Commodity-based stocks have helped the ASX hit a new nine-week high, following the release of several encouraging earnings reports, while online retailer Kogan.com surged on strong Christmas trade.
The total number of home loans rose by 2.4 per cent in Western Australia last November, against a 0.9 per cent fall nationally, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
Diversified miner South32 has announced corporate affairs and investor relations executive Katie Tovich will replace Brendan Harris as chief financial officer, who will take over the chief marketing officer role from Peter Finnimore.
Mining mogul Gina Rinehart retains her spot at the top of Forbes' Aussie rich list despite falling iron ore prices knocking her wealth down $US1.8 billion, to $US14.8 billion (down approximately $2.5 billion, to approximately $20.6 billion).
Woodside Petroleum has announced December quarter revenue of $1.42 billion, a rise of 43 per cent on the previous corresponding period and surpassing investment bank UBS's estimate of $1.35 billion for the period.
Prime Minister Theresa May has won a confidence vote in the British parliament and then appealed to MPs from across the political divide to come together to try to break the impasse on a Brexit divorce agreement.
Asian shares have crept higher as upbeat bank earnings bolstered Wall Street, while an anti-climactic end to the latest chapter in the Brexit saga gave sterling a moment's peace.
Britain's political crisis has deepened, with Prime Minister Theresa May's humiliating Brexit defeat heightening the prospect of no deal with the EU as rival political factions threaten to tear the Conservative government apart.
Palladium prices have risen to a record high on increasing demand and lower supply of the metal used in autocatalysts, while gold gained on expectations of a pause in the US Federal Reserve's rate hiking cycle.
Oil prices have steadied after a three per cent rise during the previous session, after data showed growing US refined product inventories and record crude production, which could undermine global efforts to support prices.
Professional services company Turner & Townsend has been awarded an $8.2 million state government contract to establish and operate a program management office that will oversee Metronet's program of works.
Advisory firm Mainsheet Capital has recruited Gerard Moody as a director, while global law firm Jones Day has a new managing partner in its Perth office.
Woodside Petroleum has awarded four contracts, which it is funding without a contribution from venture partner BHP Group, for front-end engineering design activities at its proposed $15 billion Scarborough project.
Consumer confidence has posted its largest monthly fall in more than three years, weighed down by a number of factors including the decline in house prices, global trade wars, and even the Australian men's cricket team.
The Australian share market has opened flat as market sentiment is pulled in opposite directions by optimism about a Chinese economic stimulus package, and pessimism about the UK House of Commons defeat of the Brexit deal.
Almost 80 Australian seafarers will lose their jobs after BHP and BlueScope quietly brought an end to their use of the last two Australian-manned iron ore vessels.
Gold prices have eased as the US dollar rose and stock markets climbed, but further losses were capped by concerns over slowing economic growth and prospects of a pause in US interest rate hikes.
Oil prices are about three per cent higher, supported by China's plan to introduce policies to stabilise a slowing economy, reversing the previous session's losses due to grim data in the world's second-largest economy.
US stocks have risen, as hopes of more stimulus for China's slowing economy and a jump in Netflix shares helped investors look past disappointing earnings from JPMorgan and Wells Fargo.
Albany-based firm Wauters Enterprises has been awarded a $16 million contract for stage two of the city's affordable student accommodation development.
The Australian share market has closed the day higher, boosted by signs from China the country is considering fresh measures to stimulate stuttering growth.
Menswear retailer Ed Harry, which employs 93 staff across 19 stores in Western Australia, has been placed in voluntary administration with an immediate clearance sale of merchandise coming into effect as creditors assess the business.
Wealth manager IOOF Holdings says its buyout of pension assets from ANZ Banking Group has been delayed by at least three months, as fallout from a damaging finance sector inquiry hits dealmaking.
Under-pressure retailer The Reject Shop says it expects half-year profit to match earlier guidance, but the firm circling for a takeover wants a clearer picture of the company's Christmas sales performance.
Discounter Kmart will reduce its prices in an attempt to revive sales growth, which came to an abrupt halt in December after five years of uninterrupted gains.
Oil prices are down about one per cent, pressured by data showing weakening imports and exports in China that raised new worries about a global economic slowdown hurting crude demand.
Technology shares have pulled Wall Street lower after an unexpected drop in China's exports in December reignited worries of a slowdown in global economic growth.
