A flare-up in tensions in Ukraine threatened to derail the climb in US stock markets, but traders finally dismissed geopolitics to deliver another week of gains on Wall Street.
The Australian share market has closed at a two-week high on the back of a strong week of company earnings and a potential demerger of assets by BHP Billiton.
US stocks have advanced, extending the prior day's gains after jobless claims increased but overall the data continued to suggest an improving labor market.
The Australian stock market has opened higher following positive leads from Wall Street and a raft of encouraging local earnings results, including telecommunications giant Telstra.
Hundreds of thousands of Australians could share in the nation's biggest class action, which has been launched against a number of banks over late payment fees.
US stocks have finished higher, capping a sunny day for global markets in a rally that gained force from a more optimistic perception of conflicts in Ukraine and Iraq.
Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has delivered a better than expected profit in the face of growing competition and customers getting ahead on loan repayments.
Westoz Investment Company stated that it almost tripled its reported profit in the 2014 financial year, with an increase in after tax profit from $7.4 million last year to $21.2 million.
The Australian dollar has stabilised after last week's falls on the back of weaker-than-expected jobs figures and a downbeat economic update from the central bank.
The Australian share market has closed lower, falling more than 1 per cent as Russia announces trade sanctions and the US considers airstrikes on Iraq.
The Australian share market has closed lower, falling more than one per cent as Russia announces trade sanctions and the US considers airstrikes on Iraq.
Interest rates aren't likely to be moving for the foreseeable future as the Reserve Bank waits to see how the Australian economy copes with its current challenges.
