AAP

Australian shares have opened marginally lower after US stocks handed back earlier gains to finish only slightly higher.

The Australian dollar is lower after US stocks handed back earlier gains to end the session only slightly higher, and copper prices fell.

Oil prices rose on Monday as OPEC reported that the global oil glut has been virtually eliminated, while US crude's discount to global benchmark Brent widened to more than $7, its deepest in five m

Gold slipped on Monday as the US dollar strengthened and precious metals prices remained within a tight range as investors awaited key US data.

The Australian share market has closed higher, with gains in the resource and healthcare sectors overshadowing a hefty fall in Telstra shares to an almost seven-year low.

Julie Bishop and Mathias Cormann have backed the Liberal Party's decision not to contest the Perth and Fremantle by-elections, saying it would be a waste of money.

Australia's second-largest private hospitals operator, Healthscope, has received a $4.35 billion takeover offer from a Canada based firm.

Telstra expects earnings to be at the bottom end of its full-year guidance range and has flagged challenging conditions to continue in the year ahead.

Australian shares have started the day virtually unchanged, following a soft offshore lead after US equities ended trade mixed on Friday.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher, after a Wall Street had a mixed session on Friday and most base metals prices were lower.

Crude prices fell in a see-saw session on Friday, retreating after early gains as it looked likely that US allies would push to maintain a deal with Iran, which could keep that country's crude exports on global markets.

Gold prices were flat on Friday, as the US dollar weakened and investors grew a bit less confident about prospects that the Federal Reserve would raise interest rates three more times in 2018.

The Australian share market softened in late trade to finish the day in the red but ended the week around one per cent stronger, as big resource players benefit from soaring oil prices and sustained strength in iron ore.

Rio Tinto, Apple and Alcoa have invested $C188 million ($195.5 million) to commercialise a new aluminium smelting process that reduces carbon emissions.

Four children are among seven people found dead at a rural property near Margaret River.

WA Labor MP Anne Aly claims that a letter from the Egyptian embassy regarding her citizenship has “put the matter to rest" following concerns surrounding her eligibility for parliament.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher after oil and base metals prices rose, and Wall Street enjoyed strong gains.

The Australian dollar is higher after the US dollar lost ground on the back of some disappointing US inflation data.

Crude prices ended the session slightly higher on Thursday as investors weighed the potential disruption to oil flows from major exporter Iran in the face of US sanctions.

Gold prices rose on Thursday as the US dollar backed away from 2018 highs after weaker-than-forecast US inflation data and as tensions between the United States and Iran also supported the precious metal.

The Australian share market has hit a three-month high as surging oil prices fuelled a second straight day of big gains for the energy sector.

Angry shareholders have put AMP's board on notice, delivering a 'first strike' with a huge vote against the company's executive pay report.

More Australian homes and businesses are connecting to higher-speed services on the National Broadband Network, while NBN said today it had more than doubled revenue in the first nine months of the financial year.

The Australian share market has opened higher after Wall Street made strong gains, getting a boost from rising oil prices following the US exit from the Iran nuclear deal.

The Australian dollar is higher. following a strong lead from US stocks and commodity prices.

Oil prices rose about three per cent on Wednesday and hit fresh three-and-a-half year highs after a bigger-than-expected drawdown in US oil inventories extended gains from the United States' decision to quit a nuclear deal with Iran.

Gold prices dipped on Wednesday as safe-haven buying failed to kick in after the United States withdrew from the Iranian nuclear accord, and as rising US Treasury yields added pressure.

The Australian share market has closed slightly higher as strong gains in oil stocks, following the US exit from the Iran nuclear deal, helped offset a heavy decline in Commonwealth Bank shares.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia says it made a third-quarter cash profit of $2.35 billion, while also agreeing to pay $25 million to settle legal action brought against it by the corporate regulator over bank bill swap rates.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher despite a sharp drop in Commonwealth Bank shares and a flat session for the US stock indexes.

The Australian dollar is lower, after metals prices fell overnight and Wall Street put in a mixed performance.

Oil prices recouped some losses to end about two per cent lower on Tuesday after President Donald Trump confirmed the US will withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal in a volatile session which saw prices slump as much as four per cent.