Commodity markets were seemingly at cross purposes on Friday: some traders saw good news in the General Electric earnings slump and lowered outlook, others saw the downside as a major global industrial stock signalled its concerns about the US, European and world economic outlook.

The Australian share market finished weaker today, following a significant fall in US markets on Friday.

We’d never heard of former Labor politician John Button until we learned he’d died earlier this week. But as we read a few obituaries, we learned that Button played a key role in reducing tariffs on the Australian auto manufacturing sector (which were around 60% in the 1970s, we also read.)

April 23 is of course when the March quarter Consumer Price Index is released.

April 23 (actually the early morning of April 23 in Australia) is when we will get the March figures for US existing home sales.

Macquarie Bank interest rate strategist, Rory Robertson explains why the current tack of monetary policy is working.

Australian shares fell for the third straight session, with Tabcorp and Tattersalls accounting for 15 points of the fall after the loss of their Victorian monopolies yesterday.

As forecast last week the International Monetary Fund has downgraded its world economic outlook for 2008 and 2009 because of the spreading influence of the credit crunch, US housing slump and recession.

The chances of an interest rate fall have moved closer with the news that Australian consumer confidence continues to fall in synch with business confidence.

What happens if there’s no rate in the US Federal Funds rate of the Fed at its April 30 meeting in Washington?

Aussie stocks fell 1.3% today with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 falling 73.80 to 5,446.40, while the broader All Ordinaries fell 68 points to 5,515.50.

The Reserve Bank’s campaign to slow the economy and demand by raising interest rates seems to be working.

It was a similar story in New Zealand where business confidence fell with companies saying a housing market slump and slowing consumer spending may cause the economy to contract.

World gold markets are bound for a period of uncertainty just at a time when the price seems to be recovering form the sharp sell off of 10 days or so ago.

Buried in the poor first quarter results for Alcoa is the reason why it, Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton remain attracted to aluminium, and why the US economic slowdown won’t have any significant impact on the global market, if at all.

Aussie stocks fell close to 1% today, pulled down by a weak lead from Wall Street and the banking sector.

Australia’s trade deficit hit a record in February thanks to those floods in Queensland which swamped a number of big mines owned by BHP and Mitsubishi, Wesfarmers, Rio Tinto and other producers, and cut coal exports.

Higher interest rates and financial markets turmoil took their toll on the Australian home building industry in February.

The market closed 1% down today following a flat performance in the US markets.