The ASX 200 has dropped below its October low as the rout in energy stocks looks to have broadened into a wider resources sector sell-off.

The billionaires have joined other business giants backing a start-up that makes meat from self-producing animal cells.

A resurgent US dollar will sink the Aussie in coming months, despite the chance of an RBA rate rise in early 2018, strategists predict.

It has been a historically polarising energy source but the likes of Elon Musk, Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos are throwing their considerable weight behind nuclear power.

You don't hear much in Australia about a significant shift in applied economics, could it be taxing higher earners helps, not hurts, the economy.

Shares have halved early losses as better than expected local jobs data lifts spirits, and the dollar, but the overnight tumble in oil prices is still weighing heavily on the energy sector.

Shares close lower despite an afternoon recovery, with a rallying CBA tempering losses among the other banks, while miners forged higher.

Reserve Bank governor Glenn Stevens' wish for a further dive in the Aussie dollar might be granted.

Shares close higher after investors responded to the Murray report by driving bank stocks higher, while Qantas surges on an earnings update and Coke announces job losses.

Timbercorp bought back several million dollars worth of projects from favoured investors while hard sell continued on others.