Financial Services

 Next week's March quarter inflation figures are building up to be a crucial set of numbers for borrowers hoping for another official interest rate cut by the central bank.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has described the appointment of Jim Yong Kim as next president of the World Bank as an excellent addition for the development agency.

Australian stocks have opened higher, led by strong gains in the healthcare and info tech sectors in quiet trading conditions.

US stocks have traded mixed as investors weighed better-than-expected March retail sales numbers, a sharp slowdown in New York manufacturing and renewed eurozone debt tensions.

 The Australian dollar has continued to fall on concerns around euro zone debt and Spanish bond yields.

Homeowners are braced for more interest rate hikes after Australia's big banks failed to rule out following ANZ's lead and lift lending rates independently of the central bank.

The Australian share market has closed lower as investors fear that Spain may follow debt-laden Greece down the slippery slope.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has declined to back a Liberal frontbencher's defence of a surprise rate hike by ANZ Bank.Banks were quite capable of defending themselves, he said.

Westpac will open its first branch in India after receiving a banking licence from the Reserve Bank of India.

Australian stocks have opened more than half a per cent lower due to a weak lead from the US as the local materials sector weighed on the market.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has accused the opposition of going into bat for the big banks by backing a surprise interest rate hike by the ANZ.

US stocks have closed out a miserable week with steep losses as worries about growth in the United States, China and Europe eclipsed a solid start to the corporate earnings season.

ANZ Bank has lifted interest rates for its variable home loan customers and small business borrowers despite the central bank leaving the cash rate on hold.

The Australian dollar fell back from a 10-day high on weaker than expected Chinese economic growth data.

The Australian share market ended the week on a high, gaining one per cent on the back of a strong lead from Wall Street and higher commodity prices.

ANZ Banking Group has cut 230 jobs from its underperforming wealth management division as part of its ongoing focus on cutting costs.

About 400 angry ex-Bankwest customers say the bank has been colluding with property valuers to force commercial borrowers to default on their loans.

The Australian dollar has risen almost one US cent following the release of stronger than expected domestic jobs data.

The Australian share market has closed higher after gains on overseas markets and stronger than expected job figures domestically.

Australian stocks have closed down one per cent as the big miners and other resources-linked companies led the broader market lower.

Australian stocks have opened lower as local market players took their cues from a poor night on Wall Street.

The Australian share market closed lower after a rise in domestic job advertisements for the third straight month failed to offset disappointing US employment figures.

Law firm Slater & Gordon is considering launching a class action on behalf of some former Bankwest customers over the Commonwealth Bank's takeover of the Perth-based lender.

The Australian sharemarket has opened one per cent lower as investors reacted to weak US jobs figures released at the start of easter break.

US stocks tumbled Monday after last week's disappointing jobs report showed a slowdown in hiring that raised concerns about the strength of the economic recovery.

A rally on Chinese equity markets has helped the Australian dollar to recover from a three month low.

Company collapses spiked 114 per cent in February in Western Australia, sparking fears the mining sector is sucking life out of non-resource related business.

The Australian share market closed lower on the back of sharply weaker commodity prices and a negative offshore lead amid fresh concerns about the euro zone debt crisis.

Gina Rinehart wants to be like building magnate Len Buckeridge. The BGC boss never has to tell the world how much money he makes, but ASIC is telling Mrs Rinehart she has to.

The Australian market has opened half a per cent lower due to falling commodity prices and a weakness on overseas markets.

A dreadful Spanish bond auction and the reluctance of the Federal Reserve to launch a fresh round of US stimulus have sent Wall Street share prices tumbling.