Finance news you need to know today

THE British government will introduce legislation within days seeking parliament’s approval to trigger Britain’s divorce with the European Union.

HERE are eight things making news in business and finance today.

1. SYDNEY — The Australian dollar has crept higher against its US counterpart. The local currency was trading at 75.79 US cents at 0700 AEDT on Wednesday, from 75.73 on Tuesday.

2. SYDNEY — The Australian market looks set to open higher as investor mood turns more positive after earlier concern on protectionist comments from new US president Donald Trump. At 0700 AEDT on Wednesday, the share price futures index was up 38 points at 5,5632.

3. WASHINGTON, DC — US President Donald Trump has pushed the chief executives of General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler to increase production in the United States and boost American employment.

4. WASHINGTON, DC — US President Donald Trump will sign orders to advance the construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines, a pair of projects that were blocked by the Obama administration due in part to environmental concerns.

5. BRUSSELS — The European Union trade chief says the trade policies US President Donald Trump has set out are “doomed to fail” and that the world’s biggest trading bloc remains committed to open borders and economies.

6. LONDON — The British government will introduce “straightforward” legislation within days, seeking parliament’s approval to trigger Britain’s divorce with the European Union, Brexit minister David Davis said on Tuesday.

7. GLASGOW — Nicola Sturgeon raised the spectre of another Scottish independence referendum after Britain’s Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that the devolved assembly in Edinburgh did not need to be consulted on triggering Brexit.

8. BELFAST — The new leader of Sinn Fein has said the Supreme Court’s Brexit ruling ignores the will of the people of Northern Ireland.