AAP

Treasurer Wayne Swan won't be cutting the major retail banks any slack if the central bank cuts the official cash rate again at its board meeting next month.

Horrid summer weather could spoil the party for food and liquor retailers this Australia Day, as people cancel their traditional barbecues.

The Australian dollar continued to trade above 105 US cents despite expectations of further interest rate cuts after official data showed that inflation was easing.

Asciano has restructured its Patrick ports division, resulting in a significant reshuffle of its executive team.

Australian shares closed at a six-week high after official figures showing an easing of inflation boosted hopes for further interest rate cuts.

Listed investment firm Australian Foundation Investment Company (AFIC) expects uncertainty in Europe to continue to cause market volatility in the coming months.

Shares in base metals and gold miner Bass Metals have been suspended from trading as it may not be able to meet debt repayments amid concerns its Tasmanian operations are becoming financially margi

Buying Australian-made or grown goods creates local jobs and helps the economy, a consumer group says.

Job advertisements on the internet fell by three per cent in December compared to a month earlier, national data shows.

The federal opposition believes Treasurer Wayne Swan will need to be a magician to deliver his promised budget surplus in 2012/13 in the light of downgraded global growth forecasts.

Atlas Iron has cut its production targets for the financial year because of the impact of Tropical Cyclone Heidi.

Australian shares have climbed after market-beating results from Apple helped bourses shrug off growing concerns that Greece may default on its debt.

The Australian dollar has been dragged down as negotiations to prevent Greece defaulting on its debt hit an impasse and the International Monetary Fund downgraded its global growth forecasts.

US stocks fell Tuesday on concerns that a deal to prevent a default by Greece might fall through.

Opposition Leader Mark McGowan is being "sneaky" by promoting an opt-out provision for workers under proposed Sunday trading laws, the government says.

The Australian dollar slipped to trade back below 105 US cents after soaring to its highest position since October.

More Australian businesses left bills unpaid for 90 days or longer during the December quarter than a year earlier, Dun & Bradstreet said.

Australia's biggest gold producer, Newcrest Mining, has reported a 20 per cent drop in quarterly gold production compared with the prior corresponding December quarter.

Frustrated dairy farmers are leaving the industry while the government sits on three reports on the supermarket milk price war.

Oil Search expects flat production into 2013 as natural field decline and processing shutdowns are offset by new exploration success.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says the federal government will help find jobs for the 350 Toyota workers made redundant and shore up the car industry overall.

Treasurer Wayne Swan has supported calls for Europe to take more action to solve its debt crisis, saying no country is immune from the fallout.

Australian shares have opened higher as the weaker US dollar helps commodity prices and concerns over Europe's debt crisis take a back seat.

Toro Energy expects its Wiluna project will receive final government approval this year before a state election when the opposition Labor Party hopes to ban new uranium mines if elected.

The Australian dollar has soared above 105 US cents for the first time since October on renewed optimism that Greece will reach a deal with its creditors to avoid defaulting on its debt.

Oil prices rose modestly Monday after the EU slapped an embargo on Iran's crude exports as part of tough new sanctions aimed at stopping Tehran from funding its disputed nuclear program.

The Australian dollar has continued its solid performance over the weekend against the US dollar, influenced by relatively good economic fundamentals.

The industrial relations umpire has signed off on a workplace agreement between Qantas and its engineers.

Another official interest rate cut is looking more likely as new evidence shows price pressures are easing.

Toyota Australia has confirmed it will cut 350 jobs due to pressures caused by the high Australian dollar.