AAP

Prominent lawyer Lloyd Rayney has formally pleaded not guilty in a Perth court to the 2007 murder of his wife.

Profit-takers descended on the Australian share market, pushing the bourse to a 12 week-low after US Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke cast doubt on the strength of US economic growth.

Mortgage brokers and the non-bank sector are to fight the government's proposal to ban exit fees on home loans, with a national advertising campaign starting tomorrow.

Australia should try to get its first electricity generating nuclear reactor up by 2022, despite the Fukushima nuclear plant accident in Japan, the head of the Australian Uranium Association says.

An emissions trading scheme would provide more certainty and confidence for business than a carbon tax, says the peak association for Australia's energy supply industry.

Property developer Stockland looks set to offload a chunk of its industrial property portfolio after receiving a $200 million offer.

Shares in gold miner Navigator Resources were placed in a trading halt after the Australian Securities Exchange blocked the partial sale of its West Australian rare earths project to a related party with common directors.

Employment growth is expected to have returned in May after the fallout from summer's natural disasters caused a drop in April, economists say.

The federal government is considering raising the price of cheap grog to discourage dangerous drinking.

A survey has shown that large companies would be willing to consider hiring overseas staff to overcome skills shortages.

Seven West Media has appointed Chris Wharton as head of its Western Australian media outlets.

Rio Tinto is planning to double its fleet of driverless haul trucks and to deploy them at the Pilbara's largest mine site, Yandicoogina, after a two-year trial performed "well above expectations".

Shares in engineering firm Coffey International soared after outlining a business restructure that the company says will lead to a more disciplined focus on its activities and higher earnings.

The Australian stock market has opened slightly higher, boosted by gains in the materials sector, after US markets plunged overnight.

West Australian farmers will be able to cash in on the growing instability in the Middle East by signing new deals with oil-rich states.

The Australian dollar is trading a third of a US cent higher this morning, after recovering some losses from yesterday, when the central bank chose to keep interest rates on hold.

Tax on coal 'ahead of world' – The Aus; Blitz on GST, profit shifting – The Fin; Burrup executives set to face public examination – The West; Indonesian cattle trade halted – The West; Relief for Metcash as WA figures hold up – The West

US stock markets gave up all their gains on Tuesday after Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke confirmed a gloomy picture of economic growth just 15 minutes before the closing bell.

The Australian dollar dropped more than half a US cent after the central bank decided to keep the cash rate at 4.75 per cent.

Growing inflation worldwide is casting a pall over the global economic recovery and risks hurting the financial system, China's top banking regulator has been quoted as saying.

The world's biggest miner BHP Billiton says it is the first operator to bring a new well online in the Gulf of Mexico since last year's BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

The Australian share market closed marginally lower despite investors being buoyed by the central bank's largely unchanged outlook for the domestic economy.

The political outrage over out-of-cycle interest rate rises late last year was without foundation, the Australian Bankers' Association (ABA) says.

The well-anticipated decision to leave Australia's interest rates steady wasn't accompanied by any clear signal a widely-expected increase is imminent.

Farmers will be able to file their agricultural census forms online for the first time in 2011, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) says.

Treasury modelling shows putting a price on carbon will not cut jobs, Treasurer Wayne Swan says.

The operation of global markets will be irrevocably transformed by the growth of cloud computing, an internet researcher says.

Qantas Airways Ltd shares have fallen hard after domestic rival Virgin Australia announced plans to enter a long-term partnership with aviation powerhouse Singapore Airlines (SIA).

Aquila Resources says a dispute with Brazilian mining giant Vale could affect sales from its Isaac Plains coal mine in Queensland after a customer cancelled a coal shipment.

Virgin Australia has announced plans to enter an alliance with Singapore Airlines from August this year.

Australian shares have opened lower again after a fourth consecutive fall on Wall Street due to concerns about ongoing economic weakness.

Australia's construction industry has shrunk for the twelfth consecutive month and looks highly vulnerable to further interest rate rises, a survey has found.