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The Australian share market has closed nearly 1 per cent lower, dragged back by the major banks and continued weakness in the resources sector due to lower commodity prices.

The Australian share market has opened more than half a per cent lower, dragged into the red by continuing weakness in the resources and financial sectors.

Scarborough project retained

The Australian dollar has regained some ground as the greenback weakened slightly on stronger oil prices and disappointing US economic data.

Pharmaceutical heavyweights Pfizer and Allergan have unveiled a record-setting $US160 billion ($A222.62 billion) mega-merger as US stocks finished modestly lower.

Oil prices were little changed as traders tried to decipher remarks by Saudi Arabia suggesting a production cutback in response to abundant global supplies.

Gold has fallen one per cent, nearing last week's 2010 low on a robust US dollar and upbeat comments from Federal Reserve officials on a possible US rate rise in December.

Consumer confidence has continued its strong national performance since the elevation of Malcolm Turnbull to the prime ministership.

The Australian share market has closed higher as investors continued to gain confidence despite more weakness in the resources sector.

The Australian share market has opened lower.

Harold Mitchell slams Kidman ban

The Australian dollar is higher, getting support from expectations that the Reserve Bank won't be cutting the cash rate.

Oil prices are slightly higher, despite a market burdened by a persistent oversupply of crude.

Gold have turned lower, ending a two-day bounce up from the lowest level in nearly six years, on the firm US dollar and comments from a Federal Reserve policy maker who said the US central bank should "soon" be ready to raise interest rates.

Business confidence in Western Australia has improved for the first time in 12 months, according to the latest results of a Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA survey.

After strong gains throughout the week, investors have calmed, with the bourse closing only slightly higher on Friday.

The state is considering shifting control of industrial relations to the Commonwealth, in an effort to make it easier for small businesses to negotiate on issues such as penalty rates.

The Australian share market has opened flat.

Weak iron price to persist for two years

Tech companies Square and Match have surged in their first day of trade, but US stocks ended slightly lower following a profit warning from Dow member UnitedHealth Group.

The Australian dollar has extended its gains against the greenback, which softened after the US central bank stressed rate rises would come gradually.

US oil prices have dipped to finish near $US40 a barrel as worries about oversupply continued to weigh on the commodity.

Gold has risen one per cent, rebounding from near six-year lows as indications from the US Federal Reserve that it may move cautiously into the rate hiking cycle weighed on the US dollar and prompted investors to cover short positions.

The Australian share market has closed 2 per cent higher as the banks and minerals sectors boosted the bourse.

Treasurer Scott Morrison is willing to consider any new applications to buy Australia's largest private landowner after knocking back the foreign acquisition of S Kidman and Co Ltd on national interest grounds.

The Australian share market has opened higher after Wall Street rallied on indications from the Federal Reserve that rates will be raised in December.

WA fires up $3b tech tender

The Australian dollar has been weighed down by a slump in global oil prices.

Wall Street stocks have marched higher, greeting Federal Reserve meeting minutes that suggest a likely interest rate increase in December based on greater confidence in the economy.

Gold prices have inched higher after tapping a nearly six-year low as the market reacted to the minutes of a recent US Federal Reserve meeting that gave mixed signals about a possible rate rise in December.

Global oil prices have moved modestly higher as traders weighed a small gain in US inventories and a Federal Reserve report that supported expectations of a December interest rate rise.

The state government has opened expressions of interest to amalgamate the state's data storage needs in the hope it will drastically reduce capital costs, Finance Minister Bill Marmion will announce today.