US stocks have scored gains on the eve of the presidential vote, with President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney locked neck-and-neck in the race for the White House.
The Australian share market finished slightly higher as investors await the United States presidential election and a local interest rate decision tomorrow.
The Reserve Bank of Australia might still keep its finger off the interest rate button despite a private sector survey showing slower growth in consumer prices.
Westpac has become the second of the big four banks to post a fall in full year profit, with the tax implications of its takeover of St George causing a 15 per cent fall to $5.97 billion.
Some buoyant data on consumer confidence and the manufacturing sector gave Wall Street a solid bump higher after Wednesday's flat reopening following the Hurricane Sandy shutdown.
The Australian dollar is almost level, as a weak share market performance puts a lid on any gains it makes on the back of strong Chinese manufacturing data.
US financial markets have re-opened after a historic two-day closure forced by superstorm Sandy, with the interruption having little impact on share prices themselves.
The Australian dollar is higher, as traders focused on next week's central bank board meeting and the decreasing expectations that there will be an interest rate cut.
National Australia Bank's full year net profit dropped 22 per cent to $4.08 billion due to millions of dollars in costs from its troubled operations in the United Kingdom.
European stock markets and the euro have rebounded as investors cheer positive company earnings and react to news of thousands of job cuts at Swiss bank UBS, despite a lull in trading caused by the
Commonwealth Bank chairman David Turner says the bank expects demand for credit to remain subdued this financial year amid economic uncertainty around the world.
US stock markets are closed as Hurricane Sandy nears landfall on the heavily populated east coast and parts of New York City's financial district were evacuated.
More reports of falling earnings and slashed forecasts sent US stocks lower for another week, with uncertainty over the November 6 election and what will follow, policy-wise, increasingly holding i
