AAP

US stocks have risen as fears of a trade war eased after President Donald Trump promised great flexibility toward the United States' "real friends" as he prepared to impose hefty import tariffs.

The Australian dollar is lower after downbeat comments from the head of the European Central Bank sparked some negativity on finanacial markets.

The Australian share market has gained ground as news of potential exemptions for some countries from proposed US tariffs on imported steel and aluminium eased concerns about a trade war.

The Australian share market has opened higher as investors gained some reassurance that proposed US tariffs on imported steel and aluminium may contain some exemptions and thereby reduce the chance of a trade war.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher, as falls in US markets and worries over a possible trade war place a drag on any gains the currency might make.

Oil prices fell on Wednesday as financial markets slid amid concerns that Washington's plans for import tariffs could spark a trade war, and after US government data showed an increase in crude inv

Gold prices slipped on Wednesday on profit-taking after hitting a one-week high on news that a top economic advisor to the Trump administration had resigned, stoking fears of a trade war and knocki

The Australian share market has fallen sharply as uncertainty remains about the implications of US steel and aluminium tariffs.

Gina Rinehart's four children have joined their mining mogul mother among the world's richest people, with nine Western Australians included in Forbes' latest world billionaire rankings.

Commonwealth Bank will refund another $16 million to credit card and loan insurance customers after finding more people were sold policies they would not be able to claim on.

Australia's economic growth slowed to 0.4 per cent in the December quarter, taking annual growth to 2.4 per cent, broadly in line with market expectations.

Australian shares have opened lower dragged down by broad-based weakness and after a choppy trading session in the United States.

Gold prices rose more than one per cent on Tuesday as the US dollar slid after North Korea signaled that it is open to nuclear talks and investors worried about aggressive US trade policy.

The Australian dollar is higher, as the mood on financial markets further improves on the back of easing worries over a possible trade war sparked by the imposion of heavy tariffs by the US on meta

US stocks have opened higher on signs of easing tensions in the Korean Peninsula and mounting pressure against potentially damaging metals tariffs proposed by US President Donald Trump.

The Australian share market has posted a strong gain as investors speculate US President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on imported steel and aluminium may not be set in stone.

The Reserve Bank of Australia may not begin lifting interest rates until 2019 after reinforcing its expectations for only gradual improvement in wages growth and inflation over the year ahead.

Retail spending has had a quiet start to the year, struggling to make any significant gains, and economists don't believe it will change any time soon.

Seventeen months after Perth investor Anthony Grist left the board of Vocus Communications after failing to secure backing for a leadership shake-up, the three former M2 Group directors who retained control at that time have all resigned from the underperforming telco business.

The CFMEU is about to get another 'M' after the Fair Work Commission approved a merger of three of Australia's most prominent unions.

News Corporation and Telstra have struck a deal that will see Foxtel and Fox Sports will merge into a single company by the end of June, with current Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delaney at its head.

The Australian share market has opened higher after markets overseas regained some of the losses of last week which followed US President Donald Trump's announcement to impose hefty trade tariffs on imported steel and aluminium.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher, as the US sharemarket bounces back from recent losses made of the US government's announcement that it will impose trade tariffs.

Gold prices dropped on Monday as a stronger US dollar outweighed the impact of uncertainty created by Italy's unclear election result and fears of a possible global trade war.

Australian shares closed sharply lower on Friday after fears of a trade war were sparked by US president Donald Trump's surprise announcement of tariffs on imports of steel and aluminium.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commissionhas asked operators of six liquefied natural gas facilities in Western Australia and the Northern Territory to publicly disclose maintenance schedule information they share with each other.

The competition watchdog is taking Woolworths to the Federal Court, accusing it of labelling its disposable picnic products as biodegradable when they are not.

The Australian share market has started lower for the third straight session, as fresh weakness on Wall Street overnight relayed through to local stocks.

The Australian dollar has rebounded to take some of the ground lost against its US counterpart since the new Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell signalled there could be more US interest rate ri

Oil has slumped more than one per cent, touching two-week lows under pressure from a retreating stock market and worries about surging US crude output.

Gold prices have fallen about one per cent and hit two-month lows during the session, pressured as the dollar shot to a six-week high and investors braced for expected US interest rate hikes after

Melbourne-based explosives manufacturer Orica has secured supply contracts in the Pilbara with BHP Billiton and Roy Hill, but expects operational issues and write-downs to cut its first-half earnings by nearly $400 million.