Financial Services

The Reserve Bank of Australia is ready to push interest rates lower if that's what the economy needs.

The Australian market was lower at open as investors became risk averse in light of the disappointing economic data out of China and the fatal bombings in Boston.

Deadly explosions in Boston and disappointing China economic growth have rocked US stocks, sending the broad-market S&P 500 down more than 2.0 per cent.

The Australian share market has closed sharply lower as commodity price falls and weak economic data from China sparked a major sell off.

Australian stocks have opened weaker, with the big miners leading the broader market lower after commodities prices, particularly gold, were hit hard in offshore trading.

There has been plenty of recent ammunition to feed scepticism in the bull market of 2013 - yet stocks continued to float higher, racking up solid gains for the week.

The Australian dollar has pushed higher, helped along by continued strength on share markets.At 1700 AEST, the currency was at 105.56 US cents, up from 105.21 US cents yesterday.

Australian shares closed marginally higher on Friday to complete their biggest one-week gain since last October.

Mining billionaire Andrew Forrest says Australia will be left behind if efforts aren't made to make Sydney a strategic trading centre for Chinese currency.

The Australian share market has opened higher after Wall Street hit fresh record highs overnight.

US stocks have pushed to new record levels after the government's weekly report on jobless claims came in better than expected.

The Australian dollar hit a fresh 10-week high following gains on US sharemarkets, but lost some ground after disappointing jobs figures.

The Australian share market has bounced back to close above the key 5,000 point mark for the first time in a month amid hopes that local interest rates will fall.

Australian stocks have opened higher, led by strong gains from the big banks and supermarket chains.

US stocks powered to new record highs on Wednesday after Federal Reserve meeting minutes suggested the Fed's easy-money policies would remain in place for a while longer.

The Australian dollar has rallied to its highest level in more than two months, helped along by Chinese trade data.

The Australian share market has closed slightly weaker as investors sold off defensive and high yielding financial stocks after a couple of days of gains.

The RBA is painting a positive outlook for Australia's economy, despite the end of the mining investment boom nearing and the high dollar weighing on growth.

The Australian share market has opened flat despite a lift in overseas markets overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average shook off early weakness on Tuesday and pressed through to another record close, led by strong gains in tech shares Microsoft and Intel.

The Australian dollar is back above 104 US cents, thanks to weakness in the greenback and softer Chinese inflation figures.

The Australian share market enjoyed a bumper day, closing almost one and a half per cent higher on positive overseas leads.

The Australian share market has opened higher.

US stocks have recovered from early losses and closed higher in anticipation of earnings season, which kicks off this week.

The Australian dollar is lower following disappointing US jobs figures and weakness in the Japanese yen.

Australian stocks finished mildly higher as investors took their cues from Japan, amid renewed interest in local mining stocks.

ANZ and Westpac will become the first Australian banks to help businesses directly trade Australian dollars for the Chinese yuan.

 Australian shares have opened slightly higher, buoyed by resource stocks.

After a meteoric climb in the first quarter, US equity markets finally began to come back down to earth last week.

 A sharp fall in the value of the yen has pushed the Australian dollar lower against the greenback.

The Australian share market has closed lower as investors struggle to maintain the confidence that marked the earlier months of this year.