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The Australian dollar has bounced from the eight-month low it hit after the release of disappointing retail trade figures.

The launch of Western Australia's first dedicated bourbon distillery has revealed keen interest from investors and consumers in new and fresh concepts.

Half a million Australians have lied or omitted information on a credit application.

West African-focused gold explorer Predictive Discovery plans to raise up to $1.85 million for further exploration, through a placement and a rights issue backed by its biggest shareholder.

The Australian stock market bounced back after a weaker opening as bullish investors decided that it had fallen far enough in recent weeks.

Potential buyers are already keenly looking to snare East Fremantle's Kaleeya Health Campus, the first state government asset to hit the market from a large portfolio flagged for sale last week.

Tony Abbott is determined to get his government's finances back into balance despite continued objections to some of its May budget measures and the additional costs of beefing up national security.

August saw mixed performance in retail, with turnover up 0.1 per cent on a seasonally adjusted basis, according to the latest monthly report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Debate is hotting up over longer-term climate trends, historical temperature statistics and a recent expansion of the Antarctic sea ice.

Australia's consumer watchdog is backing calls for more road tolls and lower fuel taxes to fund new roads.

More than 230 Westpac jobs in Western Australia and Queensland will be axed with the bank planning to close two customer contact centres in the states in March next year.

A significant apartment project has been approved at North Coogee, as development along the Cockburn Coast shifts into its next phase.

A new competitor for car-booking app Uber has emerged out of Sydney and is setting its sights on Perth as its first stop in an Australia-wide expansion plan.

The Department of Mines and Petroleum says it will return millions of dollars in unconditional performance bonds associated with dead tenements to mining companies and individuals through its rehabilitation fund program.

Wesfarmers says it will raise about $864 million through a bond issue under its Euro Medium Term Note program.

Perth's residential real estate market remained largely steady in September, with the Real Estate Institute of WA reporting a 1 per cent rise, while national analysts RP Data said median home price

Manufacturing activity has fallen for a second consecutive month as the winding down of the car industry overshadowed a big fall by the Australian dollar.

The Australian share market has opened lower amid ongoing Aussie dollar weakness, a fall in commodity prices and soft leads from US equities.

The Australian dollar is still levelling off after its recent falls, getting support from some encouraging European economic data.

Standfirst: The IMF and Reserve Bank have urged reform of housing taxes but we should tackle this in a broader context of tax reform.

World oil prices have slumped, with the main US contract falling 3.6 per cent due to worries about a supply glut and the strengthening dollar.

Wall Street stocks have finished lower following disappointing economic data, including a big drop in US consumer confidence.

The appointment of investment banker Michael Ashforth as manager of the Bennett family's $1.5 billion fortune highlights the maturing of Western Australia's private wealth market.

Cassini Resources, the five cent explorer that quickly graduated to a 25 cent stock in April after acquiring BHP Billiton's West Musgrave nickel-copper project has taken a share price hit in its stride as it seeks to educate the market on its as yet unrealised potential.

The head of the country's largest wealth manager has warned Australians will end up poorer and paying more tax to fund pensions if something isn't done to boost superannuation savings.

The share market has closed higher as investors found reason to buy back into the sold-off banking sector.

Australia's largest food maker isn't too bothered about the arrival of 85-cents-a-loaf bread on supermarket shelves.

Rare earths producer Lynas Corporation has announced an $83 million capital raising to help replenish its crippled cash balance.

Newcrest Mining increased short-term bonuses to top executives more than 11-fold this year despite making another heavy loss.

West Perth-based miner Metals X has completed a $40.4 million pre-pay arrangement with Citibank for the production of over 30,000 ounces of gold.

Range Resources has secured a US$15 million loan from John Hancock-advised Lind Partners to accelerate development drilling of Range's Trinidad onshore assets.

Misinformation and pseudo science are being used to thwart fracking, which is in its infancy in Australia.