AAP

Online DVD rental and movie subscription company Quickflix posted significant revenue and subscriber growth last financial year and wants one million customers within five years.

Shares in News Corporation in Australian have gained more than four per cent after Rupert Murdoch dropped his bid for British pay TV giant BSkyB.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the carbon tax will pass parliament and is more ambitious and better than her predecessor's scheme.

Brazilian mining giant Vale is considering legal action to end an export impasse with its Queensland coal mine joint-venture partner Aquila Resources.

Significant losses in retail stocks have sent the Australian share market lower, due to a profit downgrade from David Jones caused by a rapid deterioration in trading conditions.

The Australian dollar has started the trading day over one US cent higher, benefiting from a weakening US currency and strong Chinese growth figures.

US stocks rose after China reported robust second-quarter growth and Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said further stimulus might be needed to boost the ailing US recovery.

New rigour for live sheep trade – The Aus; Probe into M&A dealmakers – The Fin; Labor to rush carbon tax into law – The Fin; ConocoPhillips deal affirms WA shale gas – The West; Gas plan an 'international disgrace' – The West

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has rejected claims that her government will stop investing in carbon capture and storage, saying a funding stream will operate separate to the carbon tax.

Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott have been confronted in public by critics as they continued their election-campaign-style pitch to the nation on action against climate change.

The pilots of a Tiger Airways flight flew at an unsafe low altitude without permission as they came in to land at Melbourne's Avalon Airport last month.

Pressure is mounting on the state's Fire and Emergency Services Authority to explain the appointment of a second senior employee who left his previous job surrounded by controversy.

A slump in consumer confidence stands as a warning that fear of the carbon tax is emerging as a risk to the economic outlook.

Australian shares closed higher after defying weak offshore leads and receiving a boost from better than expected Chinese economic growth data.

Premier Colin Barnett is backing the introduction of light rail in "car-intensive" Perth and predicts increasing government investment in public transport.

Rio Tinto-majority owned coal miner Coal & Allied Industries has reported a rise in first half production, and says it's on track to achieve a full year lift of five to 10 per cent.

Western Australian households will be slugged an extra $115 a year on their electricity bills because of the federal government's carbon tax, Premier Colin Barnett says.

Shares in junior shale gas explorer New Standard Energy rose after energy giant ConocoPhillips agreed to take part in its flagship Goldwyer project in Western Australia.

Aquila Resources has started legal proceedings against its Isaac Plains coal mine joint venture partner, Vale, seeking damages for four shipments it says the Brazilian giant prevented from being exported.

Premier Colin Barnett says his state has no intention of seceding and his mines minister's push for such a split is just a personal view.

Retail stores in the Perth Special Trading Precinct will be allowed to trade until 9pm on the Queen's Birthday holiday to encourage people to visit the city during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

Energy Resources of Australia has increased its full year uranium oxide production forecast by 8.3 per cent as it gets its processing operations going after a closure because of rain.

Rare earths supplier Lynas Corporation's Malaysian subsidiary will spend up to $US210 million ($A199.2 million) on the second phase of construction on a planned refinery plant in Kuantan.

Agricultural chemicals supplier Nufarm says it will report underlying operating profit of $67 million to $73 million when it releases its full year results.

The nation's consumer watchdog will be the "cop on the beat" to prevent price gouging under the government's planned carbon pricing scheme.

Zinc and copper producer Kagara posted a 121 per cent jump in zinc production for the June quarter on a reduced cash cost of 74 US cents (69.60 Australian cents) per pound.

Australian shares opened higher with stronger commodities prices helping the local market to defy a negative lead from global markets.

The Australian dollar was trading higher this morning, as European finance ministers continue discussing ways of containing their sovereign debt crisis.

Electricity bills to rise $115 with carbon tax – The West; Greens capture $10bn fund – The Aus; Banks cash in on carbon market – The Fin; States in $26bn dividend raid – The Fin; Demands on developers 'pushing house prices up' – The West

US stocks closed lower after Moody's knocked Ireland's bond rating to junk, saying the country would likely need another rescue.

Australian cities remain among the most affordable destinations for businesses to operate in across the Asia-Pacific region, despite the strength of the Australian dollar.

Fortescue Metals Group has started doing transactions in China in renminbi (RMB) in a step towards conducting further trade in the Asian superpower's currency.