AAP

The Australian share market has opened weaker after markets around the world plunged overnight.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is widely expected to keep its finger off the interest rates trigger when it meets for its first board meeting of the calendar year today.

US stocks have closed sharply lower as signs of political instability in Italy and Spain renewed worries about the the eurozone's long-running public debt crisis.

The decision not to re-release an oil and gas exploration permit near the Rowley Shoals Marine Park shows the offshore Kimberley region is proving difficult for the sector, an analyst says.

Motorists can expect further price rises at the petrol bowser over the next couple of weeks, reflecting rising world oil prices, Commonwealth Securities says.

The Australian dollar is higher, after more encouraging US economic figures helped currency markets stay in a positive mood.

The Australian share market closed weaker, with investors apparently unwilling to push the bourse to 5000 points without new good economic news.

Australian businesses have slashed their profit expectations, amid declining sales and intense price discounting.

A new report claims Western Australians dump more and recycle less than anywhere else in the country - prompting conservationists to call for a 10-cent refund on the state's bottles and cans.

Nurses at Royal Perth Hospital will stop work this afternoon after a second round of wage talks failed.The nurses will walk off the job for a union meeting at 1.30pm WST.

The federal government wants to crack down on corporate tax cheats by improving transparency and the sharing of information between key corporate regulators.

Job advertisements fell for an 11th straight month in January, a leading employment survey says.

The recovery in Australia's struggling housing sector endured a setback in December as building approvals suffered a surprise fall.

Qantas plans to broaden the number of destinations it flies to in Asia as part of its new alliance with Emirates.

The Australian market has opened higher after positive overseas leads and gains for the mining giants.

Fortescue Metals has agreed to stop work on the development of Iron Ore Holding's Iron Valley deposit in Western Australia.

US markets pushed tantalisingly close to new records last week, a stunning rebound after the steep crash of 2008 wiped trillions of dollars of wealth from Americans' pocketbooks and retirement acco

Australia's export commodity prices posted their third consecutive monthly rise in January, Reserve Bank of Australia figures show.

The Australian sharemarket returned to its two-week bull run as investors, buoyed by a positive US earnings season, turned to high-yielding stocks.

Retailer Kathmandu has shrugged off the tough retail outlook by sharply upgrading its profit forecast, as shoppers' enthusiasm for travel and adventure remains strong.

Mining magnate Gina Rinehart has chosen former foreign minister Alexander Downer as her second representative on the board of oil and gas explorer Lakes Oil.

The state government plans to give over the emergency lane in the Graham Farmer Freeway tunnel to traffic, despite a coroner's safety recommendations.

Aquila Resources has received the green light from the state government to develop Anketell Port as part of its $6 billion iron ore project.

Unions are making a last-ditch plea to the consumer watchdog against a partnership between Qantas and Emirates airlines.

Australia's manufacturing sector contracted for the 11th straight month in January, marking a weak start to 2013 for the industry.

The Australian share market has opened higher despite a fall on Wall Street, supported by gains in the financial and resources sectors.

Western Australia's alternative leader is unlikely to stand up to the Commonwealth to protect the boom state's interests, Premier Colin Barnett says.

US stocks have finished lower, with BlackBerry maker Research in Motion losing 5.8 per cent after launching a new operating system and Dow Chemical sagging nearly 7 per cent on a quarterly loss.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard insists she hasn't fired the starter's gun for an eight-month election campaign, but is still demanding the coalition detail its policies.

The Australian dollar has pared back after official data suggested that growth in the US has slowed.

The Australian share market has closed slightly weaker, snapping a 10-day winning streak, after markets in the United States fell.

Premier Colin Barnett has scorned what is shaping to be the focus of the state opposition's election campaign, its ambitious rail network plan.