Financial Services

Australian stocks closed at their lowest level for six weeks, dragged down by a dive in the iron ore price that hit the miners..

Australian stocks have hit a six-week low after the OECD downgraded Australian and world economic growth forecasts, causing mining stocks to tumble.

The Australian dollar gained as much as one US cent in overnight trade after the US dollar fell against all the major currencies.

US stocks closed lower amid concerns about global economic growth and the US Federal Reserve's plans for unwinding its aggressive stimulus program.

The Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest level since October 2011 after the release of stronger US consumer sentiment figures boosted the US dollar.

Australian stocks finished flat despite the big miners coming back into favour amid weakness in the Australian dollar.

Australian stocks have opened firmer after strong economic data in the United States resulted in a positive session on Wall Street.

The Australian dollar is lower after another batch of good US economic data cemented hopes of a winding down of economic stimulus measures by the US central bank.

The Dow has closed at a new all-time high after strong gains in US home prices and consumer confidence boosted stocks.

Australian shares finished slightly higher on Tuesday, stemming the market's five-day run of losses.

Australian shares have opened stronger as investors look to whether the United States will alter its massive economic stimulus program.

The Australian dollar is almost unchanged after a night of quiet trade due to holidays in the United States and Britain.

Europe's stock markets closed on a positive note on Monday as market watchers said investors focused on profit-taking as both the London and New York markets were closed for holidays.

Property owner and manager GPT Group has dropped its $3 billion bid for Australand's commercial and industrial assets.

The Australian dollar has closed below US97 cents for the third straight session as traders continue flocking to the greenback.

Australian stocks closed lower on Monday, adding to a string of losses notched up last week.

Australian stocks have opened weaker, with David Jones among the worst performers after the department store chain posted a decline in third quarter sales.

The Australian dollar has continued to fall due to investor caution and falls in commodity prices.

The 7.3 per cent plunge in Japanese stocks during last week injected needed sobriety into US markets, but they showed a resilience that cheered investors worried about protecting the year's gains.

The Australian dollar has finished the day higher, despite falling back from its earlier highs amid uncertainty about the future of the US Federal Reserve's stimulus program.

The Australian stock market has tumbled to a five-week low, with $26 billion wiped from the value of the bourse.

Australian shares are a little weaker as the market follows Wall street into negative territory.

The Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest level in almost a year following further gains in its US counterpart and disappointing Chinese manufacturing figures.

Australian stocks suffered their biggest one-day fall in two months as more than $32 billion was wiped from the value of the bourse.

The Australian share market has opened lower after comments the US Federal Reserve overnight suggested stimulus activity there may soon be eased.

The Australian dollar has dropped back below 98 US cents following disappointing consumer sentiment figures.

Australian stocks closed lower for a second consecutive day, dragged down by the banks and a surprisingly poor consumer sentiment report.

The Reserve Bank of Australia says a softer-than-expected inflation outlook allowed it to cut the cash rate to a record low, as it tries to boost underperforming sectors or the economy.

The Australian market has closed around half a per cent lower, dragged down by weakness among the banks and industrial stocks.

The Australian dollar has pushed back above 98 US cents amid weakness in its US counterpart.

Share ownership among adult Australians declined from 43 per cent to 38 per cent during the past two years, a 2012 Australian Securities Exchange study shows.

The Australian dollar is slightly firmer on Monday, after spending most of the past week in a downward spiral.