The Australian share market has closed slightly higher as weakness among the banks, miners and energy companies was offset by gains by retailers and industrial stocks.
The Australian dollar is higher after Wall Street made modest gains as it appear less likely the US Federal Reserve will increase the pace of its interest rate hikes this year.
Oil benchmarks fell on Wednesday after an unexpected build in US crude and gasoline inventories despite strong demand, and as traders weighed a possible increase in OPEC crude output to cover any shortfalls in supply from Iran and Venezuela.
Gold prices rose on Wednesday as the US dollar backed off its highs against a basket of currencies while investors interpreted minutes from the US Federal Reserve's latest policy meeting as dovish.
The Australian market has opened fractionally higher as gains in base metal prices lifted the big miners and US President Donald Trump's trade war comments spooked Wall Street investors.
The Australian dollar is slightly lower after Wall Street fell, weighed down by comments from US President Donald Trump about the US-China trade talks.
Brent crude prices settled slightly higher on Tuesday after a volatile session in which potential supply concerns surrounding Venezuela and Iran jockeyed with comments from President Donald Trump, who said he was not pleased with US-China trade talks.
Gold prices have steadied just above their lowest point for the year as the US dollar fell from a five-month high, although risk appetite in the broader financial markets kept the metal's gains in check.
US crude hit its highest level since 2014 on Monday amid rising concerns that Venezuela's oil output could fall further following the country's presidential election and potential sanctions on the OPEC-member nation.
The Australian share market has closed steady, with strong gains by the healthcare and utilities sectors countering yet another fall by Telstra and weakness among the banks and miners.
Esperance-based FGS Contracting and a company director have been fined more than $300,000 over the serious injuries sustained by one of the company's workers in 2016.
Former Business News 40under40 winner Sally Capp has been elected as Melbourne's lord mayor, joining a growing list of past winners who have gone on to bigger things since claiming the award.
Vocus Communications has appointed former Optus boss Kevin Russell as managing director and chief executive, three months after Geoff Horth quit the broadband provider in the wake of an earnings warning.
Australian shares have opened lower, dragged down by the banks and after all three major US stock indexes posted a weekly loss as the markets grappled with US-China trade talks.
Gold prices rebounded on Friday, as the US dollar eased after Italian political tension sparked a sell-off in the country's bond markets and investors sought a safe haven in bullion.
Oil prices fell on Friday, but Brent crude marked its sixth straight week of gains, boosted by plummeting Venezuelan production, strong global demand and looming US sanctions on Iran.
Australian shares have closed weaker as mining and banking stocks lost ground, despite the energy sector and vaccines giant CSL giving the local market a shot in the arm.
Business News' index of 30 Western Australian stocks hit an all-time high this week, helped by solid gains by copper miner Sandfire Resources, oil and gas giant Woodside Petroleum and engineering and construction contractor Monadelphous Group.
Oil prices climbed above $US80 a barrel on Thursday for the first time since November 2014, before retreating on a stronger dollar and climbing US output to end unchanged.
