Finance news you need to know today

HERE are 12 things making news in business and finance around the world today. 

FC Shakhtar Donetsk's Douglas Costa celebrating after scoring against Real Sociedad during their UEFA Champions League Group A football match in Donetsk.

1. SYDNEY — The Australian dollar is lower after a rise in the greenback following news that Greece had requested a new bailout package. At 0630 AEST on Thursday, the local unit was trading at 76.49 US cents, down from 77.16 cents on Wednesday.

2. SYDNEY — And the Australian share market looks to open flat following gains on US and European markets after news that Greece had sought a new bailout package. At 0645 AEST on Thursday, the June share price index futures contract was down one point at 5,477.

3. BRUSSELS — Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has vowed to push ahead with a controversial bailout referendum despite pressure from European leaders, and urged creditors to accept a fresh reform offer by Athens.

4. WASHINGTON — The International Monetary Fund says that allowing a borrower to delay repayment, as Greece has requested, is generally ineffective in helping a country overcome crisis.


5. WASHINGTON — The US manufacturing sector picked up pace in June but growth remained modest, the Institute for Supply Management says.


6. CHICAGO — US auto sales maintained a steady pace of growth in June and consumers were opening their wallets for more expensive models and upgrades, industry data shows.

7. BEIJING — The World Bank has urged China to accelerate reform of its state-dominated financial sector, warning that failure to address the issue could end “three decades of stellar performance” for the world’s second-largest economy.

8. MOSCOW — Gas giant Gazprom says it is halting all natural gas supplies to Ukraine after pricing talks broke down in the latest row between Russia and its war-torn former Soviet neighbour.

9. LILLE, France — Striking French ferry workers have blocked the port of Calais for a third consecutive day, causing havoc with cross-Channel sailings and huge tailbacks on roads in the region.

10. NEW YORK — US antitrust officials have filed suit to block the sale of General Electric’s appliance business to Sweden’s Electrolux, saying the $US3.3 billion ($A4.28 billion) deal would harm consumers.

11. NEW YORK — The average sales price of a Manhattan apartment has eclipsed $US1.8 million ($A2.34 million), a new high.

12. RIYADH — Saudi tycoon Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has promised his entire $US32 billion ($A41.52 billion) fortune to charitable projects in coming years, in one of the biggest ever such pledges.