Oil prices have fallen for a second consecutive day overnight after US President Donald Trump signed into law a bill backing protesters in Hong Kong, fuelling tensions with China.
Gold traded in a narrow $US5 range overnight as investors gauged the impact of US backing of Hong Kong protesters on its trade negotiations with China while palladium scaled a record peak on a sustained supply crunch.
About 27,000 casual school workers including cleaners and gardeners will be compensated after being underpaid by Western Australia's Department of Education.
Westpac is allowing investors to withdraw from a $500 million share purchase plan it launched two weeks before a money laundering and child exploitation scandal hit the lender's share price.
Flinders Mines has announced the negotiation of a binding agreement with BBI Group, bringing the aspiring iron ore miner one step closer to pursuing its Pilbara iron ore project.
Oil eased overnight after a report showing US crude inventories grew unexpectedly last week and gasoline stocks surged but losses were limited by optimism that a US-China trade deal would be reached soon.
Gold fell overnight as equities climbed to record levels bolstered by hopes that the United States and China were close to signing an initial trade deal and by the release of robust US economic data.
The state government has today introduced harsher industrial manslaughter penalties, in an effort to bring WA's WHS laws in line with that of other states.
New figures suggest the Australian economy is still crawling along at a growth rate below two per cent, but Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe has made it clear that negative interest rates are "extraordinarily unlikely" in response.
Oil prices rose overnight after news that US and Chinese officials discussed trade while predictions for a weekly draw on US crude stockpiles lent some support as well.
Gold edged higher overnight from a two-week low hit earlier on Tuesday after data showed US consumer confidence slipped in November, with investors eager for more details on the long-awaited trade agreement between the United States and China.
West Australian Ballet launched a new endowment fund at Government House last night, with two separate donations from Jack Bendat and Alexandra Burt's foundations totalling $4.1 million.
Minority shareholders in aspiring iron ore miner Flinders Mines expressed frustration at today's AGM over its proposed deal with infrastructure company BBI Group, accusing their board of trying to push through a deal without offering complete details.
Westpac chief executive Brian Hartzer is stepping down and chairman Lindsay Maxsted will follow as Australia's second largest bank tries to keep hold of customers appalled at its money laundering and child exploitation scandal.
Former Art Gallery of WA chief executive and director Stefano Carboni has relocated to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to assist in broadening the country's cultural offerings as part of Saudi Vision 2030.
Lateral has announced that it will partner with WAITTA‘s The INCITE Awards next year, with the Perth-based hardware and software developer coming on board as a naming rights sponsor.
