The Australian dollar has bounced higher, helped by weak European inflation data which leaves the option open for more economic stimulus from the European Central Bank.
Wall Street stocks have finished a painful third quarter on a positive note, joining big European and Asian markets in rallying on speculation of more monetary stimulus.
Gold has hit its lowest level in two weeks and recorded its biggest quarterly loss in a year as US jobs data came in stronger than expected and the market awaited clarity on the timing of a hotly anticipated US interest rate rise.
Platinum prices have fallen below $US900 an ounce for the first time since January 2009, hurt by fears that the Volkswagen emissions scandal would cut demand from carmakers, but later pared losses as bargain-hunting investors swooped in.
LABOR treasury spokesman Chris Bowen insists a GST increase can’t be the linchpin of widespread tax reform because it won’t be enough to pay for measures to boost Australia’s sluggish economy.
There was a lot of money made on residential property sales around Australia in the June quarter, but the joy wasn't spread around evenly, with more than 10 per cent of all houses and about 20 per cent of all units sold in Western Australia during the quarter selling at a loss.
US stocks have fallen sharply, joining European equities in retreat after poor Chinese industrial data deepened worries about the world's second-biggest economy.
Oil prices have dropped in the wake of a sharp fall in industrial profits in China, the latest sign of weakness in the world's largest energy consumer.
Gold had its worst session in two-and-a-half weeks, extending Friday's losses ahead of a key US jobs report later in the week that could boost bets the US Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this year.
A difficult 2015 financial year for the Western Australian economy has flowed through to a soft performance for the state’s listed money managers, according to BNiQ research, with the biggest player considering a restructure to diversify its income sources.
US stocks have finished lower on global growth fears with shares of industrial heavyweight Caterpillar sinking after it announced thousands of job cuts.
Spot gold has rallied more than two per cent for the biggest one-day gain in almost eight months as a weak US dollar sparked short covering while platinum recovered from a four-day rout even as automotive demand woes lingered.
Top Western Australian publicly listed companies with fewer women on boards than the national average may get the boost they need following the launch of a new club.
Western Australia has experienced the nation’s highest rate of births, but the second biggest percentage fall in overseas migrants, taking the state’s total population to about 2,587,000.
The state government has announced a better-than-expected result in its annual report on state finances for 2014-15, but Treasurer Mike Nahan says Western Australia has a long way to go before it returns to surplus.
Platinum has fallen to a six-and-a-half-year low, on fears about reduced demand from the auto sector, where it is used in diesel catalysts to clean up exhaust emissions, while palladium, used in petrol vehicles, surged seven per cent.
Oil prices have fallen, reversing earlier gains, as a modest rise in US output overshadowed a hefty drop in crude inventories in the world's top consumer.
US stocks have finished lower with petroleum-linked equities especially weak following a report showing the feeblest Chinese factory activity in more than six years.
