Gold rose overnight as a deadline for an additional round of US tariffs on Chinese imports loomed with no phase-one deal in sight while palladium again soared to a record on supply woes.
Oil prices dropped almost 1.0 per cent overnight following a surprise build in US crude inventories and as investors waited to see if a fresh round of tariffs by the US government on Chinese goods would come into force on Sunday.
Recycling and waste management company M8 Sustainable had a soft start to its first day of trading on the ASX today, with its shares dipping to 17 cents after last month's $19.5 million initial public offering at 20 cents per share.
The Australian share market has climbed higher following a report that the Trump administration was set to delay the next round of US tariffs on China that are set to kick in on Sunday.
Westpac is bracing for a barrage of investor angst and the threat of a board spill at an annual general meeting likely to be dominated by the bank's money laundering and child exploitation scandal.
Uranium miner Paladin Energy has appointed experienced mining directors Peter Watson and Peter Main to the board, while three non-executive directors have stepped down from their roles.
Nickel bounced from a five-month low overnight as investors regarded a sharp downtrend as overdone given an export ban on ore from Indonesia from 2020 is expected to tighten the market.
Oil prices inched up overnight as OPEC's deal with associated producers last week to deepen output cuts in 2020 continued to provide a floor for prices but US-China trade tensions clouded the demand outlook.
Palladium zoomed past $US1,900 an ounce for the first time ever overnight as a power crisis halted production at mines in major producer South Africa, exacerbating concerns over supply and extending the autocatalyst's record run.
Peter Quinlan spent plenty of time listening during an appearance at ‘Justice Reinvestment’ earlier this month, a panel discussion hosted by the Committee for Economic Development of Australia.
Reserve Bank of Australia governor Philip Lowe has called out Australia's major banks for consistently charging customers more for international money transfers than their non-bank rivals.
Prime Media says it is consulting with Seven West Media after reports two of its major shareholders would block Seven's takeover of its regional affiliate.
Oil prices fell overnight after data showed Chinese exports declined for a fourth straight month, sending jitters through a market already concerned about damage to global demand by the trade conflict between the US and China.
Palladium soared to a record just shy of the $US1,900 mark overnight while gold prices held steady as uncertainty over US-China trade talks took centre stage ahead of a December 15 deadline for fresh US tariffs.
The Australian share market has closed modestly higher, with a drop in the health care sector trimming some of the index's gains after energy stocks powered ahead in early trade.
The state government has announced new direct flights between the Philippines and WA beginning in March of next year, with tickets expected to go on sale this month.
The alleged biggest public sector theft in Western Australia's history has prompted an independent review into the Department of Communities' financial dealings.
The Australian share market is slightly higher, with a drop in the healthcare sector trimming some of the index's gains after energy stocks powered ahead in early trade.
Oil prices rose more than 1.0 per cent on Friday and posted sharp weekly gains after OPEC and its allies agreed to deepen output cuts by 500,000 barrels per day in early 2020.
Gold slid 1.0 per cent on Friday as strong US jobs data renewed bets the Federal Reserve would stand pat on interest rates and also boosted demand for riskier assets while supply-squeezed palladium soared to a new record high.
The Australian share market has finished a turbulent week on a quiet note as it reclaimed a little bit more of the ground lost during two days of sharp midweek losses.
Industrial Relations Minister Bill Johnston has unveiled a raft of strategies to crack down on wage theft, while at the same time a national Fair Work sting at capital city hospitality hotspots revealed 75 per cent of businesses were breaking the law.
