AAP

BHP's $48bn iron expansion – The Aus; CEOs plan carbon tax showdown – The Fin; States face $6bn hit to revenue – The Fin; WA considers reneging on COAG deal – The Fin; Dollar forces big fall in land prices – The West

International credit rating agency Standard & Poors has raised its long-term corporate credit rating on miner Rio Tinto to A- from BBB+.

Australia faces a shortage of skilled workers if the government fails to broaden its IT education programs in line with the NBN rollout, a parliamentary committee has heard.

A federal court judge has extended a freeze on assets owned by Radhika Oswal, the wife of fertiliser tycoon Pankaj Oswal, as the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) seeks to recover an alleged tax debt of $140 million.

The Australian share market shrugged off negative sentiment in early trading to close slightly higher as the big banks made up for softness in the resources sector.

Australian residential land sales have reached their lowest level in a decade, after almost halving from a year earlier, a housing report shows.

OM Holdings has rejected a major shareholder's claims the manganese miner hasn't provided enough information about a planned issue of new shares and dual listing in Hong Kong.

Leighton Holdings has responded to a `please explain' letter from the Australian Securities Exchange by saying it told the ASX as soon as was aware that it was going to report a full-year loss.

The Australian securities market has opened moderately stronger after Wall Street closed higher on Friday, while oil and gold prices firmed.

Australia's food and grocery sector has waded into the climate change debate saying Labor's proposed carbon tax could cut competitiveness, cost jobs and slash living standards.

The nation's capital remains the best performing economy in the country overall, even outpacing Western Australia, but Victoria is catching up with the leaders.

Gold rose one per cent to a record and silver soared on Friday, as inflation worries amid a crude oil rally and a downgrade of Ireland's sovereign debt powered bullion to its fifth consecutive weekly gain.

Food giants join war on carbon tax – The Aus; Labor hits 15-year low in latest poll – The West; WA power revamp on cards – The Fin; Lynas investors cry foul over Forge sale – The West; Skywest rocked as chief resigns – The West

The skills shortage re-emerged in the March quarter as the rebuilding effort after a string of natural disasters led to demand for skilled labour outstripping supply.

The Australian dollar has opened stronger, as the market awaits minutes from the central bank's April board meeting due on Tuesday.

The US stock market rose on Friday as US inflation data showed prices rising in line with traders' expectations, but tech stocks were slowed by disappointing Google earnings.

West Australian Treasurer Christian Porter claims Victoria "is making a killing" off the back of his state's strong mining industry.

Treasurer Wayne Swan says next month's budget will be just as difficult as the other three he has handled.

The Australian stock market fell, to record the first weekly decline after three weeks of gains, as the prospect of further interest rate hikes in China saw investors err on the side of caution.

Three former Federal Court judges have been hauled out of retirement to hear an appeal in Australia's longest-running court case, involving a consortium of banks and the Bell Group, once controlled by fallen tycoon Alan Bond.

Manganese miner OM Holdings has returned fire after its biggest shareholder said it would take legal action to try and stop plans for a $500 million share raising.

Africa-focused uranium miner Paladin Energy says it expects production at the lower end of its forecast range for this financial year due to abnormal rainfall its mine in Namibia and a diesel shortage at its Malawi mine site.

West Australia's energy safety regulator will not prosecute electricity infrastructure operator Western Power over the 2009 Toodyay bushfire.

Steel should be exempt from Labor's proposed carbon tax, Australia's biggest manufacturing union says.

West Australians will find it harder to dodge jury duty under new legislation passed by parliament which slashes the number of people automatically exempt.

Building materials supplier Boral will increase its exposure to the Queensland mining and resources sector with a $173 million acquisition and says growth in Western Australia is also likely.

National Australia Bank's payments system failed to process thousands of transactions overnight, with the bank on Friday advising all financial institutions and customers of processing delays.

Rio Tinto chairman Jan du Plessis has warned shareholders that world markets remain fragile, despite many economies having recovered from the financial crisis.

Key union supporters of the federal government have expressed concern about the potential impact of a carbon price on jobs.

The Australian Stock market has opened flat after receiving weak mixed leads from offshore, while oil and gold pushed higher overnight.

Oakajee fears carbon tax – The Aus; Green power forcing prices up – The Aus; Regent revives $345m BC bid – The West; Forrest to fight for name – The Fin; King warns of NBN blowouts – The Fin

Financial stocks fell broadly on Thursday, left out of a late lift that pared earlier losses for most major stock indices.