Oil futures steadied overnight on signs that OPEC plans to maintain production cuts despite pressure from US President Donald Trump, whose comment criticising rising crude prices sent the market into a tailspin a day earlier.
Palladium broke past $US1,550 an ounce for the first time overnight on the back of intensifying supply deficit, while gold steadied after US Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank's patient stance in further rate hikes.
One of the leading Liberal Party of Australia pre-selection candidates for Curtin, Celia Hammond, has already come under fire from former Subcontractors WA chair Louise Stewart, who is likely to run as an independent candidate for the seat.
Palladium hit a new record high overnight as the threat of strikes in the South African mining industry raised fresh concerns about a supply deficit for the metal, while gold held steady as the US dollar slipped on signs of a US-China trade deal.
Oil futures sank more than three per cent overnight after US President Donald Trump said OPEC should ease its approach on boosting crude prices, which he said were "getting too high".
Wall Street's three major indexes have ended higher but well below the session's highs after US President Donald Trump said he would delay a planned hike in tariffs on Chinese imports.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison was adamant Australia will meet its emissions reduction targets, as he committed $2 billion to a fund which pays businesses to slash pollution.
Gold rose on Friday on the way to a second weekly gain as the US dollar was subdued by weak US economic data and hopes of a breakthrough in the US-China trade dispute, with a darkening global economic outlook bolstering bullion.
Oil prices touched their highest since mid-November on Friday and posted weekly gains for the second week in a row, boosted by hopes that US-China trade talks would soon produce a deal, although new record US oil supply limited gains.
Western Australia’s unemployment rate has spiked to a 17-year high, at 6.8 per cent in seasonally adjusted terms, while the national numbers held steady.
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop has declared she is retiring from federal parliament at the next election, about six months after she left the role in the aftermath of a leadership spill.
SPECIAL REPORT: Costs and a local skills shortage are among the challenges facing the state as it seeks to develop a local train car manufacturing sector.
SPECIAL REPORT: WA will be waiting until at least 2030 before an outer harbour development is needed, and in the meantime work is being done to evaluate the best ways to extend the life of Fremantle Port.
There will be a big reduction in the Reserve Bank of Australia’s official cash rate in the next year or two, according to investment analysis Jonathan Pain.
Kate Lamont and Fiona Wood laid out ambitious plans when they joined other business leaders, including John Rothwell and Tony Joyner, speaking at BN’s 25-year anniversary lunch.
Tabcorp has confirmed it is interested in acquiring the Western Australian government-owned TAB, on the same day it announced a 642 per cent rise in profit stemming from its $11 billion merger with Tatts Group.
The state government and the Western Rock Lobster Council have reached a comprise on the future of the industry, with the annual catch to increase by just 315 tonnes. However, details of how this will be delivered to the local market have not yet been worked out.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has revised down its economic forecasts as expected, but the Australian dollar has plunged again after the central bank surprised the market with the scale of its revisions.
Former foreign minister Julie Bishop says she intends to stand for her seat again at the coming election and has given her backing to Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Australian shares have finished higher for a third straight day, while the Australian dollar has hit the skids after the Reserve Bank opened the door to a possible rate cut.
Exports from Western Australia increased by 17.7 per cent to a record $144.8 billion in 2018, underpinning a strong improvement in the nation’s overall trade performance.
Shares in Perth-based Australian Finance Group and in ASX-listed Mortgage Choice plunged today on concerns the mortgage broking sector will be one of the biggest losers from the banking royal commission, which recommended the banning of commissions paid by lenders to brokers.
The Reserve Bank of Australia has again kept the official cash rate at a record low of 1.5 per cent, but Governor Philip Lowe has tempered his economic outlook.
The current and former prime ministers agree they waited too long to call the banking royal commission but the treasurer says it's time to look forward, not back.
The banking sector has been told it "must change forever" for forcing the Australian community to pay an immense financial and emotional price over many years.
SPECIAL REPORT: Elections always bring uncertainty for business, but in 2019 the difference between the major parties is among the starkest in decades.
The state government has used the launch of its battery industry strategy today to announce that one of the first initiatives will be to develop an investment attraction strategy for the sector.
Big business has stepped up its campaign in favour of a constitutionally enshrined ‘voice’ for indigenous Australians, with BHP Group chief executive Andrew Mackenzie using a speech in Perth this morning to endorse the proposal.
There are doubts Chinese government-owned telecommunications giant Huawei will be able to deliver a $136 million contract for Perth’s rail network, after the United States brought criminal charges against the company.
Perth’s subdued inflation rate has continued, coming in at just 1.3 per cent in 2018, trailing only Darwin for the lowest price increase out of Australia’s eight capital cities.
