Aussie shares start week strongly
December 21, 2009
By lunch at the start of the penultimate week of trade for Aussie shares in 2009, the market had added 0.6% in light trade. The mid-cap mining stocks broadly supported heavyweight BHP Billiton as they lent weight to the market advance, while the banks were flat.
At midday, the All Ords rose 27.7 to 4,699.6, while the ASX/200 climbed 30.5 to 4,681.0. About 800 million shares worth around $1.3 billion had changed hands.
BHP Billiton jumped 87c or 2.1% to $41.47 to comfortably add the most points to the ASX/200. The broader Materials and Resources sector added 1.6%.
Rio Tinto put on just 16c, or 0.2% to $71.25.
The gold miners were improved as the price of the metal edged higher in New York on Friday.
Newcrest and Lihir gained 1.7% and 2.6% to $34.77 and $3.20 respectively.
Metal recycler Sims Group put on 92c, or 4.4% to $21.81 after one of its subsidiary businesses was acquired by Macquarie Harbour Mining. The latter’s shares rose 0.5c, or 2.1% to 24.5c.
Australia’s third-largest iron-ore producer Fortescue advanced 2.1%.
The Energy sector rose 0.3% despite very strong contributions from Aquila Resources and Coal & Allied, while Woodside rose 3c, 0.1% to $47.65.
The big four banks were mixed, with ANZ easing 1c lower to $21.33, with Westpac down the same amount to $23.48.
CBA put on 28c, or 0.5% to $53.14. Reports surfaced this morning the bank was considering its position relating to its Maltese tax haven.
The Banks and Financials added 0.6% with momentum coming from outside the big four banks.
The insurers were stronger led by QBE, which rose 30c, or 1.2% to $24.88.
Investment bank Macquarie Group added 75c, or 1.6% to $46.70.
In the Property Trusts sector, Lend Lease rallied 1.8% to $9.47 after announcing it had secured the rights to develop the $6 billion Barangaroo development in Sydney’s CBD.
Westfield climbed 15c, or 1.3% to $11.96. The sector put on 0.8%
The Consumer Staples was one of just two sectors to lose ground Monday, down around 0.6% at lunch.
Woolworths and Wesfarmers retreated 0.3% and 1% respectively, while Foster’s lost 2.2% to $5.39.
Consumer Discretionary was just 0.4% higher, with little input from retailers.
Newscorp added 1.4% to $17.58 to outperform its media peers.
The Industrials sector rose 0.9%.
Qantas added one point to the market after its shares surged 4.4% to $2.86. The airline said its outlook was improving and pre-tax profit should come in between $50 million and $150 million.
Leighton, Toll and Brambles advanced 0.7%, 1.3% and 2.6% respectively, while gains were capped by declines from Asciano and Macquarie Airports, down 1.4% and 1%.
Telstra sank 10c, or 2.9% to $3.33 as investors booked profits from several days of gains. The broader Telecommunications sector lost 3%.
Around the region, the Nikkei 225 added 53.3 to 10,195.3, while the Straits Times Index gained 3.9 to 2,806.5. Meanwhile, the NZSE50 lost 5.2 to 3,149.0.
Spot gold was trading at US$1,114.52 per ounce, and the Aussie was buying US$0.8887.
Qantas flying into better conditions
Qantas Airways said that improving conditions had seen the airline raise its expectations of pre-tax profit to between $50m and $150m for the six months to 31 December. “Operating conditions have improved when compared to the second half of the 2008/09 financial year with passenger volumes and yield improving,” the airline said in a statement.
At midday, Qantas shares were up 17c to $2.91.
Lend Lease awarded $6bn Barangaroo project
Lend Lease said it has agreed to make a series of payments totaling several hundred million dollars to the State government over eight years in order to secure the development rights of the $6bn Barangaroo project in Sydney. The company said payments would include about $100 million in the first 18 months.
At lunchtime, Lend Lease shares were up 20c to $9.50.
Arrow purchases 35% in Chinese CSG block
Arrow Energy subsidiary Arrow Energy International has signed an agreement with Fortune Oil subsidiary, Fortune Green Energy, to acquire a 35% stake in Fortune Liulin Gas. The company said the cost of the acquisition was US$13.3 million, while there are also conditional options to increase its stake to 75%.
At noon, Arrow shares were up 7c to $4.02.
CER, CNP re-work debt
Centro Retail Trust and Centro Properties Group announced today that they had both extended loans set to expire this month. CNP said that as part of the extension, about $45 million of the loan would be repaid through proceeds from asset sales with the outstanding $325 million extended to December 2010 ($52 million) and December 2011 ($273 million).
At lunch, CER shares were unchanged at 15c, while CNP put on 0.5c to 24.5c.
Po Valley announces first Italian gas flows
Po Valley Energy said its first flows of gas into Italy’s energy grid commenced over the weekend. The company said that flows from its Castello gas field east of Milan had built up to around 1.5 million cubic feet of gas per day after initial start-up late last week.
At midday, Po Valley shares were up 11c to $1.50.
At midday, the All Ords rose 27.7 to 4,699.6, while the ASX/200 climbed 30.5 to 4,681.0. About 800 million shares worth around $1.3 billion had changed hands.
BHP Billiton jumped 87c or 2.1% to $41.47 to comfortably add the most points to the ASX/200. The broader Materials and Resources sector added 1.6%.
Rio Tinto put on just 16c, or 0.2% to $71.25.
The gold miners were improved as the price of the metal edged higher in New York on Friday.
Newcrest and Lihir gained 1.7% and 2.6% to $34.77 and $3.20 respectively.
Metal recycler Sims Group put on 92c, or 4.4% to $21.81 after one of its subsidiary businesses was acquired by Macquarie Harbour Mining. The latter’s shares rose 0.5c, or 2.1% to 24.5c.
Australia’s third-largest iron-ore producer Fortescue advanced 2.1%.
The Energy sector rose 0.3% despite very strong contributions from Aquila Resources and Coal & Allied, while Woodside rose 3c, 0.1% to $47.65.
The big four banks were mixed, with ANZ easing 1c lower to $21.33, with Westpac down the same amount to $23.48.
CBA put on 28c, or 0.5% to $53.14. Reports surfaced this morning the bank was considering its position relating to its Maltese tax haven.
The Banks and Financials added 0.6% with momentum coming from outside the big four banks.
The insurers were stronger led by QBE, which rose 30c, or 1.2% to $24.88.
Investment bank Macquarie Group added 75c, or 1.6% to $46.70.
In the Property Trusts sector, Lend Lease rallied 1.8% to $9.47 after announcing it had secured the rights to develop the $6 billion Barangaroo development in Sydney’s CBD.
Westfield climbed 15c, or 1.3% to $11.96. The sector put on 0.8%
The Consumer Staples was one of just two sectors to lose ground Monday, down around 0.6% at lunch.
Woolworths and Wesfarmers retreated 0.3% and 1% respectively, while Foster’s lost 2.2% to $5.39.
Consumer Discretionary was just 0.4% higher, with little input from retailers.
Newscorp added 1.4% to $17.58 to outperform its media peers.
The Industrials sector rose 0.9%.
Qantas added one point to the market after its shares surged 4.4% to $2.86. The airline said its outlook was improving and pre-tax profit should come in between $50 million and $150 million.
Leighton, Toll and Brambles advanced 0.7%, 1.3% and 2.6% respectively, while gains were capped by declines from Asciano and Macquarie Airports, down 1.4% and 1%.
Telstra sank 10c, or 2.9% to $3.33 as investors booked profits from several days of gains. The broader Telecommunications sector lost 3%.
Around the region, the Nikkei 225 added 53.3 to 10,195.3, while the Straits Times Index gained 3.9 to 2,806.5. Meanwhile, the NZSE50 lost 5.2 to 3,149.0.
Spot gold was trading at US$1,114.52 per ounce, and the Aussie was buying US$0.8887.
Qantas flying into better conditions
Qantas Airways said that improving conditions had seen the airline raise its expectations of pre-tax profit to between $50m and $150m for the six months to 31 December. “Operating conditions have improved when compared to the second half of the 2008/09 financial year with passenger volumes and yield improving,” the airline said in a statement.
At midday, Qantas shares were up 17c to $2.91.
Lend Lease awarded $6bn Barangaroo project
Lend Lease said it has agreed to make a series of payments totaling several hundred million dollars to the State government over eight years in order to secure the development rights of the $6bn Barangaroo project in Sydney. The company said payments would include about $100 million in the first 18 months.
At lunchtime, Lend Lease shares were up 20c to $9.50.
Arrow purchases 35% in Chinese CSG block
Arrow Energy subsidiary Arrow Energy International has signed an agreement with Fortune Oil subsidiary, Fortune Green Energy, to acquire a 35% stake in Fortune Liulin Gas. The company said the cost of the acquisition was US$13.3 million, while there are also conditional options to increase its stake to 75%.
At noon, Arrow shares were up 7c to $4.02.
CER, CNP re-work debt
Centro Retail Trust and Centro Properties Group announced today that they had both extended loans set to expire this month. CNP said that as part of the extension, about $45 million of the loan would be repaid through proceeds from asset sales with the outstanding $325 million extended to December 2010 ($52 million) and December 2011 ($273 million).
At lunch, CER shares were unchanged at 15c, while CNP put on 0.5c to 24.5c.
Po Valley announces first Italian gas flows
Po Valley Energy said its first flows of gas into Italy’s energy grid commenced over the weekend. The company said that flows from its Castello gas field east of Milan had built up to around 1.5 million cubic feet of gas per day after initial start-up late last week.
At midday, Po Valley shares were up 11c to $1.50.
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