AAP

As Australia pushes towards a more sustainable economy, the government will pump $1 billion into solar energy support to make panels at home.

The ASX200 has finished up 0.5 per cent - its highest level in almost three weeks - after February inflation came in slightly under expectations.

Prominent Australians have urged Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek to save sacred sites they say are at risk from a new gas export hub in Western Australia.

The local share market closed down 0.4 per cent, with losses for the technology and telecommunications sectors outweighing gains by oil and gas producers.

Woodside Energy says it is in the final stages of striking a deal with the Western Australian government to make more gas available for the local market.

The gas industry is accusing the federal government of "deliberate demand destruction" that is making the gas supply shock worse for households and industry.

The ASX200 rose 0.5 per cent to finish at its highest level in two weeks and just 35 points from its all-time high.

ANZ is paying to settle a lawsuit alleging the bank retrospectively cancelled credit card customers' interest-free periods.

Financiers are more upbeat on climate investment as Australia charts a clearer course, but nuclear reactors are not where they want to put superannuation money.

The ASX200 finished down on Friday but ended the week up 1.1 per cent following Thursday's rally.

Australia is one step closer to attaining its nuclear-powered submarines, after pledging more than $4.6 billion to help bolster construction in the UK.

The ASX200 has risen 1.1 per cent to finish at a two-week high after the Fed stood pat on its projections for three rate cuts this year.

An officer of WA's corruption watchdog used her position to have an intimate relationship with an informant, the inspector overseeing the body has found.

Australia's jobless rate has fallen to 3.7 per cent, from 4.1 per cent, and back to where it was six months ago.

The ASX200 closed down 0.1 per cent ahead of a closely watched Federal Reserve decision on interest rates.

Nvidia shares rebound but chip sector ends lower; Indexes rise: Dow 0.83 per cent, S&P 0.56 per cent, Nasdaq 0.39 per cent.

The ASX200 has finished up a third of a percentage point after the Reserve Bank moved to a more neutral stance on interest rates, dropping its tightening bias.

The fuel industry wants incentives and new laws to make bioenergy a key part of the energy transition so Australians can drive conventional trucks and utes.

The local share market has finished 0.1 per cent higher ahead of meetings this week by the RBA, the Bank of Japan, the Fed and the Bank of England.

Uber has agreed to settle a long-running court battle for $271.8 million, finally giving taxi and hire car drivers the compensation they deserve, lawyers say.

The ASX200 dropped 2.3 per cent for the week, but recovered from most of its heavy Friday morning losses in the afternoon.

Tens of thousands of aged-care workers will receive a major pay rise after the Fair Work Commission recommended a landmark increase.

US retail sales rebound in February weekly jobless claims fall; petrol, food boost US producer prices in February.

The ASX200 finished 0.2 per cent lower in its third straight day of quiet trading, with heavy losses for the Big Four retail banks.

A rare earths project in the Northern Territory will get federal funding of up to $840 million to supercharge the mining and refining of vital materials.

The ASX has closed 0.2 per cent higher, climbing for a second day despite a consumer price index report showing inflation creeping up in the US.

Increased risk of elder abuse, robbery and lower home-buying capacity are among the effects of remote town bank closures revealed at a Senate inquiry.

Commonwealth Bank has apologised after an outage overnight locked customers out from their accounts.

The ASX200 finished up 0.1 per cent ahead of another inflation readout from the US that could influence the pace of interest rate cuts this year.

Growers will testify before a Senate committee on the conduct of major supermarkets as part of a probe into grocery prices.

Every sector has lost ground in broad-based selling ahead of another important US inflation readout seen as key in determining the speed of rate cuts.

The federal treasurer has outlined a number of priority policy areas for reforming regulation and turbocharging productivity at a business conference.