Gold prices have slipped after a bipartisan US budget deal soothed fears of a year-end budget crisis, sapping some of the recent investor appetite for the haven asset.
The Australian dollar is lower on expectations that the unemployment rate will edge higher and amid increased expectations that tapering of US economic stimulus will begin soon.
Engineering and construction company VDM Group will look to strengthen its balance sheet through an $18.7 million capital raising, with the company's major shareholder H&H Holdings contributing $9 million to the finance boost.
US stocks have edged higher as a Federal Reserve official suggested that the central bank could take a small step next week to reel in its stimulus program.
Australian shares have lost ground after insurer QBE flagged that it would post a $250 million loss for calendar 2013, prompting shocked investors to wipe more than $4 billion from the value of one of the ASX's 20 biggest companies.
The Australian share market is slightly lower as investors put aside good US jobs figures and strong Chinese trade data and focus on a shock profit warning from insurer QBE.
Perth-based oil explorer Oilex has announced it has secured a $13.5 million three year equity financing facility with UK-based Darwin Strategic, for drilling at its Cambay onshore oil joint venture project in Gujarat, India.
US stocks have declined again after surprisingly good US economic growth in the third quarter raised expectations the Federal Reserve will hasten a plan to scale back aggressive monetary stimulus.
The market capitalisation of Western Australia's top 100 listed companies has fallen on the back of lower commodity prices, marking an end to four months of consecutive gains.
Having studied investment cycles over seven decades, Peter Kennedy has identified some extraordinary patterns, and they give him great confidence about the stockmarket outlook.
