AAP

Wind farm operator Infigen Energy has booked a first half net loss of $34.4 million due to depressed energy markets in Australia and United States, and foreign exchange movements.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is unlikely to raise the cash rate until May, as the nation fully assesses and recovers from damaging floods earlier in the year.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she is unfazed by the "scare campaign" surrounding her proposed carbon tax and emissions trading scheme.

Shares in Toro Energy rose after the uranium explorer said it was hopeful an iron oxide, copper and gold deposit discovered on the Mt Woods project has the potential for economic uranium.

Australia's competition watchdog wants to know what business thinks of Australia Post's proposal to lift some business postage charges.

Western Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory will all get a bigger slice of GST revenue in 2011/12 than the previous financial year, the Commonwealth Grant Commission says.

A seafarers' union says the Jordanian owners of a live sheep carrier docked at Fremantle are underpaying their Pakistani crew and denying them shore leave in breach of agreements.

Shares in iron ore miner Fortescue Metals Group have been placed in a trading halt, pending the announcement regarding exploration results.

Harvey Norman Holdings has reported a slump in first half net profit, down 17 per cent, reflecting price declines, the strong Australian dollar and the impact of wet weather on sales.

The Australian sharemarket opened slightly lower on Friday as uncertainty over the impact of Libya's turmoil remains a concern to investors.

Fortescue Metals Group boss Andrew Forrest has for the second time this week railed against rulings by regulators, this time for rail access in the resources-rich Pilbara.

Mineral sands producer Iluka Resources' share price shot up after the company reported a full year net profit 50 per cent above market expectations.

Festering concerns about violence in the Middle East caused jitters in the US stock market Thursday, with the major indexes closing the day mixed.

Woolworths increased first half profit six per cent as the country's biggest supermarket chain said a "degree of uncertainty" hangs over the next six months of trading.

The Australian dollar was higher this morning, on the back of encouraging Australian investment data and a higher oil price.

WA in $400m GST windfall – The West; Voelte expects a quick exit – The Aus; Mining services results reinforce recovery signs – The West; Defence buoys Austal – the West; Searipple spoils a good result – The Fin

A stronger Australian dollar saw Centro Properties Group's first half net profit surge to $553 million, but wasn't enough to prevent a company restructure prompted by its heavy debt burden.

Africa-focused coal miner and Rio Tinto takeover target Riversdale Mining has reported a first half net loss and lower output, but says demand for its product is strong.

The Australian dollar finished higher today after a projected resurgence of business investment raised expectations for an interest rate rise by mid-year.

The Australian stock market closed in the red for the fourth consecutive day as profit takers outnumbered opportunistic investors amid escalating tensions in Libya.

Cameron Mansell, the man accused of murdering Perth millionaire Craig Puddy, is to stand trial in the West Australian Supreme Court in September.

Engineering services firm RCR Tomlinson has boosted its first half net profit slightly on the back of the mining boom and says a large backlog of projects will boost growth this year.

Using natural gas to generate power and fuel buses is a better way to reduce carbon emissions than falsely assuming a carbon tax will cut energy use, West Australian Premier Colin Barnett says.

Rio Tinto has been granted a three-month extension of its exploration tenure at the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea while it thrashes out a development plan with the West African nation's government.

There is growing concern about new and controversial police powers for October's Commonwealth summit in Perth.

Offshore petroleum operators will be hit with three new levies as the government moves to make them pay for their own safety inspections.

Japan's JFE Steel has rejected BHP Billiton's proposal for monthly pricing for coking coal, rather than the quarterly pricing arrangement that was introduced last year, according to reports.

Australia will put a price on carbon emissions from mid next year, but Prime Minister Julia Gillard has released no details on how the price will work or how it will affect businesses.

The federal opposition has accused the Gillard government of incompetence, citing reports Labor's modified mining tax will sacrifice $100 billion over the next decade.

The Australian stock market opened lower after world equity markets slumped as investors worried about higher oil prices due to violent unrest in Libya.

Gold rose to its highest in more than seven weeks on Wednesday, closing in on record highs as escalating unrest in Libya and soaring crude oil prices fueled fears of inflation and a stalled global economic recovery.

Wall Street stocks fell for a second straight day after clashes in Libya sent oil prices to two-year highs and technology giant Hewlett-Packard said its revenue growth was slowing.