WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
The Australian dollar has extended its losses as shockingly weak inflation figures reverberate around global markets.
At 0700 AEST on Thursday, the local unit was trading at 75.82 US cents, down from 76.11 cents on Wednesday.
The Australian market looks set to open higher after Wall Street ended mainly slightly higher as fears eased that the Federal Reserve would strongly signal it would raise interest rates in June.
At 0645 AEST on Thursday, the share price index was up 50 points at 5,204.
ELSEWHERE:
WASHINGTON - The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged but signalled confidence in the US economic outlook, leaving the door open to a hike in June.
WASHINGTON - The US goods trade deficit narrowed sharply in March as imports tumbled, suggesting economic growth in the first-quarter was probably not as weak as currently anticipated.
LONDON - British authorities say the UK economy grew by 0.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2016, down from 0.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of last year, amid concerns about a global slowdown and a vote on European Union membership.
MENLO PARK, California - Facebook is reporting stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter, helped by a growing number of users and higher advertising revenue.
CHICAGO - Aerospace giant Boeing Co saw its quarterly earnings plunge 9 per cent compared with last year, with the Chicago-based company posting $US1.2 billion ($A1.55 billion) in profits.
DUBAI - Etihad Airways, the United Arab Emirates' fast-growing national carrier, says it had a profit of $US103 million ($A133 million) in 2015 off total revenues of $US9.02 billion.
LONDON - Improving margins in consumer health and growing demand for new drugs helped lift GlaxoSmithKline's underlying earnings a better-than-expected 14 per cent in the first quarter, keeping it on course to achieve a promised return to growth in 2016.
NEW YORK - The Associated Press' earnings rose 30 per cent last year on a large tax gain and cost cutting.
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