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OPINION: Whoever wins Saturday's election must know that state debt is too high.

Woodside Petroleum executive Jeroen Buren has been named acting president of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, filling the role left vacant by Brian Reilly, who has moved to Canada to take on a new role with Cameco.

Local entrepreneur Mark Lapins' Quantify Technology has wrapped up its first day of trading on the ASX, after completing a reverse takeover of WHL Energy and raising $5 million from investors.

BHP Billiton has reaffirmed its optimistic view on oil markets as it seeks to invest further in the sector amid a steady recovery in prices.

Treasury costings of the Liberal Party's campaign promises have shown the estimates to be reasonable, with the Liberal's plan showing the state getting back to a small surplus in 2019-20.

Westpac chief executive Brian Hartzer says his bank is putting customers first by backing open data and denies it did the opposite by suggesting they join its poorly performing superannuation fund.

Junior explorer AVZ Minerals has become subject to Supreme Court action after a Mauritius-based private resources investment firm claimed ownership of a lithium deposit in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which AVZ said last month it would be acquiring a major stake in.

ANALYSIS: Perth Modern School parents have vowed to continue their campaign against the Labor Party's plan to move and rebadge the state's most historic government high school if it wins Saturday's state election.

Infrastructure and mining services group Downer has agreed to buy New Zealand builder Hawkins for an undisclosed sum, as it expands operations in the Pacific nation.

Australian shares are lower in early trading for a second straight day, hurt by resource, energy and utility companies.

Gas squeeze gets worseEastern Australian manufacturers will be left short of gas this winter unless the new

There was a slight dip in the number of Western Australian businesses entering administration in January compared to the same month in 2016, according to the latest data from the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The Australian dollar is down sharply against its US counterpart as expectations of a lift in US interest rates supports the greenback.

Oil prices are little changed, as growing US production expectations offset earlier gains after Saudi Arabia's oil minister said market fundamentals were improving.

Gold has hit its lowest level in more than four weeks as the US dollar strengthens and expectations for a US interest rate rise this month weigh, though moves were muted ahead of US payroll data this week.

Lithium Australia's $23.8 million takeover bid for rival Lepidico appears to be heading for rejection, with the target company not confident about the operational methods of Lithium's core asset.

Western Australia's environment minister says there is no justification to stop work on the Roe 8 project, despite a Senate inquiry saying the Commonwealth should suspend approval for it.

The Barnett government has seized on comments by Australia's competition chief Rod Sims that plans to privatise Western Australia's poles and wires utility, Western Power, would lead to lower prices, while Labor leader Mark McGowan has claimed a re-elected Liberal government would also sell Water Corporation.

The Australian share market has closed higher as US President Donald Trump's move to repeal Obamacare appeared to help clear the way for him to start tackling tax reform, which markets have been waiting for.

ANALYSIS: Pauline Hanson has done her cause no good with the claim that there is ‘sheer hatred' in Western Australia towards Premier Colin Barnett. Labor leader Mark McGowan might be more popular with the voters, but the ‘sheer hatred' tag is extraordinary.

Listed communications and ICT services provider Inabox Group has grown its local presence with the acquisition of Perth-based Logic Communications for $1.5 million in cash.

The decision to sell his commercial business was the first of many steps into the unknown Johannes Pannekoek has taken in his pursuit of a career in art.

Perth hotel prices fell by 11.5 per cent in 2016, with demand for lodgings continuing to cool along with Western Australia's economy.

OPINION: High fixed and labour costs are big barriers to a sustainable retail sector, as recent failures attest.

The Takeovers Panel has declined to look into construction giant CIMIC Group's claim that takeover target Macmahon Holdings' target statement was misleading and deceptive.

The Reserve Bank of Australia remains upbeat about the nation's economy, signalling it doesn't intend to move interest rates this year.

One of the three prime contractors undertaking the state government's GovNext ICT infrastructure project has recruited Perth-based IT services provider Empired as a subcontractor under a $15 million deal.

ANALYSIS: One of the sleeper issues in the election campaign is the strategy for renewable energy over the next four years. There has been surprisingly little debate on the issue, which affects householders and business alike.

Falling commodity prices and caution ahead of the Reserve Bank's interest rate statement are weighing on Australian shares.

One Nation won't negotiate on sale of Western PowerPauline Hanson's One Nation has vowed n

Oil prices have whipsawed, turning negative after the International Energy Agency forecast potential shale oil growth and waning European refined product demand, before Brent did an about turn into positive territory.

The Australian dollar is hardly changed against its US counterpart which has risen on improved chances of an anti-EU candidate winning the French presidential election.