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Opinion: A big weekend of by-elections could have been avoided if tighter candidate guidelines were in place.

The Australian share market has rallied in early trade thanks to higher commodity prices boosting the miners and a strong start from the big banks after a positive lead from Wall Street.

Gold prices have risen to a one-month high after the European Central Bank pledged to keep interest rates steady through to the northern summer of 2019 and investors fret over weak Chinese data.

Oil prices are mixed, with Brent slipping and WTI gaining, as a stronger US dollar weighs and a key supply-setting meeting of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries looms.

The Australian dollar has slipped below 75 US cents, dropping more than half a cent as the greenback soars with the US dollar index up 1.1 per cent.

Fed hikes put squeeze on banks

A second mining major has given the green light to a big iron ore development in a month, with BHP’s board approving the $4.5 billion South Flank development on Thursday.

Rooftop solar capacity across Perth and surrounds will nearly triple in the next decade, to be about 2.3 gigawatts, as the Australian Energy Market Operator confirmed current capacity and demand side management was sufficient to meet forecast demand on the South West Interconnected System power network.

Australian shares have closed the day weaker after soft local job figures and weak economic data out of China weighed on a market already under pressure from overnight falls on Wall Street.

Businesses and farmers see a bright future for the hemp industry in WA following recent legislative changes, but the fledging sector needs support.

David Hohnen has been at the top of his game for two decades, and is one of many quality local businesspeople named in the Queen’s Birthday honours this month.

The Western Australian government has downplayed security worries around the expected award of a $120 million Public Transport Authority contract to Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei.

Atlas Iron has disclosed it no longer holds exclusive port development rights at Port Hedland that were central to the takeover battle that has involved three mining heavyweights buying shares in the company.

The former executive officer of a Western Australian Aboriginal corporation has been ordered to pay more than $430,000 in compensation and penalties after he borrowed money from the non-profit entity that he couldn't repay.

Melbourne-based fertiliser and explosives manufacturers Incitec Pivot and Orica have continued their battle for iron ore contracts in the Pilbara, with Incitec winning a five-year supply deal with Fortescue Metals Group.

Iron ore miner Roy Hill has connected its Port Hedland operations to Horizon Power’s North West Interconnected System following the installation of extensive underground facilities, which began in 2016.

New data out today shows female participation on ASX 200 boards has increased to 27.7 per cent in May, however five companies, including Perth-based Ausdrill, still have no female directors.

Western Australia’s unemployment rate fell slightly in May to 6.4 per cent despite the local economy losing nearly 2,000 jobs, according to the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The corporate watchdog has launched legal action in the Federal Court against former Quintis managing director Frank Wilson, alleging he failed to disclose the loss of a major contract in 2017.

The Australian share market has lost marginal ground following a negative lead from Wall Street after the US Federal Reserve hiked interest rates and foreshadowed a brisker pace of rises for the rest of 2018.

The Australian dollar is a little higher against its US counterpart after a jump then fall in the greenback following the Federal Reserve's lifting of its key interest rate by a quarter of one per cent.

Oil prices have turned positive after a bigger-than-expected decline in US crude inventories along with surprise drawdowns in petrol and distillates indicated strong demand in the world's top oil consumer.

Gold prices have turned lower after the US Federal Reserve announced it was raising interest rates.

Elanor in $125m Perth purchase

Iron ore exporters are jostling for position as on-water traffic grows at Port Hedland.

The Australian share market has closed lower as investors await a decision overnight on interest rates from the US Federal Reserve, and also the European Central Bank.

The latest uptake of CBD-based projects could provide the shot in the arm Perth needs to boost international student numbers.

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA said today it was disappointed the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission had agreed to lift the state’s minimum wage by 2.5 per cent.

Perth-based Ausgold has tapped investors for $2.4 million to fund continued exploration work at the company’s Katanning project.

Kibaran Resources has entered into a non-binding letter of intent with GR Engineering Services to negotiate an early works agreement and an engineering and procurement contract for the company’s Epanko graphite project in Tanzania.

Mineral Resources has struck a deal to purchase the Koolyanobbing iron ore mine from US-based Cleveland Cliffs, after getting support from the state government and railway owner Arc Infrastructure for a deal that will save up to 400 jobs around Southern Cross and Esperance.

Local telco business Vonex started trading on the ASX today, after the company raised $6 million via an initial public offering.