AAP

The Australian share market opened flat after the US market's less-than-expected response to Germany's approval to beef up Europe's rescue fund to stave off a second global recession.

Australia's finances are among the strongest in the developed world, federal Treasurer Wayne Swan says.

he Australian dollar was slightly lower after Germany's parliament overwhelmingly approved expanding the powers of the eurozone bailout fund in a major step toward tackling the bloc's sprawling sov

US blue chips rebounded but tech stocks fell Thursday after Germany's parliament approved a crucial EU bailout package and new US data gave the economy a slightly more positive tint.

Traders are closing out positions on copper stocks ahead of fresh manufacturing data from China amid fears the Asian superpower faces an economic slow-down.

Australian shares closed almost one per cent lower, after making back some of the day's losses, with investors worried about a critical German vote on the EU's rescue fund.

The man hailed as the father of the 1960s mining boom in the Pilbara, former premier Sir Charles Court, has been honoured with a statue in the centre of Perth.

Australia's status as an investment destination has improved because the federal government looks certain to lose power, leading to the repeal of the controversial carbon and mining taxes, a Wester

Qantas says more than 8,000 domestic and international passengers will have their flights disrupted by strikes tomorrow.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says the coalition won't change its support for the commonwealth's renewable energy target (RET) despite agreeing it's pushing up power prices.

Western Australia's recovering nickel sector will receive a major boost later this year when the Ravensthorpe nickel mine, mothballed by BHP Billiton, resumes production.

The competition regulator has approved Qantas Airways' proposed alliance with American Airlines on trans-Pacific routes.

Stamp duty and other taxes on newly-built housing should be on the agenda at the federal government's national tax forum, the Housing Industry Association (HIA) says.

Mining magnate Andrew Forrest says the High Court has vindicated his six-year fight against allegations by the corporate watchdog that he misled investors.

Premier Colin Barnett is sending mixed messages on foreign mining investment, the federal government says.

The Australian sharemarket opened weaker after a three-day trading rally on global markets ended amid doubts eurozone leaders were closer to resolving the debt crisis.

The Australian dollar was almost one US cent lower as traders waited to see how the eurozone would address the Greek debt crisis.

US stocks closed sharply lower after an early rise Wednesday as worries persisted over whether the eurozone would come up with an effective approach to containing the Greek crisis.

More Australians are failing to meet their mortgage repayments, new research shows.

The Australian sharemarket rose almost one per cent in the second day of gains, as markets recovered from last week's massive losses on hopes of a solution to Europe's debt crisis.

The Australian dollar was slightly firmer as investors wait for more details on how world finance officials plan to support Greece's debt-laden economy and save it from defaulting on its loans.

New home sales have stayed close to their lowest level in more than a decade, with Australians showing an unwillingness to buy amid global financial uncertainty.

Australia has jumped nearly 20 places to be among the top 10 countries with a reputation of being a good place for mining, a global survey has found.

The competition watchdog has cleared beverage giant SABMiller to buy local brewer Foster's for $10.7 billion, saying the takeover won't lessen competition for the supply of beer.

Fears of an inflationary wage breakout are being stoked outside Western Australia's booming resources sector, with a report unions are pushing to pay city labourers $137,000 a year.

The Australian share market opened slightly higher following a rally on global markets but is still vulnerable to shifting investor confidence ahead of a crucial vote on the next European bailout f

The Australian dollar rose following a second straight day of gains across global equity markets on expectations of an imminent solution to Europe's debt crisis.

US equities registered a second straight day of solid gains on Tuesday as traders took more optimistic stock of the eurozone debt crisis.

Australian shares rose more than three per cent, led by the banks and miners that brought it down on Monday.

Western Australia's unions, engineers and steel fabricators doubt they will see much benefit from the US energy giant Chevron's $29 billion Wheatstone gas project.

Australia's central bank should be considering an interest rate cut before the end of the year as a new survey indicates the manufacturing sector has sunk further into the doldrums, says an economi

The Australian share market has jumped higher and the dollar has bounced back above 98 US cents amid the helter-skelter ride on global financial markets, with investors now optimistic that Europe w