Gold has jumped almost two per cent as the dollar fell to a 17-month low against the Japanese yen following minutes from the US Federal Reserve's latest meeting and falling global shares fell rekindled investor appetite for safer assets.
US stocks have dropped as oil prices slid and worries about the global economy resurfaced, dragging down the US dollar against the Japanese yen and causing investors to flee riskier assets.
Perth's median house price remained stable at $535,000 for the three months to March, according to the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia, while reported sales activity in the metro region jumped 15 per cent.
Consumers should expect to pay less for their electricity in the long term as a result of sweeping changes to Western Australia's energy market that aim to slash the cost of supply, Energy Minister Mike Nahan says.
Parking facility operators are rarely popular among car drivers and Wilson Parking is no exception, especially given its strong foothold in Perth, where fallen entrepreneur Laurie Wilson started the firm in the 1960s.
Gold has fallen one per cent as a recovery in equities prompted some profit-taking after Tuesday's rally, while minutes of the US Federal Reserve's last policy meeting showed concern about "appreciable downside risks" in the global economy.
US stocks advanced bolstered by gains in healthcare shares after the collapse of the $US160 billion ($A212.30 billion) merger of Pfizer and Allergan, and by a rise in energy shares.
The auditor general says the state government has made a good start on its $400 million land asset sales program but improvements could be made, following criticism earlier this week that some properties are being sold at a loss.
Roughly four in every five Western Australians feel the state government doesn't have a suitable plan to pay back debt and recover a AAA credit rating, according to a recent Chamber of Commerce and Industry of WA survey.
Gold has rebounded more than one per cent, snapping two days of losses as risk appetite evaporated, pushing global stocks lower and knocking the US dollar to a 17-month low against the yen.
Wall Street has fallen sharply as investors took gains off the table following a recent rally and ahead of an upcoming quarterly reporting season that is expected to reveal sharply lower earnings.
The head of Shell's Perth-based communications and government relations team has been named the next chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Gold has fallen after strong US economic data boosted investor risk sentiment and a top US Federal Reserve official said an interest rate rise is likely ahead of the market's current expectations due to fading economic concerns.
US stocks have ended weaker, pulling back from a recent rally that took them to new 2016 highs, as losses in commodity-related and industrial shares offset gains in healthcare.
Gold has fallen more than one per cent after US March payrolls data beat expectations, allaying some fears about the US economy and stoking speculation about the timing of likely interest rate rises by the Federal Reserve.
Wesfarmers chief executive Richard Goyder has thrown his support behind the state government's plan to lease Fremantle Ports, saying the state needs a world-class operator to ensure exports are competitive internationally.
