Financial Services

The Australian share market closed higher, boosted by encouraging economic data from Japan and South Korea and slightly stronger retail sales data in Australia.

Shares in QBE Insurance Group have risen after the insurance giant raised $450 million from institutional investors and sought to raise another $150 million from retail investors.

The Australian dollar has risen above 108 US cents on strong domestic retail data.At 1200 AEDT, the Australian dollar was trading at 107.95 US cents, up from 107.83 cents yesterday.

Commonwealth Bank's ATM and EFTPOS services have been restored after crashing across the country.

Australian stocks opened firmer this morning after a solid overnight session on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones industrial average on Tuesday finally reclaimed the ground it held before the carnage of the Great Recession - bailouts bank failures layoffs by the million and a stock market panic t

The Australian dollar rose to its highest level in two weeks on improved optimism about the euro zone government debt crisis.

Retiring QBE Group boss Frank O'Halloran will return to the insurer as a board member next February, a year after posting a 45 per cent plunge in annual net profit.

The Australian share market closed flat after a directionless trading session in the absence of firm leads from offshore markets.

Australian stocks opened firmer this morning, led by strength in the telecoms and information sector.

The Australian dollar is higher on optimistic global sentiment, ahead of a European operation to boost liquidity.

The Dow Jones industrial average narrowly missed 13,000. Again.

Goldfields Credit Union has lodged a prospectus ahead of its long-awaited stockmarket float, revealing that it will spend $1.86 million to demutualise and raise $9 million in new capital.

The Australian dollar has fallen more than a quarter of a US cent as demand rises for European currencies.

The Australian share market closed lower, partly pulled back by market giant BHP Billiton, which paid its interim dividend; the big banks, three of which had a ratings downgrade on Friday; and some

Australian stocks have opened slightly lower as mining giant BHP Billiton paid its first half dividend.

The Australian dollar has fallen from previous highs, as global oil prices reached a 10-month high.

The eurozone will have to put in place a bigger financial firewall to combat the crisis before other countries will pour more cash into the IMF, the G20 top and developing economies say.

Three of Australia's big four banks have had their prized AA credit ratings downgraded by one notch because of their partial reliance on wholesale funding markets.

The Australian share market ended the week on a high note after a positive lead from Wall Street, with financial and mining stocks driving gains.

Western Australia's share of GST grants will fall to a record low next year, with the state due to get back just 55 per cent of all GST collected here.

Australian stocks have opened flat on the back of a mixed offshore lead.

Reserve Bank of Australia governor Glenn Stevens says interest rates are about where they should be, even after retail banks independently lifted their lending rates this month.

The Australian dollar has risen after the release of some encouraging economic data from Germany and the US.

US stocks have closed broadly higher, helped by solid gains from Procter & Gamble over its cost-cutting plan and blue-chip stalwart IBM.

The Australian dollar is lower as concerns grow around the Greek bailout and growth in Europe.

The Australian share market followed negative offshore leads to edge lower after disappointing economic data from debt-riddled Europe.

Federal politicians head to Sydney on Friday to quiz the nation's most influential banker, providing an opportunity to focus on the economy rather than who will win next week's Labor leadership bal

Australian shares have opened slightly weaker after a quiet overnight session for international markets.

The Australian dollar has fallen to its lowest level in a month, as the US dollar strengthens and leadership tensions re-ignite in Australia.

US stocks have ended modestly in the red following disappointing eurozone data that added to signs of recession in the debt-racked region.

The Australian share market tracked sideways despite a lessening of risk for a debt default by Greece and solid earnings results domestically.