WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
The Australian dollar is higher, as its US counterpart's rally ends and on expectations the Reserve Bank of Australia won't cut the cash rate again.
At 0630 AEDT on Friday, the currency was trading at 72.42 US cents, up from 73.20 cents on Thursday.
And the Australian share market looks set to open sharply lower after Wall Street fell on investor disappointment over the European Central Bank's latest policy easing measures.
At 0645 AEDT on Friday, the December share price index futures contract was down 76 points at 5,155.
ELSEWHERE:
FRANKFURT - The European Central Bank has stepped up efforts to kick start chronically low inflation in the euro area, cutting a key interest rate and preparing further measures to ease monetary conditions in the single currency area.
WASHINGTON - The International Monetary Fund has welcomed moves announced by the European Central Bank to support the eurozone, and urged it to use its entire toolbox to spur growth.
LONDON - Eurozone business growth accelerated slightly in November, but with firms cutting prices again the improvement will do little to alter expectations of further monetary easing by the European Central Bank.
WASHINGTON - More American workers filed claims for unemployment insurance benefits last week but the trend continued at the lowest level in four decades as the job market improves.
BRUSSELS - EU antitrust regulators will investigate McDonald's tax deals with Luxembourg which enabled the US fast food chain to escape paying taxes on European franchise royalties from 2009, in a move which could lead to hefty back taxes for the company.
LONDON - Barclays is paying 237 million euros ($A344.30 million) to sell its branches in Italy to Mediobanca in a deal that will give the Italian investment bank a boost in a race for asset management fees on its home turf.
WASHINGTON - Google has announced plans to boost its use of renewable energy for its data centres, moving closer to its goal of 100 per cent clean energy use.
SAN FRANCISCO - Yahoo has launched a next-generation messaging platform in an ambitious bid to steal a march on a crowded field, as rumours swirled that the internet pioneer is considering selling its core business.
Share
