Australian shares ended lower for the third straight day as brokers took profits ahead of the reporting season and after one of the best monthly starts to the calendar year in around 40 years.
More than 10,000 angry St George and Bank SA customers are trying to recoup bank fees after joining the largest collective action in Australian legal history.
Australian shares gave up earlier gains to end lower as renewed investor concerns about the European debt crisis took the steam out of a retailer-driven rally.
Two-thirds of Australians are expecting an interest rate cut when the Reserve Bank of Australia board meets on February 7, with some anticipating a large 50 basis points reduction.
All European Union countries, except Britain and the Czech Republic, have agreed to sign up to a new treaty designed to stop overspending on the eurozone and put an end to the bloc's crippling debt
Australian stocks have opened slightly higher after mixed leads from offshore bourses kept investors wary ahead of the start of the local earnings season.
Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos says there is "total convergence" among political allies on new austerity measures needed for a second bailout and debt cuts to avert default.
The federal opposition believes the Reserve Bank of Australia, and not the government, should do much of the heavy lifting if the local economy needs a boost in the face of a souring global economy
The Australian dollar is becoming increasingly attractive to foreign central banks and sovereign wealth funds as they try to reduce their exposure to under-performing US and European currencies.
US stocks erased early gains on solid earnings reports from Caterpillar and Netflix to end lower on Thursday, with some weak economic data and profit-taking seeming to drive the selling.
Treasurer Wayne Swan won't be cutting the major retail banks any slack if the central bank cuts the official cash rate again at its board meeting next month.
The Australian dollar continued to trade above 105 US cents despite expectations of further interest rate cuts after official data showed that inflation was easing.
The Australian dollar has been dragged down as negotiations to prevent Greece defaulting on its debt hit an impasse and the International Monetary Fund downgraded its global growth forecasts.
