AAP

The United States' debt ceiling deal will not avert a credit ratings downgrade, leading American economist and former White House director of economic policy Todd Buchholz says.

Gold miner Norton Gold Fields says it doesn't currently feel vulnerable to a takeover by its new largest shareholder, China's Zijin Mining Group.

The air safety regulator is close to making a decision on whether grounded airline Tiger Airways Australia can resume flights.

The state government is under fire for suspending a scheme that pays householders for extra energy pumped into the grid from their solar panels.

The South Australian government has given mining giant BHP Billiton the upper hand in negotiations over the proposed Olympic Dam expansion, the Greens say.

Telstra has submitted the details of its structural separation with the competition watchdog for approval.

Australian shares are soaring after the United States avoided a debt default with an eleventh hour agreement to cut its deficit.

US stocks have had their worst week of 2011 amid fears that the debt-ceiling impasse in Washington would provoke a ruinous default or a downgrade of the United States' credit rating.

The Australian dollar is three quarters of a US cent higher as optimism grows that US politicians will work out a deal to avoid a default on its debts.

Debt talks down to wire – The Fin; West's desal plan scuttled – The Fin; Wheatstone approval this year: Chevron – The Fin; Solar panel scheme to be shut down in weeks – The West; Diggers delegates to get their teeth into Labor – The Aus

A senior pilot and a highly skilled engineer have been stood down by Qantas after they threatened to go on strike.

One of Australia's largest livestock exporters is just a step away from sending the first shipment of cattle to Indonesia since the live trade was banned.

Emerging miners and even some states could launch legal action to fight the Mineral Resource Rent Tax, Fortescue Metals Group executive director Andrew Forrest says.

Australian shares have hit a near 11-month low as investors head into what has been labelled possibly the most crucial weekend in history for financial markets.

Former Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull insists he is "beyond gagging" and will continue speaking freely on climate change.

Perth-based Scandinavian Resources has announced a dramatic jump in its Swedish iron ore resource from 200-250 million tonnes to 412.1 million tonnes.

August's corporate earnings season will highlight the pressure many sectors are under because of consumer caution and a high Australian dollar even though the miners and banks will continue to post

Origin Energy has posted record full year production and sales revenues as well as boosting production in the latest June quarter.

Australian beermaker Foster's Group has relaunched its iconic beer business and renamed its Carlton & United Breweries business as Carlton United Brewers.

Freight company Toll Holdings has refinanced $S1 billion ($A757 million) of debt to lower interest repayments and bought a German ocean freight business.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has ridiculed as a prize piece of fiction a report that claims her government is considering adopting a congestion tax.

After a horror few months for Murchison Metals, the Pilbara iron ore miner has at least posted positive production and shipping results.

The housing industry is still suffering a shortage of skilled labour, an industry group says, even though data for the June quarter suggests a slight oversupply of workers.

Austar United Communications reported a four-fold increase in first half net profit and expressed confidence a proposed merger with Foxtel would proceed.

Australian shares opened slightly lower on the back of a weak lead from Wall Street, as the US continues to struggle towards a resolution of its national debt crisis.

Tough new powers for carbon cop – The Aus; Tax summit targets state charges – The West; Different strokes: ANZ tips interest rates to rise, but Westpac says they'll fall – The Aus; Union talks tough after court victory – The West; Hess keeps LNG hopefuls waiting – The Fin

US stocks ended mixed on Thursday, as nervous markets awaited a resolution to the debt-limit standoff in Washington, with the deadline for potential financial disaster only five days away.

Construction of the Gascoyne irrigation pipeline is on track, despite setbacks from last year's severe floods in the region, the state government says.

Consumer and industrial products supplier GUD Holdings expects a solid financial performance in the 2012 financial year despite difficult conditions in the Australian retail sector.

Origin Energy has approved the first phase of its $20 billion two-train liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Queensland.

Investor jitters over the looming prospect of a US sovereign debt default unleased a fresh wave of selling on the Australian share market.