AAP

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.

New worries about a second recession in the United States and Europe, prompted by an investment bank report, sent US stocks into a new sharp fall on Thursday.

Greens' gas campaign 'off target' – The Aus; Move to gag emissions debate – The Fin; $1.5bn cloud over renewables plan – The Aus; B&B directors, E&Y sued – The West; Crescent's 'lack of disclosure' irks spoiler Stone – The West

Mining giant BHP Billiton has approved a $US437 million ($A415.6 million) spend on an expansion of the Cerrejon coal mine in Columbia.

The pay gap between men and women in Australia is the widest in a generation and the mining boom is partly to blame.

The Australian share market closed weaker on profit-taking, led lower by the big miners and banks.

Miner and mining services company Mineral Resources has reported a 55 per cent jump in full year net profit after meeting its aggressive growth targets.

Investors can expect share market volatility to last for up to three years as food and energy prices rise and many developed nations struggle under massive public debt, the Australian Stock Exchang

Emergency Services Minister Rob Johnson has survived a no confidence motion in state parliament, after the opposition tried to force his resignation over the lead fire authority's mishandling of th

Shares in Adelaide Brighton rose after the cement and lime manufacturer flagged a solid full year result despite a dip in first half profit amid weakness in the housing sector.

Mining magnate Andrew Forrest's comment that young Aboriginal girls in the Pilbara are offering men sex for cigarettes has prompted a complaint to Australia's human rights watchdog.

Energy giant Shell is said to be on the verge of signing a multi-billion-dollar deal that will have Australia supplying a huge chunk of South Korea's liquefied natural gas needs.

Foster's Group has rejected an hostile takeover bid by UK-based behemoth SABMiller plc, saying the $4.90 offer price undervalued the company significantly.

Share market operator ASX Ltd has booked an annual net profit of $352.3 million, up 7.4 per cent on the prior year.

The Australian share market opened lower today as investors awaited direction from local earnings reports.