AAP

Gold prices inched up as investors sought refuge in the metal after the dollar weakened and global stocks tumbled on the back of rising bond yields.

Shares in Perth-based education services provider Navitas closed 21.8 per cent higher today after the company received an indicative takeover proposal from consortium that includes founder and director Rod Jones.

A surprising turnaround has seen the Australian market finish the day higher on the back of healthcare and telco stocks as the financial sector shrugged off leftover jitters from Wall Street.

Australian company Lion Dairy and Drinks, which owns WA dairy business Masters, is up for sale by its Japanese owners following a month-long review.

Commonwealth Bank and its wealth management arm Colonial First State have been hit by a class action law suit over allegedly uncompetitive superannuation returns.

Healthcare, Telstra and commodity-based shares are doing their best to lift the Australian market after a flat opening, but lingering unease from Wall Street, and losses for the big banks, have prevented significant gains.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq have risen on Tuesday, boosted by a rebound in technology stocks, but gains, including on the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average, were kept in check by concerns on slowing global growth.

Gold remained steady as pressure from the US dollar's strength and a bullish rate outlook was balanced by falling stock markets.

Oil prices have risen about one per cent on growing evidence of falling Iranian crude exports before the imposition of new US sanctions, as well as a partial production shutdown in the Gulf of Mexico because of Hurricane Michael.

Australian stocks have put in another weak performance as healthcare and other global sectors caused the ASX to lag, hovering just above 6000 percentage points at the close for the second day.

West Australian Supreme Court judge Joseph McGrath and former Australian Public Service commissioner Lynelle Briggs have been appointed to lead the federal government's aged care royal commission, which is expected to take 18 months.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the government can use its migration powers to force people towards regional areas instead of Sydney and Melbourne.

A global sell-off has pushed Australian shares lower again at the open, with healthcare and energy shares dragging on the market, and the banks and miners flat.

US stock indexes were lower on Monday, pressured by a drop in technology and energy companies and muted appetite for equities after last week's spike in Treasury yields following healthy economic data.

Oil prices almost fully recovered from a sharp drop overnight, paring losses as investors bet China's economic stimulus moves would lift crude demand in the world's number two economy.

Gold fell to its lowest level in a week overnight as investors sought safety in the US dollar on concerns about a selloff in global stocks worsened by worries over economic growth in China.

Australian shares have suffered their worst one-day performance since March as the Aussie dollar recovered slightly from a weak opening.

ANZ has flagged an $824 million hit to its full-year profit due to impairments and one-off expenses, with half of it related to customer remediation.

Tumbling overseas markets - combined with weaker metals and oil prices, and pending scrutiny for the big banks - have given Australian shares a whack at the open, while the Aussie dollar remains at near two-and-a-half year lows in the face of a strong greenback.

US stocks dropped for a second straight day on Friday, weighed down by another rise in Treasury yields in the wake of a solid jobs report that capped off a week of robust data.

Crude futures steadied after climbing to four-year highs, while both Brent and US crude marked weekly gains ahead of US sanctions on Iranian oil exports.

Gold edged higher as the US dollar softened on data that showed job growth had slowed more than expected last month, while a slide in stock markets burnished the appeal of bullion as a safe haven.

Australian stocks have recovered from a morning slump to end the week on a high but a strong greenback has battered the Aussie dollar.

Shareholders in retail giant Wesfarmers will vote next month on whether the $20 billion demerger of supermarket chain Coles will proceed.

Wall Street's overnight tumble has taken the edge off Australian shares at the open, while the Aussie dollar continues to loiter at near two-and-a-half year lows in the face of a strong greenback.

US stocks fell broadly on Thursday, mirroring weakness in the global markets, as government bond yields surged to multi-year highs on robust economic data and optimistic views from the Federal Reserve.

Oil prices fell overnight as the prospect of increased crude production from Saudi Arabia and Russia prompted profit-taking the day after futures hit four-year highs on a boost from imminent US sanctions on OPEC's number three producer, Iran.

Gold steadied as positive US economic data and prospects of tighter monetary policy offset limited gains from safe haven buying.

The Australian share market has closed higher, buoyed by the banks and commodity-related stocks, but the Aussie dollar has fallen below 71 US cents for the first time since February 2016.

Federal Labor is hoping influential Senate crossbenchers deliver crucial support for a push to guarantee no state or territory will be worse off under new GST revenue carve-up arrangements.

Gains for materials, banking sector, and energy stocks have lifted the ASX at Thursday's open, following a strong overnight performance by Wall Street on the back of rising US Treasury yields.

US shares have advanced and the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a record for a second day, after American economic data fuelled a rise in Treasury yields, lifting financial stocks.