Finance news you need to know today

BRITISH pollies have backed calls to strip billionaire Philip Green of his knighthood over the $2 billion collapse of his BHS department store chain.

HERE are seven things making news in business and finance around the world today.

1. SYDNEY — The Australian dollar has fallen markedly against its US counterpart after local jobs figures disappointed. At 6.38am on Friday, the local unit was trading at 76.23 US cents, down from 76.68 cents on Thursday.

2. SYDNEY — The Australian market looks set to open flat after the Dow Jones and S&P 500 fell slightly in a choppy session as investors digested the latest round of earnings reports. At 6.45am on Friday, the share price index was down one point at 5,424.

3. WASHINGTON — The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits has risen to the highest level in five weeks but still remains close to the recent 43-year lows.

4. WASHINGTON — More Americans bought homes in September, many for the first time, despite a persistent shortage of properties for sale.

5. FRANKFURT — The European Central Bank has left its key interest rates and its bond-buying stimulus program unchanged as it seeks more data on the strength of Europe’s modest economic recovery.

6. RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian prosecutors have charged 22 people, 21 of them for qualified homicide, for their roles in the collapse of a tailings dam at the Samarco iron ore mine last November that killed 19 people.

7. LONDON — British politicians have backed stripping billionaire Philip Green of his knighthood over the collapse of BHS, in a symbolic move that will raise pressure on the retail tycoon over his promises to resolve the company’s pension problems.

The department store chain was placed in administration in April owing $2 million (£1.3 billion) to creditors, including $917 million (£571 million) in pension liabilities.