Where the Opportunities Lie in Australia

CNBC's Trish Regan sits in for Maria Bartiromo to discuss the day's top business and financial stories, and look ahead to Friday's Closing Bell.

CNBC's Mary Thompson reports on the trading day from the NYSE.

Banks must disclose how much they pay top employees, a UK government-sponsored report published by Sir David Walker said Thursday. "I am confident that the direction of the proposals I'm making is right," Walker, a former chairman of Morgan Stanley's international unit, told CNBC.

"It has been a difficult year for holiday companies…It has been a difficult year for luxury goods as well," Peter Rothwell, CEO of Swiss-based luxury travel company Kuoni, said Thursday. "Probably the worst is behind us and we're beginning to look at the green shoots."