AAP

The Australian market has defied negative offshore leads in both commodities and equities to open higher on Tuesday.

The Australian dollar was slightly stronger this morning, as the market awaits minutes from the central bank's May monetary policy meeting.

PM shifts into sales mode amid downturn warning – The Aus; Buswell sinks iron ore export from Fremantle – The West; Labor backs pay rises for apprentices – The Fin; Fresh bid for carbon tax compo – The West; Stokes warns of major downturn – The Aus

Slumping tech stocks pulled US markets down Monday as the country struck its limit on borrowing with no increase in sight, putting more pressure on the government to slash spending.

Whitehaven Coal's share price has slumped sharply after the miner took itself off the market, saying none of the takeover proposals were high enough.

Qantas Airways says it is too early to offer any details on what a taskforce has recommended to fix the airline's ailing international operations "severe structural challenges".

The Australian share market fell to a two-month low on a weak Wall Street lead, softer commodity prices and domestic economic data, and with investors' awaiting Greece's economic fate.

Big miners are focusing on their own exploration efforts in Africa as the cost of taking over juniors with attractive deposits there is too expensive, says Boart Longyear chief executive Craig Kipp.

New motor vehicle sales fell by 3.5 per cent in April, with sales of sports utility vehicles (SUVs) dropping by almost 10 per cent for the month, official data shows.

The head of the company behind the national broadband network has apologised for mistakenly misleading the public about his previous responsibilities at communications firm Alcatel-Lucent.

Australia's top 300 listed companies recorded stronger business conditions in the March quarter and also expect to perform better than smaller companies in 2012, a bank survey has revealed.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she will continue to talk about jobs and opportunity, despite two new polls showing a dive in her popularity and Labor's stocks.

Leighton Holdings has reported a loss of $382 million for the nine months to March, but it expects to return to profitability in 2011/12.

The Australian stock market has opened more than one per cent lower following a weak result in the US on Friday night and as Westpac shares went ex-dividend.

The Australian dollar was one US cent lower, as Greece's sovereign debt problems continue to worry investors.

Carbon threat to power supply – The Fin; Gillard's standing worse than Rudd's – The Aus; Miners say 23,000 jobs at risk – The Aus; Wines or mines: Margaret River divides ministry – The Fin; Pair in bid for rich Lynas asset – The West

US stocks ended the week mired in red on Friday as investors shrugged off US inflation and consumer confidence reports and weighed disappointing company earnings and a firmer dollar.

Mining giant BHP Billiton says it has addressed all environmental, social, cultural and economic issues raised over its planned expansion of the Olympic Dam uranium and copper mine.

Qantas Airways' mooted plan to establish a premium airline based in Asia have been criticised by the pilots' union.

Perth-based construction and engineering group Clough has blamed a drop in its full year profit guidance on bad weather, site access and unexpected tendering costs.

The Australian stock market closed slightly higher today, despite spending much of the session lower, but investors remained cautious.

Contempt charges against Seven Group Holdings chairman Kerry Stokes will be heard on June 28.

Skills and Jobs Minister Chris Evans says it is "scandalous" that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott failed to address Australia's skills shortage in his federal budget reply.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has defended the lack of targets in the nation's first population policy, saying it is about communities, not figures.

Global drilling contractor Boart Longyear told shareholders in Perth today it is on track for solid growth this calendar year as exploration for nonferrous metals rises to potentially record levels.

The Australian Greens want to cap the pay packets of corporate bosses, proposing a limit of 30 times the average wage of their workers.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says his budget speech-in-reply offered "vision" in contrast to Labor's "spin".

Qantas engineers have scrapped strikes planned for next week and ruled out industrial action for at least a month, the airline says.

Gold miner St Barbara says it has approached the board of Catalpa Resources with a merger proposal to form "a leading Australian mid-tier gold company" forecast to produce around 480,000 ounces of gold in fiscal 2012.

The Australian market has recovered slightly in opening trade, following a recovery on Wall Street in both commodities and equities.

The Australian dollar was close to one US cent higher this morning, as traders digest local employment data and as debate continues on the chances of a June cash rate rise.

A small recovery in commodities and a rally in companies that make consumer staples like toilet paper and pasta helped the financial markets reverse a decline Thursday to end the day with modest gains.