The price of gold has turned downward as the US dollar comes off its lows and financial markets await US President Donald Trump's speech to Congress regarding his policies on tax reforms and government spending.
Shares in WorleyParsons have soared after the engineering group confirmed it had rejected a takeover bid from a Dubai-based professional services group, which has since emerged as a large shareholder.
US stocks have ended slightly higher and the Dow has closed at a record high for a 12th straight session after President Donald Trump said he would make a "big" infrastructure statement.
Spot gold has fallen after tapping a 3-1/2-month high as US Treasury yields rose and investors waited for US President Donald Trump to outline plans for tax cuts, infrastructure spending, levies on imports and foreign policy.
Oil prices have fallen per cent after US crude inventories rose for a seventh week, showing that the market is still struggling to ease oversupply despite many producers' efforts to rein in production.
Gold has reached its highest in 3-1/2 months as the dollar fell to a one-week low after the new US Treasury chief poured cold water on the "Trumpflation trade" that had boosted the greenback this year.
The Australian share market is lower, pulled back for a second successive session by significant falls among the big miners, with weakness among the big four banks further prodding the retreat.
Oil prices have risen but gains have been pared after US government data shows a seventh straight build in crude stocks, suggesting high inventories could undermine OPEC's move to cut output.
Gold prices have lifted 1 per cent to a three-and-a-half-month high after minutes from the latest Federal Reserve policy meeting further dampen expectations for an interest rate rise in March, lowering US bond yields and pressuring the US dollar.
The share market has lost ground on another busy day of company earnings reports, as a fall in commodity prices weighed on the big miners, and Rio Tinto traded without its latest dividend.
Oil prices have fallen 1.5 per cent on expectations of another surge in US inventories, retreating from multi-week highs hit in the previous session after OPEC signalled optimism over its deal with other producers to curb output.
Gold has turned higher as the dollar has shifted lower on Wednesday, after minutes from the last US Federal Reserve meeting showed uncertainty among policymakers about the new Trump administration's economic program.
Australian shares are flat on the negative side with profit taking in mining and energy stocks and Commonwealth Bank going ex-dividend offsetting some solid corporate results.
BHP roars back with big profitA resurgent BHP Billiton has made nearly three times as much profit in the December half as it made in the entire 2015-16
The Australian dollar is up against its US counterpart despite the greenback moving broadly higher following hawkish comments from Federal Reserve officials, and finding support amid European political uncertainty.
Oil prices are up one per cent after touching three-week highs on OPEC's optimism for greater compliance with its deal with other producers, including Russia, to curb output in an effort to clear a glut that has weighed on the market.
Gold prices have pared losses on weaker-than-expected US economic data, after falling 1 per cent on renewed expectations of an increase in US interest rates next month that pushed the dollar higher.
