An unexpected rally from energy stocks wasn't enough in the end as shares slumped to a third day of losses, with miners and banks weighing on a topsy-turvy market.

As an accountant turned journo, I try to ensure the creative accounting used to make the budget figures look better than they really are doesn't go unexposed. But I've never seen a con as audacious as the proposed medical research future fund.

Big banks will resist moves to make compulsory comprehensive credit reporting, which would force them to provide customer credit histories to emerging peer-to-peer lenders seeking to offer risk-based loan pricing.

According to RBA governor Glenn Stevens, we still get at least 17,000 TVs for every tonne of iron ore. So go and have a confident Christmas.

Most of us spend more each week on petrol than any other single household item.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Authorities are investigating members of an alleged "fake debt bankruptcy fraud ring" accused of using sham debts to shield millions of dollars in assets from Timbercorp creditors and investors.

Shares close down but well off their early lows after strong oil prices drive a relief rally in energy stocks and amid some bargain hunting in the mining sector, while the Aussie threatened to break below 82 US cents.

Payment providers are divided in their reactions to the Murray inquiry attempt to cut down payment surcharges and fees – and it largely comes down to whether they’re a dominant incumbent, or a new kid on the block.

The battle for supremacy in the cosmetics market, triggered by the recent arrival of Sephora, is in full swing, but analysts are already pointing to department stores as the biggest potential losers.

Qantas has officially pushed the reset button on its financial prospects having lined up the foundations for a full-year profit that could easily exceed $600 million based on pre-tax profit guidance for the current half of up to $350 million.

How big can Aldi get in Australia? And how much secrecy is too much?

Local stocks sink, led down by a rout in the energy sector as BHP plunges below $29 and Santos crashes, while the dollar dives again as NAB joins the rate-cut camp.

The Australian dollar dropped more than half a cent in short order to crash below 82 US cents, while a rally in energy stocks and miners have helped the ASX 200 snap - just - a six-day losing streak.

The Australian dollar is edging closer to a 70s-handle, dropping to a new four-year low of US82.35¢ on Tuesday on the back of poor business confidence figures and another major bank switching into the rate cut camp.

The long-time speechwriter for Qantas chief Alan Joyce warned she would 'go guerrilla' if the airline tried to stop her from writing a tell-all book about her time at Qantas.

A Glencore merger with Rio Tinto would be damaging for Australia and ought to be, and very likely will be, knocked on the head by the Foreign Investment Review Board.