AAP

Gold slid 2.0 per cent overnight, retreating from a multi-week peak as political uncertainties in the United States stemming from an impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump drove investors to the safety of the US dollar and limited bullion's appeal.

The Australian share market has fallen following an overnight sell-off on Wall Street as more political instability rocked the United States.

Voluntary assisted-dying laws have easily passed Western Australia's lower house, with the Bill now headed to the upper house of parliament where it will face a tougher passage.

The Australian share market has opened sharply lower, mirroring falls on Wall Street overnight.

Oil prices plunged more than 2.0 per cent overnight to their lowest since the September 14 attacks on Saudi Arabia's key oil facilities after US President Donald Trump rekindled fears the US-Chinese trade conflict that has crimped energy demand is far from over.

Gold climbed to its highest level in nearly three weeks overnight as calls for impeachment proceedings against US President Donald Trump pushed stocks into the red, with bullion getting a further boost from disappointing consumer confidence data.

The Australian share market has finished flat, with losses for tech stocks and miners and gains for consumer discretionary and bank stocks.

NAB chairman Ken Henry has survived a protest vote to secure re-election to the board of the ASX despite his reputational flogging at the royal commission.

The Australian share market has opened little changed after a mixed session on Wall Street overnight.

Oil ended about 1.0 per cent higher overnight after a volatile trading session as traders focused on when Saudi Arabia would be able to restore full output following the September 14 attack on its facilities.

Gold rose overnight to its highest in over two weeks as weak economic data from the euro zone stoked global recession fears and forced investors to seek refuge in bullion while palladium soared to a record on a sustained supply shortfall.

The Australian share market has moved higher for the eighth time in nine sessions, while most markets around the region were lower.

Online travel agent Webjet looks set to take an earnings hit and could write-off $43.7 million following the collapse of giant UK travel company Thomas Cook.

Hostplus and Club Super have agreed to merge into a single $43 billion superannuation fund for the hospitality and recreation sectors by November 1.

Palladium soared to an all-time high on Friday, with producers locking in stocks of the auto-catalyst metal squeezed by a sustained supply shortage while gold firmed en route to its first weekly gain in four supported by Middle East tensions.

Oil prices eased on Friday on renewed concern over the US-Chinese trade conflict but futures still posted weekly gains, with Brent marking its biggest weekly increase since January after an attack on Saudi Arabia's energy industry last weekend.

The Australian share market has given up most of its early gains, but still managed to close higher for a 10th day in the past 12 sessions.

A training institute that had operations in Western Australia has been slapped with a record $26.5 million penalty and must repay $56 million to the federal government over "callous" student recruitment tactics.

Premier Investments shares have surged to their highest value in nearly a year after the Solomon Lew-backed retail conglomerate lifted profit and hiked its payout on strong sales at pyjama shop Peter Alexander and Just Jeans.

The Australian share market has opened higher as the tech and healthcare sectors led early gains.

Brent crude oil prices rose more than 1.0 per cent overnight on fears of longer-than-expected supply shortfalls following Saturday's attacks on a key Saudi Arabian oil processing facility and escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Palladium peaked to an all-time high overnight while gold gained on a weaker US dollar and as investors looked for clarity on future US interest rates after the Federal Reserve on Wednesday signalled a higher bar to further monetary easing.

The Australian share market has had its best day in two weeks, with most sectors posting gains after the US Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate.

Brickworks' full-year profit slipped 11.9 per cent to $154.6 million, with the company highlighting its WA operations as a specific weak point.

The federal budget was in a $700 million deficit in the 2018/19 financial year, the Final Budget Outcome report shows.

Oil prices retreated about 2.0 per cent overnight, extending the previous day's declines after Saudi Arabia's government said it would quickly restore full production following Saturday's attacks on its facilities and as US crude stockpiles rose unexpectedly.

Gold prices fell more than 1.0 per cent to a one-week low overnight, pulled down by a lack of clarity on future monetary policy decisions after a widely anticipated interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve.

The Australian share market has closed lower for the first time in six days, pinned down by a slump in the energy sector as oil prices retreated from recent highs.

Woodside Petroleum has signed a preliminary agreement to supply liquefied natural gas to German utility Uniper for 13 years starting in 2021, contingent on Woodside developing its Scarborough gas project.

Kathmandu's key Australian market appears to be weathering the retail chill, with sales of its signature puffer jackets helping offset a revenue decline in New Zealand and propel the company to a new full-year profit peak of $NZ57.63 million ($A53.3 million).

The Australian share market has opened slightly lower as the mining and energy sectors fell.

Oil prices tumbled about 6.0 per cent overnight after Saudi Arabia's energy minister said the country has managed to restore oil supplies to where they stood before weekend attacks on its facilities shut 5.0 per cent of global oil output.