian dollar rose slightly on a day of tight trading ahead of a key meeting of European Central Bank (ECB) leaders.

 The Australian dollar rose slightly on a day of tight trading ahead of a key meeting of European Central Bank (ECB) leaders.

 The Australian dollar rose slightly on a day of tight trading ahead of a key meeting of European Central Bank (ECB) leaders.

The Australian dollar rose slightly on a day of tight trading ahead of a key meeting of European Central Bank (ECB) leaders.

Australian shares finished slightly lower after a surprise profit warning from QBE Insurance and disappointing data from China weighed on prices.