The Australian share market has fallen sharply as investors fretted about falling oil prices and speculation that financially-embattled Greece would quit the eurozone.
US stocks have tanked on worries about the eurozone and low oil prices as the euro hit a nine-year low against the US dollar and US crude slid below $US50 a barrel.
Former Bankwest managing director Jon Sutton has been appointed Bank of Queensland’s new chief executive, following the departure of Stuart Grimshaw in September last year.
Wall Street stocks have finished the first trading day of the new year little-changed following lacklustre US economic data and with many market participants still on holiday.
Perth-based gold miner Millennium Minerals has negotiated $5 million in additional debt funding from its major shareholder IMC Group but the deal is dependent on Millennium's current bankers agreeing to reschedule debt repayments due at the end of this month.
The S&P 500 stock index has risen to fresh records, another positive day for global equity markets still cheered by last week's US Federal Reserve meeting.
US stocks have surged for the second day in a row following Wednesday's Federal Reserve meeting as investors brushed aside concerns over another drop in oil prices.
National Australia Bank chairman Michael Chaney launched a defence of coal-fired power as the lender, and rival ANZ, rejected calls to stop funding mining projects.
The Australian sharemarket is one per cent higher after an upbeat assessment of the American economy by the US central bank and a bounce in oil prices.
The Dow has jumped nearly 300 points after the US Federal Reserve made no changes to its monetary policy, saying it can remain "patient" before moving to raise interest rates.
