AAP

Detainees who have rioted and destroyed property at Australia's mainland detention centres should be shipped offshore immediately, West Australian Premier Colin Barnett says.

Equinox Minerals has postponed a meeting of shareholders to vote on its takeover offer for a Canadian base metals miner following a Chinese group's informal bid to acquire Equinox.

Producer prices have risen higher than market expectations in the March quarter and suggest next week's inflation figures may also be higher, economists say.

Business conditions remained soft in the first quarter of the year but confidence has bounced back strongly, a survey shows.

Labor's old carbon pollution reduction scheme was better than the one it is offering now, the lobby group for Australia's 100 biggest firms says.

Atlas Iron reported a slight fall in iron ore production and exports in the third quarter due to the weather in what has been an otherwise buoyant period for the miner.

Oil refiner and petrol retailer Caltex Australia says it expects short term volatility in refiner margins to continue, after revealing the extent to which high oil prices have hurt the company's margins.

The Australian share market opened higher with all market sectors gaining following a rally on Wall Street overnight, and the Australian dollar reached a new record high.

US stocks soared on Wednesday, with the Dow closing near three-year highs, on strong earnings reports that beat Wall Street expectations, particularly in the technology sector.

The Australian dollar has surged to a new post float record, after Wall Street finished at its highest point in nearly three years.

Business backs Labor's carbon tax basics – The Fin; Work safety backlash builds – The Aus; Swan denies talking down the boom – The Fin; Woodside in box seat to secure gas: Voelte – The West; Risky insulation rife in WA – The West

Interest rates look set to stay on hold for a while, with the Reserve Bank of Australia seeing no case to raise the cash rate when its board met earlier this month.

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has promised the carbon price will create more jobs, as industry leaders and unions step up concerns mining and manufacturing positions will be lost.

The rampant Australian dollar is keeping a lid on the price of imported goods, while rising commodity prices are delivering a massive boost to national income.

Both sides of politics should end the farce of the past two years and bring industrial relations reform back on the agenda, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says.

The Australian share market posted its biggest one-day gain in a month on the back of a strong BHP Billiton quarterly production report and record gold price.

The West Australian branch of the Australian Workers Union has accused Opposition Leader Tony Abbott of spreading fear among its members in his visits to work sites across the state.

Virgin Blue is poised to announce a fourth international partnership, this time with Hawaiian Airlines, and has set its sights on Asian expansion.

The outlook for economic growth in the next three to nine months looks strong owing to healthy business investment and a robust labour market, a report has found.

Woodside Petroleum chief executive Don Voelte has used his last annual general meeting with the energy giant to express dismay at the stalemate with the East Timor government over the stalled Sunrise development.

The Australian dollar broke the 106 US-cent mark to yet another fresh post-float high as traders moved back into risk assets.

Woodside Petroleum says the liquefied natural gas (LNG) market will remain robust for at least the next 15 years, underpinned by global population growth and improving standards of living, especially in the Asia Pacific region.

Skilled labour in the residential building industry remained in short supply in the March quarter despite a slowdown in housing sector activity, an industry group says.

The Australian share market has bounced back strongly, led by the materials sector on BHP Billiton's March quarter production report and a record high for the price of gold.

A federal Senate committee investigating the milk price war has delayed handing down its final report, saying it needs more time to sort through the complex issues.

Santos has downgraded its full year production guidance, blaming wild tropical weather for a drop in first quarter production and sales.

The Australian stock market has opened firmer following positive offshore leads from equities and commodities markets, with strength in the materials and financial sectors.

The coal industry says it wants the Gillard government to go back to the drawing board and come up with a new plan to ensure mines aren't closed as a result of the proposed carbon tax.

Flooding and cyclones have hit production at several of BHP Billiton's divisions but in iron ore the world's biggest resources company held up better than its rivals.

Coles owner Wesfarmers has reported a seven per cent rise in quarterly sales in its supermarket chain, as it says price deflation particularly in non-food retailing continued to affect results.

No windfall in resources boom: Swan – The Aus; PM challenges business on carbon – The Fin; WA regulator savages power subsidy 'welfare' – The Fin; AFL tipped to help fund new stadium – The West; Firm's big stag profit reflects faith in mines – The West

US stocks notched up solid gains on Tuesday as investors weighed positive company earnings and better-than expected data on the sick housing sector.