AAP

Regional airline Alligator Airways has been grounded amid concerns it poses a serious risk to air safety.

Australian stocks have opened weaker on the back of a weak lead from Wall Street, with falls among the big miners dragging the broader market lower.

Australia's busiest air routes are set to get even busier after Qantas Airways announced plans to add more flights in the latest salvo in its battle with Virgin.

Wall Street made a brief incursion into positive territory early Thursday, but spent the rest of the day in the red as trepidation about weak data sent markets into a spin.

The Australian dollar fell about one-third of a cent to below 103 US cents after the publication of data showing weaker than expected Chinese economic output.

Australian stocks closed marginally lower on a day of low volumes as gains among finance-linked companies were offset by weakness in the energy sector.

The government is confusing the public with mixed messages by announcing new defence funding ahead of next week's budget, the opposition says.

Australia needs a strong military deterrent to protect its valuable oil, gas and mineral deposits in the country's north, the federal opposition says.

Former Liberal party adviser and lobbyist Dean Smith will be sworn in as Australia's newest senator next week.

Delays in finalising a workplace agreement could hamper earnings growth at ports and rail operator Asciano.

Optus and Vodafone say they plan to beef up their mobile coverage through sharing more of each other's network mobile sites.

Setting aside natural gas resources for the nation's own use would be counter-productive and could leave gas in the ground at a time when new supplies need to be developed, says oil and gas produce

Coles' supermarket-branded frozen vegetable line is to be completely home-grown.

British pop star George Michael will be the first headline act at the controversial new Perth Arena when it officially opens in November.

Oil and gas producer Eureka Energy has rejected a $107 million takeover offer from Aurora Oil & Gas.

Mining giant Rio Tinto is facing rising capital costs around the world, not just in Australia, Prime Minister Julia Gillard says.

The housing sector may be struggling, but there is still a shortage of skilled labour in some parts of the building sector, a study has found.

Westpac Banking Corporation is unlikely to pass on the central bank's 0.5 per cent rate cut despite making a near $3 billion profit in the first half of its fiscal year.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is warning the opposition will need to make "incredible" cutbacks to government services if it does not back spending cuts in Tuesday's budget.

Harvey Norman says its pre-tax profit for the first nine months of the financial year is down 25 per cent, as sales continued to fall in the three months March.

Australian stocks have opened marginally higher amid quite trading, as market players choose to stay on the sidelines ahead of the federal budget.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia has cut its standard variable home loan rate by 40 basis points to 7.01 per cent, while Westpac said it would wait until tomorrow to announce its intentions.

US stocks clawed back early sharp losses on disappointing data on private-sector job growth, with the Nasdaq index ending in the black while the Dow closed with a minimal loss.

The Australian dollar recovered some of the ground lost after this week's official interest rate cut as investors shifted their focus to recent positive data from the US and China.

Former federal opposition leader Dr John Hewson says the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) should continue slashing interest rates so they are in line with other developed economies.

The Australian share market closed marginally stronger at a nine-month high after gains by miners were offset falls among the big four banks.

Aquila Resources' $430 million sale of its half interest in the Isaac Plains coal mine in Queensland is a step closer to being officially sold, following Foreign Investment Review Board's (FIRB) ap

Leighton Holdings has won a $604 million, three-year, contract for mining services at the Peak Downs Mine in central Queensland.

The state government is under pressure to ease the impact of ballooning utilities bills on poorer households in the state's budget this month.

Fortescue Metals Group founder Andrew Forrest expects his company will pay "little or no" minerals resource rent tax when it comes into effect from July 1.

You don't have to get your hands dirty to reap the benefit of the mining boom.

Telecommunications giant Optus has slashed 750 jobs as part of a restructure, but none will be lost in Western Australia.