Finance news you need to know today

HOME prices across Australia’s five major capital cities have fallen slightly over the past week, but are up close to 4 per cent year-on-year.

THE Australian share market looks set to open firmly in the red with little to offer guidance as Wall Street stays closed for the Martin Luther King Jnr public holiday. At 0700 AEDT on Tuesday, the share price futures index was down 13 points, or 0.22 per cent, at 6,013.

Meanwhile, the Australian dollar has extended its rise against a weakened US dollar. The local currency was trading at 79.68 US cents at 0700 AEDT on Tuesday, from 79.54 on Monday.

WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:

EDINBURGH — Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon has sought to crank up the pressure on the British government to stay in Europe’s single market after Brexit, saying a growing political majority backs such a deal.

LONDON — Carillion has collapsed after its banks lost faith in the construction and services company, forcing the British government to step in to guarantee major public works contracts.

JAKARTA — At least 72 people have been injured when a mezzanine floor inside the Jakarta stock exchange tower collapsed, forcing a chaotic evacuation.

PARIS — Slovenia-born Melania Trump has been unafraid to go against her husband’s “America First” agenda and stay true to her European roots, if there’s a message to be taken from her wardrobe

MONDAY HIGHLIGHTS:

GOLD — Gold prices and the Aussie dollar are at their highest marks since September, boosted by a sliding US dollar.

HOUSING PRICES — Home prices across Australia’s five major capital cities have fallen slightly over the past week, but have risen close to four per cent on where they were this time last year.

AMP COMMIF — AMP Capital has taken a significant stake in a state-of-the-art cancer research centre in Victoria via its unlisted infrastructure investment vehicle, the Community Infrastructure Fund.

VOCUS — Vocus Group has divided the enterprise and wholesale divisions of its Australian business into separate operating segments, in a bid to restore shareholder value.

EXPERIENCE CO — Shares in adventure tourism company Experience Co have regained some ground on news that its skydiving operation in Queenstown, New Zealand, had resumed business five days after a suspected fatality.