Financial Services

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has challenged the opposition to show how it would have achieved budget surpluses during the global financial crisis.

The Australian share market has opened more than half a per cent higher.

 US stocks jumped on Tuesday, recovering much of Monday's losses and picking up momentum from solid economic indicators.

Retail and housing industry groups have questioned the central bank's decision to leave the official cash rate unchanged at its first board meeting of the year.

The Australian share market pared back early losses to finish lower for the second consecutive day as weaker global markets weighed on local sentiment.

 The Reserve Bank of Australia has kept the cash rate at three per cent, saying that fears about global economic growth have abated.

The Australian share market has opened weaker after markets around the world plunged overnight.

 The Reserve Bank of Australia is widely expected to keep its finger off the interest rates trigger when it meets for its first board meeting of the calendar year today.

US stocks have closed sharply lower as signs of political instability in Italy and Spain renewed worries about the the eurozone's long-running public debt crisis.

The Australian dollar is higher, after more encouraging US economic figures helped currency markets stay in a positive mood.

The Australian share market closed weaker, with investors apparently unwilling to push the bourse to 5000 points without new good economic news.

The recovery in Australia's struggling housing sector endured a setback in December as building approvals suffered a surprise fall.

 The Australian market has opened higher after positive overseas leads and gains for the mining giants.

US markets pushed tantalisingly close to new records last week, a stunning rebound after the steep crash of 2008 wiped trillions of dollars of wealth from Americans' pocketbooks and retirement acco

The Australian sharemarket returned to its two-week bull run as investors, buoyed by a positive US earnings season, turned to high-yielding stocks.

The Australian share market has opened higher despite a fall on Wall Street, supported by gains in the financial and resources sectors.

US stocks have finished lower, with BlackBerry maker Research in Motion losing 5.8 per cent after launching a new operating system and Dow Chemical sagging nearly 7 per cent on a quarterly loss.

The Australian dollar has pared back after official data suggested that growth in the US has slowed.

The Australian share market has closed slightly weaker, snapping a 10-day winning streak, after markets in the United States fell.

 The Australian share market has opened higher.

US stocks have closed modestly lower after data unexpectedly showed the economy shrank in the fourth quarter last year and the Federal Reserve maintained its loose monetary policy.

The Australian dollar has edged slightly higher ahead of a key meeting of the US central bank.

The Australian share market pulled back in late trading but still closed slightly higher, with investors unfazed by Prime Minister Julia Gillard announcing that the next federal election would be o

Westpac is raising $500 million through the issue of hybrid securities to investors to strengthen its capital position.

Gains by major resources companies have led the Australian share market slightly higher, extending nine days of gains.

Demand for credit is on the rise for the first time in a year but it's too early to talk of a turnaround in consumer spending.

US stocks have scored mostly solid gains after a batch of better-than-expected company earnings, but Yahoo! and cloud computing group VMware weighed on the Nasdaq.

The Australian dollar has closed the day higher, after a monthly survey suggested confidence among Aussie businesses was on the upswing.

The Australian share market has closed higher, with investors encouraged by the recent strength of global markets.

Australians appear to be swapping credit for savings, with a recent study showing intention for taking on debt at a three-year low.

Australian business confidence rebounded in December following an interest rate cut and positive developments in the US and China.

The Australian share market has opened higher for a ninth straight day, despite substantial falls among insurers due to the flood and storm crisis on the east coast.