WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
The Australian dollar has barely moved due to the Labour Day public holiday and the lack of data out of the US thanks to the government shutdown.
At 0630 AEDT on Monday, the local unit was trading at 94.44 US cents, virtually unchanged from 94.43 cents on Friday.
And the Australian market looks set to open higher following gains on Wall Street despite the US government's partial shutdown that has prevented the release of economic data.
At 0657 AEST on Monday, the December share price index futures contract was up 31 points at 5,236.
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ELSEWHERE:
WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama says he doesn't expect Congress to breach the deadline to increase the nation's borrowing limit.
WASHINGTON - US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew has warned that Congress is "playing with fire" as Republicans raise the threat of a US default if President Barack Obama refuses to negotiate on spending.
NUSA DUA, Indonesia - The impacts of the US government shutdown are cascading into the business sector and into vital collection of economic data, the country's commerce secretary Penny Pritzker warns.
BALI - Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is urging Asian business and political leaders to do more to counter the economic headwinds confronting developing countries by dismantling barriers to trade and investment.
JOHANNESBURG - South African car workers say they will call off a strike, ending industrial action that has crippled production in the key sector for almost two months.
KUWAIT CITY - Kuwaiti Oil Minister Mustafa al-Shamali said that an oil price of between $US100 ($A106.75) to $US110 per barrel is acceptable to both producers and consumers, in remarks published on Sunday.
KUALA LUMPUR - Petronas will embark on a $US35 billion ($A37.36 billion) liquid natural gas (LNG) project in Canada following the reversal of Ottawa's decision to block the Malaysian national oil company's purchase of Canadian gas producer Progress Energy Resources.
NUSA DUA, Bali - Prime Minister Tony Abbott plans to lead a high-level delegation to China that would include business leaders as well as Australian state premiers.
SEATTLE - Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce says he's comfortable that new Boeing 787 Dreamliners being delivered to budget carrier Jetstar are extremely safe despite some reliability issues.
