Gold prices have risen to a one-month high after the European Central Bank pledged to keep interest rates steady through to the northern summer of 2019 and investors fret over weak Chinese data.
Oil prices are mixed, with Brent slipping and WTI gaining, as a stronger US dollar weighs and a key supply-setting meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries looms.
Western Australia’s unemployment rate fell slightly in May to 6.4 per cent despite the local economy losing nearly 2,000 jobs, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The Australian dollar is a little higher against its US counterpart after a jump then fall in the greenback following the Federal Reserve's lifting of its key interest rate by a quarter of one per cent.
Oil prices have turned positive after a bigger-than-expected decline in US crude inventories along with surprise drawdowns in petrol and distillates indicated strong demand in the world's top oil consumer.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA said today it was disappointed the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission had agreed to lift the state’s minimum wage by 2.5 per cent.
The Australian dollar is lower after the US currency strengthened following a report that Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell was considering more post-meeting press conferences.
Oil prices have closed mixed, with US crude settling higher before falling in post-settlement trading, and Brent slipping as investors prepared for a key meeting of the OPEC producer group next week.
Gold prices remain locked just below $US1,300 an ounce as investors wait for clues on the pace of US interest rate rises following the impending conclusion of a Federal Reserve policymaking meeting.
Australia outperformed most other jurisdictions as a destination for Chinese direct investment in 2017 despite a fall in flows and declining confidence in the country as a safe location for capital, according to KPMG.
Oil prices are little changed as comments from the Iraqi oil minister casts doubt as to whether the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries will decide to boost output at its upcoming meeting.
Gold has inched higher, as investors anticipate the US central bank monetary policy meeting this week that is expected to boost interest rates, and ahead of a US-North Korea summit.
The state government has today released a report outlining the key advantages to setting up a new national space agency in Western Australia, but the opposition says more needs to be done to secure federal support.
Securing union support for his bid to introduce competition into the local electricity retailing market will be a major test of Ben Wyatt’s political and negotiating skills.
The Australian dollar is lower against a weakened US dollar and the other major currencies, while market risk sentiment has flipped from upbeat to downbeat when Wall Street opened with no obvious reason.
Global benchmark Brent crude has surged nearly $US2 a barrel, lifted by concern about a steep drop in exports from Venezuela and worries OPEC may not raise production at its June meeting.
US dollar weakness has helped boost gold prices, but gains were limited as the market awaited clues from next week's meeting of the Federal Reserve on the pace of US interest rate rises.
BN 25th Anniversary series- WA has been slow to introduce private ownership to some state industries, although a series of moves during the Court era generated benefits, according to one prominent WA economist.
Oil prices have fallen on worries that global supply is climbing after US inventories rose unexpectedly and Saudi Arabia and other big producers signaled that they may increase output.
Gold prices have stayed steady, see-sawing in a narrow range as a weaker US dollar and trade tensions provide support but investor anticipation of a US rate hike next week weighs on prices.
