AAP

Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds has denied she suspected Brittany Higgins had been raped following an incident in her ministerial office, as her handling of the case is probed at a defamation trial.

Australia's acceptance of nuclear material from the US and UK has been officially approved as part of an updated AUKUS agreement, as the security pact attracts renewed criticism from a former prime minister.

Senator Linda Reynolds has told a defamation trial she was exposing corruption when she sent confidential documents about Brittany Higgins' payout to media.

The ASX200 has finished down 0.2 per cent, with BHP falling to a 21-month low and Mirvac dropping nine per cent on its earnings results.

Senator Linda Reynolds says she sent confidential documents related to Brittany Higgins to a journalist because she believed the attorney-general was "stitching" her up.

The ASX200 has finished 0.25 per cent higher, its second day of modest gains after a 3.7 per cent plunge on Monday.

The ASX200 finished up 0.4 per cent after falling 5.8 per cent over Friday and Monday, its worst two-day drop since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

University peak bodies say a proposed cap on international students is little more than a smokescreen for debate on immigration numbers, a committee was told.

The Australian share market has suffered its worst day in more than four years as rising fears of a US recession sparked global panic selling.

Former defence minister Linda Reynolds must have known Brittany Higgins had been sexually assaulted when she met with her junior staffer, a defamation trial has been told.

Liberal Senator Linda Reynolds says she's looking forward to take the stand as a witness and tell the truth at a defamation trial against Brittany Higgins.

Aid agencies and federal government departments are set to front a Senate committee hearing on Australia's support for Ukraine.

Senator Linda Reynolds' legal team has started its opening submissions in a high-profile defamation trial against former staffer Brittany Higgins.

The ASX200 has dropped 2.1 per cent in its worst performance in 16 months, just two days after its biggest jump in 20 months.

A former PwC chief executive who was linked to the consulting firm's tax leak scandal will be dragged under the spotlight for the first time.

The ASX200 gained 0.3 per cent to close above 8,100 for the first time after Fed chairman Jay Powell talked up a September rate cut in the United States.

The ASX200 rose 1.8 per cent in its best single-day performance since late 2022, while the Aussie fell under 65 US cents for the first time in three months.

The ASX200 finished down 0.5 per cent after slipping more than twice that in early trading, while Fortescue Metals fell to a 20-month low.

The federal government is putting contingencies in place after shares in regional carrier Rex were placed in a trading halt amid speculation about its future.

The ASX200 briefly reclaimed the 8,000 level as traders wait for what one analyst calls the biggest data point of the year for Australia's market.

The Australian share market was 0.8 per cent higher at the bell following goldilocks US economic data and a rally across mining stocks.

The prime minister has joined forces with the leaders of Canada and New Zealand to call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Every sector of the Australian share market has lost ground as stock markets weaken worldwide on lacklustre earnings from US tech firms.

Australian shares have eased on weakness in property and energy as US big tech earnings underwhelmed and commodity prices fell.

The communications watchdog has warned 10 telcos for breaching new standards designed to help customers struggling to pay internet and phone bills.

The ASX200 has snapped a three-day losing streak led by tech stocks, while the Australian dollar closed lower for a seventh consecutive day.

US stocks have closed higher as investors bought shares in major tech firms after a three-session sell-off.

The ASX200 dropped 0.5 per cent as US President Joe Biden stood down from his re-election bid and a new front opened in the Middle East conflict.

A recovery in home building is coming but will take time and is still expected to fall short of the 1.2 million national target.

A drop in metal prices contributed to the ASX200's 0.8 per cent fall on Friday, but the index managed to extend its weekly winning streak to three weeks.

The coalition will introduce laws to federal parliament to bring back the construction sector watchdog after allegations of crime links within the CFMEU.

The ASX200 has fallen 0.3 per cent with the small tech sector suffering its worst loss since April after a similar sell-off in the US.