AAP

US stocks were little changed on Thursday as investors paused following a two-day rally that pushed the Dow Jones Industrial Average above the 20,000 mark, while the latest wave of earnings rolled in.

The Australian share market has closed higher led by strong gains from mining stocks, a bounce in the big four banks and better global risk appetite.

A Perth car dealership employee has been fined $9,500 over the death of a workmate who was hit by a vehicle and dragged underneath when the offender accidentally pressed the accelerator instead of the brake.

Higher fuel and domestic holiday travel costs have contributed to a 0.4 per cent rise in Perth prices in the December quarter, while national inflation remains below the Reserve Bank's target, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics' most recent data.

BHP Billiton's iron ore production jumped 9 per cent during the December quarter with nickel production up by 18 per cent, helping the resources giant maintain its guidance for the full year.

Investors are snapping up growth stocks, including resource and financial companies, pushing the Australian share market higher.

The Australian dollar is slightly higher against its US counterpart, which recouped losses suffered following US president Donald Trump's protectionist comments.

Gold has fallen nearly one per cent, sliding from a two-month peak as investors take stock of US President Donald Trump's first policy moves and the US dollar stabilises after plumbing seven-week lows.

Oil prices had edged higher ahead of weekly US inventory data on evidence the global market is tightening as lower production by OPEC and other exporters drains stocks.

The Australian share market has closed higher as positive news from steelmaker BlueScope Steel and medical device maker ResMed buoyed investors ahead of the main company earnings season in February.

A strong fourth-quarter performance has helped Oil Search narrowly beat its full-year production guidance, and the company forecasts steady output for 2017.

The Australian share market has opened slightly higher as strong commodity prices help offset negativity around US President Donald Trump's protectionist agenda.

Gold has risen to touch its highest in two months as unease over the economic policies of US president Donald Trump pushes investors towards safer assets while the US dollar and US bond yields fell.

The Australian dollar is virtually unchanged against its US counterpart which has fallen to a seven-week low against a basket of key world currencies amid investor concerns over protectionist rhetoric by US President Donald Trump.

Oil prices have fallen nearly one per cent as signs of a strong recovery in US drilling largely overshadow news that OPEC and non-OPEC producers were on track to meet output reduction goals.

Australian shares have closed lower, weighed down by major logistics firm Brambles' profit warning and uncertainty around the direction of new US President Donald Trump's administration.

Former One Nation senator Rod Culleton insists he won't be clearing out his offices and is determined to attend the start of federal parliament.

The massive plunge by major logistics company Brambles has largely offset a modest boost to the Australian share market from investor optimism about Donald Trump's presidency.

The Australian dollar is up against the greenback on the first full day on the financial markets following Donald Trump's inauguration as the 45th US president.

Gold prices have turned higher, as the dollar fell and US Treasury yields came off their highs after Donald Trump was sworn in as US president.

Oil prices have risen more than two per cent on expectations that this weekend's meeting of the world's top oil producers will demonstrate compliance to a global output cut deal, but rising US drilling activity have limited gains.

The Australian share market has closed lower as investors remain cautious ahead of Donald Trump's swearing-in as US president.

Oil and gas producer Santos has topped its guidance for 2016 with a 7 per cent rise in production and a 31 per cent jump in sales, boosted by the ramp-up of its Gladstone liquefied natural gas plant in Queensland.

Losses across the heavyweight resource and financial sectors have pushed the Australian share market lower as investors keenly await a flurry of Chinese economic data.

Oil prices edged higher on Thursday, but swelling US crude stockpiles limited the rebound from a one-week low after the International Energy Agency said oil markets had been tightening even before cuts agreed by OPEC and other producers took effect.

Gold steadied on Thursday, giving up earlier losses as the US dollar and US bond yields pared gains, following earlier pressure from strong US economic data and support from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen for higher US interest rates.

The Australian dollar is up against the US dollar ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump's closely-watched inauguration and speech.

Australian wicketkeeper Matthew Wade missed the easiest of stumpings as Pakistan posted 7-263 in today's one-day clash at the WACA Ground.

BHP Billiton has reached a near $1 billion deal with Brazil's federal prosecutor to settle a civil claim over the fatal disaster at its Samarco joint venture.

The Australian share market gave away most of its early gains but still finished slightly higher as weakness from most of the big banks countered support from an upbeat outlook on the US economy and a profit upgrade from market heavyweight CSL.

Vegemite will be back in Australian hands after Bega Cheese agreed to buy brands including the iconic spread for $460 million.

Western Australian police say they have arrested 30 people this morning for disrupting land clearing works as bulldozers moved in on the controversial Roe 8 highway extension project.