AAP

The Australian dollar has continued its downward trend following a report that France and Belgium were restarting talks on the bailout of Brussels-based bank Dexia.

Four years of drought followed by unusually high rains means Western Australia is facing one of its most dangerous fire seasons in recent history.

The Australian sharemarket was dragged almost two per cent lower after the release of weak manufacturing figures from China.

Premier Colin Barnett has hit back at federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson for saying the real problem for mining companies was paying state royalties.

The federal government has dismissed the opposition's claim that a report from a leading international investment bank proves Labor's carbon tax is "all pain for no environmental gain".

Minmetals' $C1.3 billion $A1.28 billion) takeover bid for Democratic Republic of Congo-focused copper miner Anvil Mining has been extended as talks continue to gain the backing of state-owned joint

The federal government's decision to defer the phase down of a tax paid by financial institutions will hurt competition, a banking group says.

Shares in NRW Holdings rose after the resources sector contractor flagged it would double its first half net profit.

Canadian regulators have cleared mining giant Rio Tinto's $C654 million ($641 million) for junior uranium explorer Hathor Exploration.

Australians soon may be able to transfer their lost superannuation accounts electronically instead of completing numerous paper forms.

A planned rail line linking Sundance Resources' $US4.7 billion ($A4.79 billion) Mbalam iron ore project in West Africa to a proposed new port is a step closer.

The high value of the Australian dollar is not hurting tourism operators as hard as is commonly believed, Tourism Australia Chairman Geoff Dixon says.

Virgin Australia says underlying profit before tax in the first three months of 2011/12 was higher than the prior corresponding period, despite higher fuel costs.

Western Australia was behind a record rise in the value of construction work done in the September quarter.

The Australian share market opened lower after markets in the United States fell overnight.

Australia's central bank will provide a facility to ensure commercial banks have enough cash in times of financial crisis.

Programmed Maintenance Services has returned to first half profitability and has forecast earnings growth in all of its divisions.

The federal government is set to defer by one year the phasing down of a foreign bank tax measure, so it can cover the cost of its deal to secure the passing of mining tax laws.

The International Monetary Fund has announced a new lending facility aimed at helping "bystander" countries protect themselves from contagion during financial crises.

US stock markets traded choppily on Tuesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average squeezed by a sharp downward revision to US growth figures and lingering political concerns in Washington and Euro

Financially beleaguered BlueScope Steel has embarked on a deeply discounted $600 million capital raising to tackle debt and try and turn around its fortunes.

Some of the world's best cyclists are expected to compete in the 2012 Perth International Track Cycling Grand Prix.

Qantas's public relations team is red-faced after a twitter publicity campaign backfired.

Australian shares closed weaker for the second day in a row but were relatively better performers than US and European bourses, which sold off on renewed sovereign debt concerns.

A Western Australian Aboriginal group's request for the environment minister to use emergency powers to intervene in a Pilbara land dispute with Fortescue Metals Group is being considered but there

The federal government will set up an interim expert panel to assess coal seam gas projects, filling the gap before a full committee is established.

The junior miners are urging the Australian Greens not to support the federal government's mining tax.

Developing East Asian countries should bring in deep reforms to offset threats from global slowing and regional natural disasters, the World Bank says.