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Australia's current account surplus widened to a larger than expected $7.855 billion in the September quarter despite a drought-related decline in export of rural goods.

Caltex Australia says the $8.6 billion unsolicited takeover offer from Canadian convenience store operator Alimentation Couche-Tard undervalues the company.

Santos has upgraded its 2025 production outlook to 120 million barrels of oil equivalent from 100 mmboe, indicating a cumulative annual growth rate of more than eight per cent.

Metcash has announced a $237.4 million write-down against its major food division just days after revealing 7-Eleven would not be renewing its $800 million supply contract.

The Australian share market has dropped sharply lower amid renewed fears over global trade uncertainty and ahead of the central bank's decision on monetary policy.

Mining drives air travel boom in WA

Oil futures gained about 1.0 per cent ovenright on hints the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies may agree to deepen output cuts at a meeting this week and as rising manufacturing activity in China suggested stronger demand.

Gold steadied overnight after paring losses as weak US manufacturing data rekindled worries about a slowing economy while palladium exceeded $US1,860 per ounce in its week-long surge to new all-time highs on a supply crunch.

Alita Resources has repaid $US32.5 million ($A47 million) to its major shareholder and creditor Galaxy Resources, which confirmed today it would not pursue its planned acquisition of the lithium mi

The Committee for Economic Development of Australia puts data and evidence at the heart of a strategy to tackle social disadvantage in Australia, but those on the frontline argue solutions should also come from the community.

The housing recovery has finally reached Perth, with dwelling values edging 0.4 per cent higher in November to record the city's first month-on-month rise since early last year, according to the latest report from CoreLogic.

The Australian share market has set a fresh all-time closing peak but narrowly missed eclipsing its all-time intraday high set on Friday.

Police investigating Western Australia's biggest public sector theft have charged a third person over the alleged corruption.

Mining executives Bill Beament and Raleigh Finlayson have highlighted the way in which equity incentives can deliver big returns.

Our comprehensive annual survey of chief executive remuneration shows wide variation across companies.

Accor has announced Novotel will operate the hotel component of Fragrance Group's NV Apartments and Hotel development, which will partially open later this month.

Perenti Global will exit from two Burkina Faso operations following an ambush on its employees last month, but will continue operating three other mines in the country. The contractor also announced today several new contracts in Australia and Africa.

Over the course of two decades, Deloitte has overtaken all its major rivals to become the largest accounting and consulting firm in Western Australia, helped by multiple acquisitions.

Nickel hit its lowest point in more than four months on Friday and posted its steepest monthly loss in eight years on faltering steel output from top producer China and waning impact from an Indonesian ore export ban.

Woolworths has been slapped with an employee class action that alleges its underpayment scandal is far worse than the current $300 million estimate.

The Federal Court has ordered Optus to pay $6.4 million in penalties for falsely telling customers of rival broadband services their home internet would soon be disconnected.

The state government today announced it will provide $30 million in funding over five years to the The Clontarf Foundation, allowing the sports academy to operate in 30 Western Australian schools as of 2020.

The Australian share market has moved higher, shrugging off a negative lead from overseas at the end of last week.

Gold prices gained on Friday as markets awaited further developments on US-China trade talks after officials in Beijing said they would retaliate against the US for passing a law in support of Hong Kong protesters.

Oil prices fell on Friday, with US crude dropping more than 4.0 per cent, on fresh trade tensions and record high US crude production but they still ended the month higher as OPEC watchers expect an extension next week to a pact to throttle oil output beyond March.

Rich listers targeted by ATO in cash push

Collapsed lithium miner Alita Resources has entered a binding $70 million loan agreement with China Hydrogen Energy, three months after the company went into administration.

One day after the federal government's so-called union-busting laws failed to pass the Senate, the CFMEU has sought to turn the focus on construction boss Gerry Hanssen whose company was fined in the Federal Court today.

Providing medical assistance to astronauts in space isn't any crazier than flying planes around Australia 90 years ago, Royal Flying Doctor Service WA chief executive Rebecca Tomkinson told a Business News Success and Leadership breakfast this morning.

The Australian share market has pulled back after hitting a new intra-day all-time high earlier in the day, as markets turned cautious on fears a new US law backing Hong Kong protesters could sink a US-China trade deal.

PODCAST: Mark Beyer and Matt Mckenzie discuss mining projects — the good news and bad, mining technology, BGC Contracting changes hands, Metronet, John Holland legal action, Water Corp contracting, new hotels, the Royal Flying Doctor Service WA, and our special report on chief executive remuneration.

Uranium explorer Peninsula Energy is planning a $9.1 million capital raising to fund costs associated with its mines in the US, while De Grey Mining is planning to raise $5 million to fund exploration activities at its Mallina gold project, near Port Hedland.