Finance news you need to know today

Finance news you need to know today
News Corp boss Rupert Murdoch says the page three topless pin-ups featured in his British tabloid newspaper The Sun are “old fashioned”, but the paying customers want to retain them. Source: News Corp Australia

THE Australian dollar is almost unchanged against the US dollar in cautious trade ahead of the release of August employment figures.

At 0630 AEST on Thursday, the local unit was trading at 91.57 US cents, a touch up from 91.56 cents on Wednesday.

The Australian sharemarket is tipped to open higher following overnight gains on Wall Street.

The September share price index futures contract is up 18 points at 5,595.

ELSEWHERE:

NEW YORK — Enthusiasm about Apple’s latest product launches have propelled US stocks higher, with the tech-rich Nasdaq posting the largest gains of the three major indices.

BRUSSELS — France and Britain have won powerful positions in the new European Commission led by Jean-Claude Juncker, who has vowed to revive a stagnant economy, rebuild trust in Brussels and deal with threats on the EU’s borders.

LONDON — News that Scotland’s pro-independence campaign has overtaken the Stay Together camp for the first time, ahead of next week’s referendum, has sent shock waves through London financial markets.

LONDON — Europe’s main stock markets have closed mixed amid concerns about French public finances and uncertainty over the outcome of Scotland’s looming independence referendum.

BERLIN — Germany’s biggest airline Lufthansa said it cancelled 140 flights taking off or landing in Munich on Wednesday owing to an eight-hour walkout by its pilots over changes to early retirement rules.

LONDON — News Corp (publisher of news.com.au) boss Rupert Murdoch says the page three topless pin-ups featured in his British tabloid newspaper The Sun are “old fashioned”, but the paying customers want to retain them.

MADRID — Emilio Botin, the president of leading European bank Santander, has died, the bank says.

PARIS — Crisis-wracked France has pushed back its target to hit EU deficit rules by two years, potentially putting the eurozone’s second-biggest economy on a collision course with Brussels.

WELLINGTON — The New Zealand dollar is little changed near a six-month low ahead of the Reserve Bank policy review, where governor Graeme Wheeler is expected to keep the key interest rate on hold.

ABHISHEK KUMAR

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