AAP

It was another day of big swings in the Dow Jones industrial average, but at least Monday ended with a modest gain.

Steel push to secure local jobs – The Aus; Union must pay $1.5m to oil giant – The Aus; Miners to choose MRRT project value – The Fin; WA worried it can't meet green target – The Fin; Funding for regions to be reviewed – The West

The Australian share market fell back into negative territory to close lower after earlier positive trading on the back of takeover announcements and strong earnings results.

James Hardie Industries shares gained almost five per cent after a successful appeal to the Full Bench of the Federal Court over tax matter worth over $242 million.

Oil and gas giant Santos has been fined $84,000 over a 2004 explosion at its Moomba gas processing facility that put South Australia and NSW on gas rations.

Tiger Airways is keeping its new-look Australian service under wraps but says it's had solid bookings since returning to the air after a six-week grounding.

The Australian Greens have introduced a bill to make it easier to change banks a day after Treasurer Wayne Swan announced similar measures.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has told parliament he will abide by any plebiscite on a carbon tax.

Western Areas has booked a jump in full year net profit after exceeding nickel production targets at two of its mines in Western Australia.

Steelmaker OneSteel has moved to shore up its position in the booming iron ore industry by spending $346 million on several mines.

The competition regulator has given Qantas Airways a provisional go-ahead for its proposed joint business agreement with American Airlines.

The Australian share market opened slightly lower, following a weak lead from Wall Street.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher as optimism grows that the Eurozone will issue its own bonds in a bid to ease sovereign debt crisis.

A growing belief that the US is headed toward recession has given its stock market its fourth straight week of losses.

Steel exports dead, 1000 jobs lost – The Aus; Labor slams business in IR row – The Fin; WA coal seeks aid in uncertain times – The Fin; China cautious about WA – The West; Builders' fury at tax change – The Aus

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says three new agreements with the states and territories on heavy vehicle, rail and maritime safety regulation will save the economy tens of billions of dollars.

The nation must overcome the increasingly bitter conflict between the coal seam gas (CSG) and farming factions, with the country poised to become the "Saudi Arabia of gas", Regional Australia Minis

The Australian share market closed sharply lower on a mixture of poor company results and big falls on US and European bourses spooked by the poor global growth outlook.

BHP Billiton, Westfield, Billabong, News Corporation.

Australian mergers and acquisitions have reached a record $US130.3 billion ($A125.79 billion) so far this year, despite the gloomy economic outlook and share market turmoil, a study shows.

Stockland plans to buy back up to five per cent of its stock, equivalent to 119.15 million securities.

The Greens will introduce a bill into federal parliament next week to force coal seam gas companies to get written approval from landowners before they can enter their land.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is facing a hostile COAG meeting with a bloc of three Liberal premiers pushing for her to scrap the planned carbon tax.

Brazilian mining giant Vale and Aquila Resources have received a nod from the Queensland government for the Eagle Downs coal project in the Bowen Basin, granting a mining lease.

ANZ Banking's underlying profit for the nine months to June is up 16 per cent at $4.2 billion and says it has good reason for optimism in Australia, New Zealand and Asia.

Santos has more than doubled first half profit as the oil and gas producer benefits from its sale of a stake in the huge Gladstone liquified natural gas (GLNG) project.

Boart Longyear has more than doubled first half profit and the drilling services and products provider has also increased guidance for full year revenue and earnings.

Atlas Iron has increased its iron ore reserves in the North Pilbara region of Western Australia by 50 per cent.

Shipbuilder Austal has posted a 41 per cent fall in annual profit, and says adverse market conditions which affected its result will be "the norm for some years to come".

The Australian share market opened sharply lower, led by weaker bank stocks following overseas falls in Europe and the US.

A slew of bad news from Europe and poor economic data from the US prompted the Australian dollar to tank almost one US cent overnight.