The Australian share market closed marginally lower as investors worried that China may move to cool economic growth after a higher than expected inflation figure. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 5.8 points, or 0.12 per cent, lower at 4,814.2 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index had dipped 4.3 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 4,825.5 points. Labour data for February showed that the unemployment rate rose to 5.3 per cent, from a downwardly revised 5.2 per cent in January. Putting the brakes on the Chinese economy could temper demand for resources from Australia. Oil and gas producer Woodside Petroleum eased 22 cents to $45.27 and Santos shed three cents to $13.87. Cooper Energy was off 1.5 cents at 49.5 cents after it said flooding in the Cooper Basin was likely to affect its South Australian operations as roads were cut and oil fields isolated. Among the major banks, National Australia Bank sagged five cents to $26.75, Westpac retreated 33 cents to $27.00, Commonwealth Bank added 11 cents to $55.80 and ANZ found 12 cents at $24.06.

In the gold sector, Lihir was eight cents lower at $2.90 and  Newcrest was down 28 cents to $33.90. The price of gold was $1107.80 per fine ounce, down $18.55 on Wednesday's closing price of $1126.35. Among retail stocks, Myer Holdings slipped three cents to $3.44 after it downgraded its full year sales growth target. Woolworths was 16 cents richer at $28.36 and Wesfarmers, which owns Coles, ascended six cents to $32.29. Telco Telstra was up eight cents to $3.07. In the media sector, News Corp was four cents weaker at $18.26 and its non-voting stock lifted eight cents to $15.58. Consolidated Media was steady at $3.19 and Fairfax gained 1.5 cents to $1.755.

Among other stocks, internet service provider iiNet nudged up one cent to $2.24 after it said it was in talks with rival Netspace about a takeover. Centro Retail Group was 0.5 cents lower at 16.5 cents after it appointed Robert Tsenin as chief executive. Online wagering and gaming firm Centrebet International was down seven cents to $1.70 after it said it first became aware of takeover proposals in February but only told the market this week for reasons of confidentiality. The top-traded stock by volume was information technology firm Mooter Media, with 160.5 million shares worth $3.13 million changing hands. Mooter was 0.2 cents higher at 1.9 cents. Preliminary national turnover was 2.42 billion shares worth $4.83 billion, with 494 stocks up, 546 down and 382 unchanged.

The Australian dollar moved higher against the Japanese yen but sank against the U.S. dollar Thursday as the addition of fewer-than-expected jobs in Australia in February and the implications of rising inflation in China weighed on the local currency. After a drop in gold prices pushed on the Australian dollar lower overnight, a flood of data served to keep pressure on the local currency during Asian trading. The declines were set off by a report showing the number of employed Australians rose by only 400 in February. Economists had expected a rise of 15,000. The negative sentiment surrounding the Australian dollar was further compounded when Chinese inflation data for February came in above expectations, signalling more tightening of monetary policy may be needed in that country. The Australian dollar was quoted at $0.9146, down from $0.9158 late Wednesday. Against the Japanese yen, the Australian dollar was at 82.665, up from 82.42.