A quarterly rebalancing of S&P/ASX indices has resulted in South32 being relegated from the top 20 index, and Galaxy Resources being dropped from the top 200 index.
Oil prices rose more than 1.0 per cent overnight after US President Donald Trump said his country was "very close" to nailing down a trade deal with China.
Gold retreated from a more than one-month peak in a volatile session overnight after US President Donald Trump said his country was close to a trade deal with China, denting the safe-haven metal's appeal.
The Australian share market closed lower ahead of Sunday's deadline for the US and China to reach an interim deal on trade before higher US tariffs kick in.
Rio Tinto is considering its options after the Takeovers Panel ruled the mining giant can't use its funding of a clean up of a controversial NT uranium mine to acquire a partially owned subsidiary.
Financially strapped live exporter Wellard is cutting its fleet size from four to three with the sale of the world's largest purpose-built livestock carrier for $US53 million ($A77 million).
Westpac has been handed a second strike on executive pay but dodged a potential board spill despite shareholders roasting the bank over its child exploitation scandal.
The Australian share market has moved lower, with the heavyweight financial sector behind much of the slide, despite a positive lead from Wall Street after the US central bank kept interest rates unchanged.
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.
