Government

The Australian dollar is lower against the greenback, which made broad-based gains on the back of US data. 

Gold has fallen more than one per cent, as the US dollar and global shares rose, but fund buying persisted as investors expected a G20 summit would produce little in the way of a co-ordinated stimulus program. 

Australia Post boss Ahmed Fahour is confident a new two-tier mail system and higher stamp prices will get the organisation back on its feet despite falling letter volumes.

Asset sales are expected to feature heavily when the Barnett government releases its budget in May.

The global LNG market could soon be in sharp oversupply, with Australia contributing about a third of that excess in what will become a buyers’ paradise, an international expert says.

Any trade union-backed court challenge to the state government's updated wage policy would result in job losses in the public sector, Treasurer Mike Nahan warned today, as above inflation pay rises would need to be offset through lower staff numbers.

Billions for WA in defence boost

Wall Street has posted solid gains as higher oil prices reduced fears that banks could be hit by debt defaults and investors saw opportunities after weeks of volatility.

The Australian dollar has been pushed higher following a surge in global oil prices.

Spot gold has risen, buoyed by a strong technical formation and the potential for a bullish "golden cross" to form, while the futures market pared losses after feeling earlier pressure from the strong equity markets. 

ANALYSIS: Rubbery figures and projections aside, WA’s iron ore miners are breathing a little easier thanks to improving prices and a favourable exchange rate.

Former treasurer Peter Costello will lead Nine Entertainment Co through what the group hopes will be sweeping changes to media regulation in Australia.

Wesfarmers regroups for customer focus

Gold has risen above $US1,250 an ounce and has neared a one-year high, acting as counter against risk alongside top-rated government bonds as oil's earlier weakness rippled into global equity markets.

The Australian dollar has softened, following the fortunes of global shares.

US stocks have mounted a late-session rally to close higher after an increase in oil prices helped reduce investors' fears about banks' vulnerability to energy companies struggling to pay their debts.

Telstra has appointed the boss of rail and ports operator Asciano, John Mullen, as its new chairman as the mobile giant seeks new growth areas.

230 TAFE jobs go as colleges cut to five

Shares in Wesfarmers have slumped after losses from the group's coal mines partly offset Coles' and Bunnings' strong gains.

The Australian dollar has lost some steam after the recent recovery in oil and equities fizzled out.

Gold has risen about one per cent, spurred by a fall in global equities and inflows into bullion funds that helped the precious metal recover ground lost in previous sessions.

Wall Street stocks have slid, hurt by pressure from a renewed drop in oil prices, undercutting momentum that had helped the market rebound from a sluggish start to the year.

Nalder wants to put roads under roads to ease congestion

The Australian dollar has hit a two-month high following a strong bounce back in commodity prices.

Gold prices have slipped as much as two per cent as the US dollar strengthened and investor appetite for risk increased, but the metal remained above $US1,200 an ounce after a rally that pushed prices to one-year highs in February.

Global stocks have rallied, backed by a rise in oil and commodity prices, while the British pound suffered its biggest one-day loss in nearly six years against the US dollar on fears Britain would leave the European Union.

Woodside to let PNG ambitions lie

The Australian dollar is higher against the greenback, which sagged despite better-than-expected economic data.

Gold has eased as investors cashed in some of the previous day's two per cent gains, though expectations that rock-bottom interest rates would persist served to keep prices above $US1,225 an ounce.

Creditors of failed investment bank Lehman Brothers (Australia), including about 10 local councils in Western Australia, are likely to get a return of about 80 cents in the dollar after reaching a settlement with the owner of ratings agency Standard & Poor’s.

The impact on economic development and power prices from a sale of the state’s electricity network could be managed by a strong regulatory framework, Premier Colin Barnett said today, as he continued to reassess his view on the ownership of Western Power.

Premier Colin Barnett has ruled out any further state tax increases in the upcoming budget, and has said the government might look at reviewing land tax aggregation, at this morning’s Business News Success & Leadership breakfast.