The Australian dollar is slightly lower against a stronger but pretty subdued US counterpart ahead of the expected Congressional vote on the Republicans' tax reform package.
Gold has dipped as US Treasury yields rose on an uptick in housing starts for November and even though the US dollar fell, a factor that generally supports gold.
Oil has edged up towards $US64 a barrel, helped by a North Sea pipeline outage, OPEC-led supply cuts and expectations that US crude inventories had fallen for a fifth week.
An optometrist and a former mining equipment company executive are spearheading a Perth startup's plans to disrupt the eyewear industry by allowing customers to try on, and buy, glasses virtually.
Sydney-based gas company AWE has upgraded its Waitsia 2P reserves by 80 per cent, now ranking it in the top five largest gas fields ever discovered onshore in Australia.
Christian Porter, Matthias Cormann and Michaelia Cash were among the winners from a reshuffle of the federal government ministry announced today by prime minister Malcom Turnbull.
MMA Offshore chairman Andrew Edwards has defended the timing of the company's recent $97 million capital raising at its annual meeting today, saying the oil and gas firm needed a solution to its debt problems.
Belmont-based labour hire and construction services business The Go2 People has been awarded a contract for the supply and installation of residential homes at the Meadowbrooke Lifestyle Estate in the South West town of Boyanup.
Base Resources has announced that it will purchase a mineral sands project in Madagascar for $US75 million ($100 million) and tap investors for $100 million to fund the acquisition.
Osborne Park-based planning services company Veris has been awarded a contract with Cross Yarra Partnership for up to $100 million across 10 years to deliver early survey works for the Metro Tunnel Project in Victoria.
Perth-based Pindan Capital has acquired an office in North Sydney for an undisclosed sum through a joint venture with global investment firm Starwood Capital Group and Sydney company Arrow Property Investments.
BHP Billiton will remain a member of the Minerals Council of Australia for now but has decided to exit the World Coal Association over differences in climate and energy policy.
Australian shares are higher this morning, with all sectors in positive territory and oil and iron ore companies particularly firmer following strong overnight leads and strengthening commodity prices.
Gold has edged higher as uncertainty over US tax legislation weighed on the US dollar, while an analyst said bullion might face renewed headwinds early next year. Platinum rose 2 per cent as investors recovered short positions.
ASX-listed AnaeCo has gone into administration after Monadelphous Group terminated an $11.5 million contract with the waste technology company and a Chinese enterprise.
Catholic Education Western Australia has modified its delivery strategy for the ambitious ICT project it has created in collaboration with Microsoft, with local firm Empired wining work under a new fixed-price contracting model.
Mining contractor Macmahon Holdings has announced that Giles Everist is moving from a non-executive director role to become the company's chief financial officer.
Sydney-based Spring Financial Group has announced it will acquire Perth-based financial planning firm Wealth Today, led by managing director Greg Pennells, for $1.67 million.
The Australian share market has closed in positive territory, with further takeover activity and a strong day for miners and banks driving the market to fresh post-GFC highs.
