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x NOTE #71 |
Notes as at 28th February 2008 Brett's Total as at 27th February - $336758 Brett's Total as at 28th February - $327924 A drop of $8834 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Stock market ends lower" The Australian share market finished in negative territory for the first time this week, with the banks weighing down the bourse amid expectations of another interest rate rise next week The benchmark S&P/ASX200 was 116 points, or 2.01 per cent, lower at 5,651.2 while the All Ordinaries had lost 96.4 points, or 1.65 per cent, to 5,746.1 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index contract was 93 points lower at 5,655 on a volume of 27,607 contracts CMC Markets senior dealer James Foulsham said negative sentiment, caused by economic uncertainty continued to dog the banking sector "I was a little surprised at how low it's been dragged down today" Mr Foulsham said "Commonwealth Bank is down quite a lot and some of the investment banks like Macquarie are down a lot as well" Mr Foulsham said despite base metals prices strengthening on the London Metal Exchange overnight, the big diversified miners were weaker BHP Billiton was 25 cents weaker to $39.60 while its takeover target Rio Tinto was 83 cents lower at $135.37. The spot price of gold was at $US955.70 an ounce, down 20 US cents on Wednesday's local close of $US955.90 an ounce The gold miners were mixed Newcrest dipped $1.50 to $36.50, Lihir shed three cents to $4.00 and Newmont was steady at $5.45 Total market turnover was 1.6 billion shares worth $6.38 billion, with 522 stocks up, 711 down and 326 unchanged Wall Street provided a mixed lead overnight The Dow Jones industrial average was up 9.36 points at 12,694.28, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index was down 1.27 points at 1,380.02 and the Nasdaq Composite Index was up 8.79 points at 2,353.78 Notes as at 3rd March 2008 Brett's Total as at 29th February - $327896 Brett's Total as at 3rd March - $323423 A drop of $4473 for the day!! (Friday to Monday) Total down by $13335 over the last three trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close deeply in red" Nervous investors wiped off $38.5 billion, or almost three per cent, from the value of the Australian share market on Monday amid heavy selling, particularly of bank stocks, over concerns about rising borrowing costs and growing evidence of a looming US recession In the US on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 315.79 points, or 2.51 per cent, to 12,266.39, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 37.05 points, or 2.71 per cent, to 1,330.63 and the Nasdaq Composite Index shed 60.09 points, or 2.58 per cent, to 2,271.48 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 166.3 points or 2.98 per cent lower at 5,405.8 points, while the broader-based All Ordinaries index shed 164 points or 2.89 per cent to 5,510.7 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index contract was 156 points or 2.8 per cent lower at 5,408 on a volume of 25,359 contracts CommSec chief equities economist Craig James said the Reserve Bank of Australia's expected 25-basis points interest rate rise on Tuesday had already been priced in Mr James said the local market was falling into line with other markets around the world, with falls across all Asian bourses excluding China "It has been taken out of our hands today and it doesn't matter how strong our economy is or what happens with interest rates and company news, it's all due to fears of a recession on the US" Mr James said "This is a global market sell off Certainly, the banking sector is the hardest hit, which is surprising given bad loans are at record lows as a proportion of total loans It reflects the fact that fear, rather than fundamentals, is driving the markets today" He said pockets of joy in the local market today included agriculture stocks such as ABB and AWB, up on higher grain prices, and the healthcare sector, with CSL providing a safe haven amid market turmoil AWB shares were five cents higher to $2.40, ABB Grain was eight cents stronger at $8.66 and CSL rose 55 cents to $37.05 In the resources, takeover target Rio Tinto fell $5.35 to $131.65 and predator BHP Billiton lost 99 cents to $38.59 The spot price of gold was $US983.30 per fine ounce, up $US9.50 on Friday's local close of $US973.80 per fine ounce The gold miners were mixed Newcrest had gained $1.51 to $39.55, Lihir had lost 11 cents to $4.24 and Newmont lost seven cents to $5.49 Preliminary market turnover had 1.43 billion shares changed hands with a total value of $5.82 billion, with 225 stocks up, 1,030 down and 298 unchanged Notes as at 4th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 3rd March - $323423 Brett's Total as at 4th March - $320324 A drop of $3099 for the day!! Total down by $16434 over the last four trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stock market ends lower" The Australian share market closed lower on Tuesday, with a mixed performance among blue chip stocks, as the central bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points ABN Amro Morgans senior client adviser Roger Chandler said investors were "skittish" and "running scared" but started coming back into the market after the Reserve Bank of Australia announced the rate rise "I think the market waited today just in case there was a half a per cent (50 basis points) rate rise" Mr Chandler said "Half a per cent in one hit would have done an extreme amount of damage to the stock market and many people's home loans" At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 25.5 points, or 0.47 per cent, at 5380.3 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index lost 31.5 points, or 0.57 per cent, to 5479.2 On the Sydney Futures Exchange the March share price index futures contract was 42 points lower at 5385, on a volume of 28,346 contracts, according to preliminary calculations Local economic data today showed growth in retail spending stalled in January as consumers started to feel the pinch of rising interest rates Nonetheless the Reserve Bank of Australia raised interest rates again, citing concerns over inflation In the resources sector, global miner BHP Billiton was seven cents higher at $38.66 and Rio Tinto gained 83 cents to $132.48 In the gold sector, Newmont was seven cents better off at $5.56, Newcrest fell 63 cents to $38.92, and Lihir shed five cents at $4.19 The price of gold in Sydney was $US980.10 cents per fine ounce, down $US2.50 on Monday's close Preliminary national turnover was 1.68 billion shares worth $6.6 billion, with 812 stocks down, 429 up and 345 unchanged On Wall Street overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 7.49 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 12,258.90 |
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x NOTE #72 |
Notes as at 5th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 4th March - $320324 Brett's Total as at 5th March - $323002 Up by $2678 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close marginally lower" The Australian share market slipped back to close in negative territory, with volatility in the financial sector and profit-taking blamed for the drop At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 3.7 points lower at 5376.6, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 7.6 points to 5471.6 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index contract was 30 points lower at 5386, on a volume of 34,488 contracts The market got off to a positive start despite a poor lead from Wall Street overnight, with the Dow Jones industrial average dropping 45.1 points, or 0.37 per cent, to close at 12,213.80 CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said the market started off on a positive note but fell away later in the day under the weight of profit-taking "The financial sector started off on the right note but came under a bit of strain later in the day" Mr Vaughan said "There is a lot of talk that the banks may lift their rates over the next week higher than the RBA, so you're looking at maybe a 50 point move from them to cover the cost of funds The resource sector, despite commodity prices coming off last night has held up quite well, both BHP and Rio Tinto ended up on the day, which is positive" The big miners were stronger, with BHP Billiton gaining 37 cents to $39.03 and rival Rio Tinto adding $1.27 to $133.75 The spot price of gold was lower and was trading at $US965.80 an ounce, down $US16.20 from Tuesday's local close of $US982 an ounce The gold miners were mixed, with Newcrest adding three cents to $38.95, Newmont dropping 18 cents to $5.38 and Lihir shedding nine cents to $4.10 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.88 billion worth $6.95 billion, with 477 stocks up, 747 down and 312 unchanged Notes as at 6th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 5th March - $323002 Brett's Total as at 6th March - $326422 Up by $3420 for the day!! An increase of $6098 over the last two trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Miners, banks push stocks up" The Australian share market ended more than one per cent higher, buoyed the miners and banks, with the latter benefiting from what appears to be an end to the monetary tightening cycle At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 58.9 points higher at 5435.5, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 60.3 points to 5531.9 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index contract was 74 points higher at 5450, on a volume of 23,978 contracts Austock senior client adviser Michael Heffernan said the banks and miners buoyed the market on the day following an upbeat lead from offshore "It's much happier day today, with positive leads from the US and commodities generally positive means flashing green lights for our markets" he said "The cycling of increasing interest rates looks to be at the end which is very positive for the banks overall" Mr Hefferan said "But there is no doubt banks are going to increase rates plus funding costs, after the central bank hike earlier this week" US equity markets also ended higher overnight with the Dow Jones industrial average ending up 41.19 points at 12,254.99 The Standard & Poor's 500 Index rose 6.95 points to 1,333.70 and the Nasdaq Composite Index added 12.53 points to 2,272.81 Bellwether stock BHP Billiton rose nearly two per cent, or 77 cents to $39.80 as its takeover target Rio Tinto lifted $2.25 to $136.00 Meanwhile, the spot price of gold was $985.10 per fine ounce, up $US19.50 from Wednesday's local close of $US965.60 Newcrest rose $1.30 to $40.25, a record close (NOTE - Brett has 1226 of these shares!!) Lihir Gold rose seven cents to $4.17 and Newmont lifted eight cents to $5.46 Preliminary national market turnover was 1.63 billion shares worth $6.61 billion, with 628 stocks up, 597 down and 331 unchanged |
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#01 - during the three trading
days between the 7th March 2008 and the 11th March 2008, Brett's
total dropped from $326422 to $295760 and this represents a fall
of $30662 during that period #02 - for all the details of these "dramatic movements", use the 'click here' that is just above, then go to Page Four When the page opens, scroll down to Note #73 |
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x NOTE #73 |
Notes as at 7th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 6th March - $326422 Brett's Total as at 7th March - $317625 Down by $8797 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Aussie stocks end down on credit woes" The Australian stock market closed more than three per cent lower on Friday amid continuing global credit woes and fears of a recession in the US At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 171.5 points or 3.16 per cent lower at 5264, while the broader All Ordinaries fell 163 points or 2.95 per cent to 5368.9 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index contract was 166 points lower at 5278, on a volume of 25,495 contracts CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said losses on the local market were drivend by continuing credit woes, with further falls expected "We got a double whammy today, we've had soft retail prices overnight and a continuation of the woes within the financial sector" Mr Vaughan said "The US fell quite heavily last night and again it is financial issues We still have some downside left in the market, which is sad to say, but that's the way it is looking trend-wise, it is still looking heavy" The market got off to a poor start following a weak lead from Wall Street overnight after the Dow Jones industrial average lost 214.6 points, or 1.75 per cent, to close at 12,040.39 The big miners were weaker, with BHP Billiton losing 92 cents or 2.31 per cent to $38.88 and rival Rio Tinto falling $4.80 or 3.53 per cent to $131.20 The spot price of gold was lower and was trading at $US982.70 an ounce, down $US3.70 on Thursday's local close of $US986.40 an ounce The gold miners were mixed, with Newmont adding two cents to $5.48, Newcrest falling 16 cents to $40.09 and Lihir retreating nine cents to $4.08 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.69 billion, worth a total value of $7.19 billion, with 326 stocks moving up, 927 moving down and 341 unchanged Notes as at 10th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 7th March - $317625 Brett's Total as at 10th March - $309830 Down by $7795 for the day!! (Friday to Monday) Total has dropped by $16592 over the last two trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close lower" The Australian share market closed lower on Monday, weighed down by a negative lead from United States markets on Friday and lower prices for base metals On Wall Street on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average dropped 146.70 points to 11,893.69 after worse than expected jobs data supported fears that the world's biggest economy could already be in recession ABN Amro Morgans private client adviser Simon Ferguson said investors were anxious about a possible recession in US and its effect on the global economy "Investors seem to be worried about global growth" Mr Ferguson said Mr Ferguson said there were a few bargain-hunters moving into investment banks and infrastructure stocks on Monday Overall volumes were light given a public holiday in Melbourne, and there was little local news "We're firmly in the hands of the US market Obviously that lead isn't good, and more and more commentators are calling the US in recession anyway" Mr Ferguson said At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had lost 83.6 points, or 1.59 per cent, at 5,180.4 points, while the broader All Ordinaries index had reversed 93.2 points, or 1.74 per cent, to 5,275.7 points On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index futures contract was down 75 points at 5,195 on a volume of 28,597 contracts, according to preliminary calculations In the resources sector, global miner BHP Billiton was off $1.58 at $37.30, Rio Tinto fell $4.72 to $126.48 and Alumina dumped 37 cents to $5.68 Babcock & Brown Ltd slipped 16 cents to $13.80 as it retired $250 million in short-term margin loans secured against its managed funds so far this calendar year In the gold sector, Newmont descended 21 cents to $5.27, Newcrest backtracked $1.14 to $38.95, and Lihir slipped three cents to $4.05 The price of gold in Sydney was $US974.70 per fine ounce, down $US8.20 on Friday's close Preliminary national turnover was 1.57 billion shares worth $5.84 billion, with 955 stocks down, 270 up and 311 unchanged Notes as at 11th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 10th March - $309830 Brett's Total as at 11th March - $295760 Down by $14070 for the day!! Total has dropped by $30662 over the last three trading days!! An average fall of $10220 per day!! *** At the close of business - "Stock market continues downward spiral" The Australian share market marked its third trading day in a row of finishing in the red, as investors shunned the big miners and energy stocks, although a small relief rally in the banks helped capped the day's losses The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index slid 0.89 per cent or 46.2 points to 5134.2, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 1.1 per cent or 64.6 points to 5211.1 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index contract slumped 70 points to 5139 on a volume of 28,280 shares Patersons Securities senior client advisor Rick Turner said the market's bellwether stock, BHP Billiton, weighed on the market but the banks provided some support "Our big markers are off heavily, with BHP and Rio well off" he said "We have seen a bit of a relief rally in the financials here, with some recycling out of resources into the banks, which make up about 20 per cent of the total market capitalisation of the S&P/ASX 200 index" BHP Billiton slid more than 4.5 per cent or $1.71 to $35.59 and suitor Rio was down $7.18, or 5.68 per cent, to $119.30 The local market started the day on shaky ground after Wall Street closed lower overnight, with financial and manufacturing stocks leading the US decline The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 153.54 points, or 1.29 per cent, to 11,740.15 and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 20.00 points, or 1.55 per cent, to 1,273.37. The spot price of gold was $US972.00, down $US3.40 on Monday night's close of $US975.40 Newcrest fell $2.50 to $36.45, Lihir Gold lost four cents to $4.01, while Newmont found seven cents at $5.34 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.8 billion shares valued at $7.62 billion A total of 342 stocks gained, 981 fell and 298 were unchanged |
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x NOTE #74 |
Notes as at 12th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 11th March - $295760 Brett's Total as at 12th March - $303242 Up by $7482 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Market ends three day losing streak" Australian shares have broken a three-day losing streak, ending nearly 2.5 per cent firmer, as banking stocks buoyed the market after the US Federal Reserve announced measures to help increase liquidity and relieve the stresses in global credit markets US equity markets had their largest one-day rally in five years on the back of the Fed announcement The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 3.55 per cent to 12,156.81 overnight and the Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 47.28 points, or 3.71 per cent, to 1,320.65 The Nasdaq rose 86.42 points, or 3.98 per cent, to 2255.76 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index gained 123.7 points, or 2.41 per cent, to 5257.9, while the broader All Ordinaries had advanced 123 points, or 2.36 per cent, to 5334.1 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index contract was 123 points higher at 5262 on a volume of 43,129 Shaw Stockbroking head dealer Jamie Spiteri said Wednesday's run higher followed the strong bounce on Wall Street after the Fed's announcement "There have been moves everywhere on the local market but certainly the banks have been most dramatic" he said "The market was at its highest early in the day, which is typical of a bear market rally We have gradually seen the market come back a bit, but generally markets are still very cautious despite the broader move higher" The investment banks also gained, with Macquarie Group finding $3.10, or 7.45 per cent, to $50.50 and Babcock and Brown lifted $1.63, or 12.96 per cent, to $15.03 Resources giant BHP Billiton was up $1.21 at $36.80 Takeover target Rio Tinto finished up $5.95, or 4.99 per cent, to $125.25 after approving a $511 million expansion to increase output from its Canadian iron ore division Rio, the world's third largest miner, approved a $US475 million ($A511.14 million) expansion of its majority owned Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC), which is expected to increase concentrate output to 22 million tonnes a year The spot price of gold in Sydney was at $US973.80 per fine ounce, an increase of $US1.10 from Tuesday's close of $US972.70 Gold miner Lihir gained four cents to $4.05, Newmont Mining advanced 23 cents to $5.57 but Newcrest Mining lost 29 cents to $36.16 Preliminary turnover reached 1.71 billion shares worth $7.16 billion Some 856 stocks increased, 400 declined and 291 were unchanged Notes as at 13th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 12th March - $303242 Brett's Total as at 13th March - $299670 A drop of $3572 for the day!! Notes as at 14th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 13th March - $299670 Brett's Total as at 14th March - $306903 Up by $7233 for the day!! Total has increased by $11143 over the last three trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks end high as investors go for gold" The Australian share market closed higher, lifted by the big miners and gold stocks as the price of the precious metal hit record highs CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said there was a gold rush among local investors "Our clients continued their romance with the commodity markets, riding gold to the $US1000 per ounce mark" he said At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had lifted 71.0 points, or 1.38 per cent, to 5206.9, while the broader All Ordinaries had added 72.8 points, or 1.4 per cent, to 5288.5 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the March share price index futures contract rose 50 points to 5195, on a volume of 35,484, according to preliminary calculations Gold futures for April delivery jumped to $US1001.50 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange before closing at $US993.80 an ounce Rising oil prices, a weakening US dollar and uncertainty in equity markets were driving the gold price higher The price of gold in Sydney was $US997.10 per fine ounce, up $US12.80 from Thursday's close of US$984.30 In the gold sector, Lihir was up 11 cents at $4.18, Newmont jumped 22 cents to $5.64, and Newcrest improved 81 cents to $37.71 Global miner BHP Billiton surged $1.54 to $37.92 Rio Tinto strengthened $6.30 to $130.80 as it said it was in talks with the South African government regarding the future of its Coega aluminium smelter amid continuing power supply problems Preliminary national turnover was 1.27 billion shares worth $5.07, with 644 stocks up, 521 down and 340 unchanged On Wall Street overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average gaining 35.50 points to 12,145.74 |
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x NOTE #75 |
Notes as at 17th March 2008 The red line indicates his average buying price for each share        |
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x NOTE #76 |
Notes as at 25th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 20th March - $285769 Brett's Total as at 25th March - $289623 Total had dropped by $21134 over the last four trading days!! $285769 is the lowest total since 22nd January 2008!!! But today the total was up by $3854!! (Thursday to Tuesday - Easter Holidays) *** At the close of business - "Stocks close sharply higher" The Australian share market closed more than three per cent higher as bargain hunters snapped up stocks in droves following signs of improved business confidence in the United States At the close on Tuesday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 190.9 points or 3.72 per cent higher at 5318.4, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 169.5 points or 3.27 per cent to 5353.5 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 193 points higher at 5383, on a volume of 25,518 contracts Macquarie Equities client adviser David Halliday said sentiment had improved in the United States amid JP Morgan's increased bid for troubled investment bank Bear Stearns and moves by the US Federal Reserve to keep the financial system orderly "The financial sector in the US seems to be improving, conditions aren't as tight as they were even a week ago I think that is being reflected in our market" Mr Halliday said "I think a lot of the uncertainty and fear that was pervasive over the last couple of months seems to be abating a little bit That fear led to a lot of stocks becoming quite cheap in absolute terms, and it looks like people are opening up the wallets and are starting to do some buying in the beaten down names" The market got off got to a positive start following a strong lead from Wall Street overnight, with the Dow Jones industrial average adding 187.32 points, or 1.52 per cent, to close at 12,548.64 The big miners were stronger, with BHP Billiton adding 54 cents to $34.41 and rival Rio Tinto putting on 71 cents to $117.00 The spot price of gold was lower and was trading at $US925.20 per fine ounce, down $US10.60 on the previous local close of $US935.80 an ounce The gold miners were weaker, with Newcrest dropping 50 cents to $30.80, Newmont shedding 23 cents to $4.95 and Lihir steady at $3.60 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.51 billion worth $6.95 billion, with 730 stocks up, 479 down and 320 unchanged Notes as at 26th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 25th March - $289623 Brett's Total as at 26th March - $292695 Up by $3072 for the day!! Total has increased by $6926 over the last two trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks end higher for second day running" The Australian share market closed stronger for the second consecutive day after mining and energy shares were boosted by higher prices for base metals and oil At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index had risen 63.0 points, or 1.18 per cent, to 5381.4, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 65.6 points, or 1.22 per cent, to 5421.3 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index futures contract was 58 points higher at 5447 on a volume of 23,263 contracts, according to preliminary calculations "Action is in resources today Commodity prices were better overnight, so that's why the big resources stocks were up" ABN Amro Morgans private client adviser Peter Knight said Mr Knight said the recent sell-off of commodities stocks had perhaps been too severe and the sector was experiencing a bounce on the upside Global miner BHP Billiton added 90 cents to $35.31, and Rio Tinto rose $1.27 to $118.27 In the gold sector Newmont was 20 cents heavier at $5.15, Newcrest improved $1.83 to $32.63, and Lihir picked up 12 cents at $3.72 The price of gold in Sydney was $US940.30 per fine ounce, up $US16.00 on Tuesday's close of $US924.30 Preliminary national turnover was 1.29 billion shares worth $5.45 billion, with 710 stocks up, 449 down and 340 unchanged On Wall Street overnight, markets were mixed, with the Dow Jones industrial average slipping 16.04 points to 12,532.60 Notes as at 27th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 26th March - $292695 Brett's Total as at 27th March - $297913 Up by $5218 for the day!! Total has increased by $12144 over the last three trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close marginally lower" The Australian share market closed marginally lower Thursday after falls on Wall Street overnight amid revived concerns the world's biggest economy is already in recession At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 9.8 points lower at 5371.6, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 2.8 points to 5418.5 At the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 23 points lower at 5434, on a volume of 17,667 contracts Austock Securities senior client adviser Michael Heffernan said the local market showed a lot of resilience despite the negative lead from the US overnight "The market has recovered after starting off pretty shaky at the beginning, and it shows a lot of character-building and a consolidation of the strengthening pattern we've seen since Easter" Mr Heffernan said "The report from Myer today, although it is not listed, follows on from the sound result of David Jones yesterday, which gives a lot of confidence to the market, particularly in the hard-edge consuming spend end" The market got off to a poor start following a weak lead from Wall Street overnight, with the Dow Jones industrial average falling 109.74 points, or 0.88 per cent, to close at 12,422.86 Babcock & Brown shed 79 cents or 5.27 per cent to $14.21 after the group said 25 banks had committed to take part in expanding a debt facility to the investment banker to allow it to invest in infrastructure at a time of tightening liquidity The big miners were stronger, with BHP Billiton gaining 45 cents to $35.76 and rival Rio Tinto adding $2.63 to $120.90 The spot price of gold was higher and was trading at $US952.50 an ounce, up $US11.50 from Wednesday's local close of $US941 an ounce The gold miners were mixed, with Newcrest adding 72 cents to $33.35, Lihir losing 12 cents to $3.60 and Newmont dropping three cents to $5.12 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.54 billion, worth a total value of $5.47 billion, with 594 stocks up, 523 stocks down and 368 unchanged Notes as at 28th March 2008 Brett's Total as at 27th March - $297913 Brett's Total as at 28th March - $298427 Up by $514 for the day!! Total has increased by $12658 over the last four trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close lower, dragged by banks" The Australian share market closed marginally lower today, dragged back by more fears over the health of the banking sector At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 20.5 points, or 0.38 per cent, at 5351.1, while the broader All Ordinaries fell 17.3 points, or 0.32 per cent, to 5401.2 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index futures contract was 17 points lower at 5408 on a volume of 20,238 contracts, according to preliminary calculations CMC Markets senior dealer Matt Lewis said the big weight today on the local bourse was the finance sector, which followed banks in the United States downwards On Wall Street overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average fell 120.40 points to 12,302.46 Leading US banks fell overnight on speculation that Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc faces funding shortages Lehman said the speculation was unfounded "It's the same theme of negative sentiment globally and recession fears, but the comment from Lehman Brothers overnight put the negative to the forefront" Mr Lewis said In the resources sector, global miner BHP Billiton was 29 cents richer at $36.05, and Rio Tinto lifted $2.00 to $122.90 In the gold sector, Newmont eased two cents to $5.10, Newcrest jumped 76 cents to $34.11, and Lihir found 12 cents at $3.72 The price of gold was $US943.50 per fine ounce, down $US9.10 on yesterday's close of $US943.60 Preliminary national turnover was 1.79 billion shares worth $9.1 billion, with 578 stocks down, 556 up and 339 unchanged Notes as at 31st March 2008 Brett's Total as at 28th March - $298427 Brett's Total as at 31st March - $300689 Up by $2262 for the day!! (Friday to Monday) Total has increased by $14920 over the last five trading days!! *** At the close of business - "ASX closes marginally higher" The Australian share market closed marginally higher after a directionless day on the local bourse following falls on Wall Street on Friday At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was just 4.6 points higher at 5355.7, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 8.5 points to 5409.7 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 13 points lower at 5416 on a volume of 21,166 contracts CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said there was the potential for the market to climb higher, despite continuing volatility on the local bourse "Considering the US was down on Friday night, we've performed okay today" Mr Vaughan said "At these levels, the market is unsure what to do with itself There is the possibility of further upside in the market, maybe back up through 5400 (points), some people are talking 5550 to 5600 points" The market got off to a positive start despite a poor lead from Wall Street on Friday when the Dow Jones industrial average dropped by 86.06 points, or 0.7 per cent, to close at 12,216.40. The big miners were weaker, with BHP Billiton losing 24 cents to $35.81 and rival Rio Tinto losing 40 cents to $122.50 The spot price of gold was lower and was trading at $US933.20 an ounce, down $US12.20 on Friday's local close of $US945.40 an ounce The gold miners were weaker, with Newcrest falling 74 cents to $33.37, Lihir dropping 13 cents to $3.59 and Newmont losing three cents to $5.07 *** Australia's benchmark share index posted the worst performance in its history in the first quarter amid turmoil in credit markets and fears of a U.S. recession Ending little changed on Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO fell 15.5 percent in the three months to the end of March, the biggest quarterly fall since becoming the benchmark in 2000 The former benchmark, the All Ordinaries index .AORD, dropped 15.7 percent since the start of the year, its biggest quarterly decline since 1987 Analysts said that equity markets still face a bumpy ride as concerns linger over the state of credit markets and the global economy "The debt market issue has to be resolved before we get more clarity on financial stocks and markets generally" said Greg Goodsell, equity strategist at ABN AMRO "I suspect there are more losses to be written off there" Notes as at 1st April 2008 Brett's Total as at 31st March - $300689 Brett's Total as at 1st April - $304056 Up by $3367 for the day!! Total has increased by $18287 over the last six trading days!! $304056 is the highest total since 17th March 2008!! *** At the close of business - "Aussie stocks close slightly higher" The local sharemarket closed marginally higher as investors bided time while the board of the Reserve Bank of Australia met but decided to keep official interest rates steady The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 5.5 points, or 0.1 per cent, at 5,361.2, while the broader All Ordinaries rose 4.8 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 5,414.5 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 19 points higher at 5,415 on 22,686 contracts CommSec market analyst Savanth Sebastian said the market was down in early trade but recovered towards end of the session "Importantly, the price of oil fell Monday night almost four per cent" Mr Sebastian said "Despite that, the oil price for the quarter closed up about six per cent" The big diversified miners were stronger, with BHP Billion up 84 cents, or 2.35 per cent, at $36.65 and Rio Tinto up $1.67, or 1.36 per cent, at $124.17 Among the gold miners, Newcrest gained 32 cents to $33.69, Newmont dipped 14 cents to $4.93 and Lihir had dropped six cents to $3.53 The spot price of gold was $US915.30 an ounce, down $US16.80 on Monday's local close of $US932.10 an ounce Making headlines Tuesday, Australia's largest engineering company, WorleyParsons, bought US-based deepwater oil and gas engineering specialist INTEC for $US108.5 million ($A118.49 million) to take advantage of the growth in offshore energy exploration WorleyParsons gained $1.82, or 5.44 per cent, to $35.29 (NOTE - Brett has 1000 of these shares) Preliminary market turnover was 1.29 billion shares worth $4.72 billion, with 517 stock up, 639 down and 323 unchanged Notes as at 2nd April 2008 Brett's Total as at 1st April - $304056 Brett's Total as at 2nd April - $306863 Up by $2807 for the day!! Total has increased by $21094 over the last seven trading days!! *** At the close of business - "ASX closes two per cent higher" The Australian stock market closed up over two per cent after a stronger rally on Wall Street Tuesday night, with the banks driving the local bourse higher The benchmark S&P/ASX200 closed up was 141.7 points or 2.64 per cent higher at 5502.9, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 130.4 points or 2.41 per cent to 5544.9 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index was 154 points higher at 5562 on a volume of 26,145 contracts ABN Amro Morgans private client adviser Bill Bishop said a lift on Wall Street Tuesday night led to a strong day on the local bourse "Off that we get this terrific run here today "The banks and financials have all done very well" The big miners were stronger, with BHP Billiton up 10 cents to $36.75 and rival Rio Tinto higher by $1.19 to $125.36 The spot price of gold was lower and at 1631 AEDT was trading at $US887.00 an ounce, down $US23.75 on Tuesday's local close of $US910.75 an ounce The gold miners were down, with Newmont off eight cents to $4.85, Newcrest lower by $1.64 to $32.05 and Lihir shedding 16 cents to $3.37 Preliminary market turnover was 1.95 billion, worth $6.84 billion, with 688 stocks up, 513 down and 315 unchanged Notes as at 3rd April 2008 Brett's Total as at 2nd April - $306863 Brett's Total as at 3rd April - $314571 Up by $7708 for the day!! Total has increased by $28802 over the last eight trading days!! That is an average increase of $3600 per day!! $314571 is the highest total since 7th March 2008!! *** At the close of business - "Aussie stocks gain as commodities rise" The Australian share market has shrugged off a weaker Wall Street and pronouncements that America could be in a recession to close higher as the miners and energy companies took heart from a weaker US dollar and better commodity prices Wednesday night The benchmark S&P/ASX200 closed up Thursday 106 points, or 1.93 per cent higher, at 5608.9, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 100.9 points, or 1.82 per cent, to 5645.8 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index was 106 points higher at 5669 on a volume of 24,946 contracts Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke said told a congressional committee Wednesday night that the US economy could contract in the first half of this year, supporting suspicions of many that it might already be in recession The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished down 44.38 points (0.35 per cent) at 12,609.98 The blue chip stock barometer had rallied by almost 400 points just a day earlier CMC Markets senior Dominic Vaughan said the local market had made good gains two days running "It's been a very strong couple of days" Mr Vaughan said "We've seen a rebound in the resource and energy sectors overnight and into today, mainly driven by a weaker US dollar The most positive news out of today has been the continuation in the strength of the financial sector" Mr Vaughan said Australia's financial sector had been "aggressively oversold" previously "A lot of people are maybe thinking a lot of this credit issue has passed us by, and to a degree we've been oversold" BHP Billiton rose $1.34 to $38.09 and Rio Tinto advanced $4.79 to $130.15 The spot price of gold was at $US903.10 an ounce, up $US19.25 on Wednesday's local close of $US883.85 an ounce Newmont was up 24 cents to $5.09, Newcrest added $1.39 to $33.44 and Lihir gained four cents to $3.41 Preliminary market turnover was 2.08 billion shares worth $6.33 billion, with 629 stocks up, 575 down and 320 unchanged Notes as at 4th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 3rd April - $314571 Brett's Total as at 4th April - $315852 Up by $1281 for the day!! Total has increased by $30083 over the last nine trading days!! That is an average increase of $3343 per day!! $315852 is the highest total since 7th March 2008!! *** At the close of business - "Aussie stocks up awaiting US job data" The Australian share market edged marginally higher Friday despite a muted performance by Wall Street Thursday night, the Dow Jones industrial average rose by 20.20 points, or 0.16 per cent, to close at 12,626.03 Resources stocks performed strongly offsetting a fall in banking stocks The benchmark S&P/ASX200 was 10.7 points higher, or 0.19 per cent up, at 5619.6, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 17.9 points or 0.32 per cent to 5663.7 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 11 points higher at 5676, on a volume of 20,990 contracts ABN Amro Morgans financial adviser Lisa Jarvis said there was not much happening on the market, with investors sitting on the fence ahead of key employment figures from the US Friday night "The resources are leading the market, but the banks haven't done so well" Ms Jarvis said "I think the banks ran so hard yesterday that investors are taking a bit of a breather today" She said comments today by Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) governor Glenn Stevens had not helped to give the market direction Mr Stevens said that the economy was slowing and inflation was not out of control, but left open the option of further interest rate rises "Generally speaking what we have is hesitancy ahead of US payroll figures tonight, which are key for Aussie bond futures, but we are only expecting thin volume tonight" Ms Jarvis said Leading the market higher today were resources stocks, with BHP Billiton rising 51 cents to $38.60 and Rio Tinto up 70 cents to $130.85 The spot price of gold was $US902.10 an ounce, down $US.95 on Thursday's local close of $US901.15 an ounce Aussie gold miners were mixed, with Lihir up five cents to $3.46, Newcrest Mining up 16 cents to $33.60 but Newmont Mining lost two cents to $5.07 Preliminary market turnover reached 2.19 billion shares worth $5.58 billion, with 691 stocks higher, 462 lower and 326 unchanged Notes as at 7th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 4th April - $315852 Brett's Total as at 7th April - $323375 Up by $7523 for the day!! (Friday to Monday) Total has increased by $37606 over the last ten trading days!! That is an average increase of $3761 per day!! $323375 is the highest total since 6th March 2008!! *** At the close of business - "Aussie stocks close slightly higher" The Australian share market edged marginally higher on Monday, with strong gains from the resources sector offsetting heavy falls from the banks The benchmark S&P/ASX200 closed up 5.4 points, or 0.1 per cent, to 5625, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 20.4 points to 5684.1 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 19 points higher at 5673, on a volume of 20,228 contracts The market got off to a solid start despite a flat lead from Wall Street, with the Dow Jones industrial average dropping 16.61 points, or 0.13 per cent, to close at 12,609.42 on Friday Bell Potter senior adviser Stuart Smith said BHP Billiton buoyed the market on Monday while falls in the finance sector were being led by ANZ after the group revealed $975 million worth of bad debt for the half year "There has been a balancing act," Mr Smith said "The market leader BHP has led the way With the ANZ revealing their bad debts, partly and impaired credit situation ... it has sent the banks back to where they were several trading days ago" Mr Smith said it was a quiet day overall, with low trading volumes "A quiet Monday is desirable because then you can start to build up towards the end of the week" he said The big miners were stronger, with BHP Billiton adding $1.95, or 5.05 per cent, to $40.55 and rival Rio Tinto gaining $6.06, or 4.63 per cent, to $136.91 The spot price of gold was $US915.40 an ounce, up $US13.45 from Friday's local close of $US901.95 per ounce The gold miners were stronger, with Newcrest adding $1.78 to $35.38, Lihir picking up 13 cents to $3.59 and Newmont lifting two cents to $5.09 Preliminary market turnover was 1.59 billion shares worth $5.44 billion, with 651 stocks up, 550 down and 340 unchanged |
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x NOTE #77 |
Notes as at 8th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 7th April - $323375 Brett's Total as at 8th April - $322159 Total had increased by $37606 over the last ten trading days!! $323375 is the highest total since 6th March 2008!! But today the total was down by $1216!! *** At the close of business - "ASX closes lower amid profit taking" The Australian share market closed in negative territory after profit-taking ended six consecutive days of gains At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 53.5 points, or 0.95 per cent, lower at 5571.5, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 49.7 points, or 0.87 per cent, to 5634.4 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 72 points lower at 5619, on a volume of 20,695 contracts MF Global senior trader Anthony Anderson said negative sentiment weighed heavily on the local market, with profit-taking and a stronger Australian dollar helping to drive the market lower "There was no real lead from the US, the metals were okay overnight, it was a little bit of a feeling that it was time for a breather more than anything" Mr Anderson said "The ANZ downgrade has unnerved a few people so the banks have been weaker and that led the initial drive down There is a lot of overhang in the smaller stocks with Opes Prime The overall feeling is that we're not totally out of the woods yet" The local market got off to a poor start after a lacklustre lead from Wall Street overnight, with the Dow Jones industrial average closing 3.01 points or 0.02 per cent higher at 12,612.43 The big miner were mixed, with BHP Billiton losing 15 cents to $40.40 and rival Rio Tinto adding 49 cents to $137.40 Investment bank Babcock & Brown shed 10 cents to $13.60 after the group said it had joined ANZ Banking Group Ltd in the recapitalisation of troubled stockbroking firm Tricom Equities Ltd The spot price of gold was higher and was trading at $US918.10 an ounce, $US3.25 higher than yesterday's local close of $US914.85 The gold miners were weaker, with Newcrest falling 89 cents to $34.49, Lihir shedding 12 cents to $3.47 and Newmont dropping six cents to $5.03 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.53 billion share worth $5.54 billion, with 529 stocks up, 622 stocks down and 354 unchanged |
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x NOTE #78 |
Notes as at 14th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 11th April - $321645 Brett's Total as at 14th April - $317327 Down by $4318 for the day!! (Friday to Monday) *** At the close of business - "Stocks close almost 2 per cent lower" The Australian share market closed awash with red on Monday as the ripples from a Wall Street slump on Friday reached local shores In the US on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average lost 256.56 points to 12,325.42 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 96.9 points, or 1.78 per cent, lower at 5,342.4,, while the broader All Ordinaries dipped 94.3 points, or 1.71 per cent, to 5,410.9 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index was 102 points lower at 5,372 on a volume of 20,946 contracts An especially poor result by General Electric Co on Friday unnerved Wall Street, sending the Dow over two per cent lower Ord Minnett private client adviser Francesco De Stradis said there was little green on local screens on Monday and trading volumes were moderate "Some institutional buyers may have come back into the market with the sell-off" Mr De Stradis said "The information technology, discretionary spending and industrial sectors were off the most" The big miners also went backwards. BHP Billiton shed 51 cents to $41.65 and rival Rio Tinto was 30 cents cheaper at $138.30 The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US917.40 per fine ounce, down $US6.45 from Friday's close of $US923.85 The gold producers were down Newcrest dipped 11 cents to $32.59, Lihir was six cents cheaper at $3.18 and Newmont was down 10 cents at $4.89 Overall market turnover was 1.02 billion shares worth $4.28 billion, with 346 stocks up, 798 down and 306 unchanged |
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x NOTE #79 |
Notes as at 15th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 14th April - $317327 Brett's Total as at 15th April - $322310 Up by $4983 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Energy stocks boost share market" The Australian share market closed over one per cent higher on Tuesday as energy stocks were buoyed by record oil prices overnight On the New York Mercantile Exchange overnight, May crude increased $US1.57 to a record $US111.71 The Dow Jones industrial average slipped 23.36 points, or 0.19 per cent, ending at 12,302.06 The Standard & Poor's 500 Index declined 4.51 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 1,328.32 The Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 14.42 points, or 0.63 per cent, to 2,275.82 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index gained 58 points, or 1.09 per cent, to 5,400.4, while the broader All Ordinaries added 55 points, or 1.02 per cent, to 5,465.9 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index had risen 69 points to 5,451 on a volume of 22,300 contracts ABN Amro Morgans private client adviser Bill Bishop said the market had produced an upside surprise despite a weak lead from Wall Street While energy stocks had fared well, the financial sector had also staged a unexpected "major turnaround" on Tuesday, he said "One swallow does not a summer make but it was very nice to see it happen" he said Mr Bishop said an improvement in Asian markets may have helped financial stocks along with an emerging expectation that the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may leave interest rates alone "The RBA hasn't said it's definitely going to raise rates It's just a glimmer of hope and the market is grasping at any optimistic straw" It appears less likely the central bank will deliver another interest rate rise in 2008 after it signalled inflationary pressures were likely to ease according to minutes of its last monthly meeting, released on Tuesday The big miners were mixed as BHP Billiton increased 35 cents to $42.00 but Rio Tinto dipped 19 cents to $138.11 The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US929.00 per fine ounce, up $US8.10 from Monday's close of $US920.90 Goldminer Lihir gained 21 cents to $3.39, Newcrest Mining advanced 88 cents to $33.47 but Newmont Mining slipped four cents to $4.85 Overall market turnover was 1.16 billion shares changing hands for a total value of $4.94 billion Of those, 583 shares rose, 515 fell and 343 were unchanged Notes as at 16th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 15th April - $322310 Brett's Total as at 16th April - $327789 Up by $5479 for the day!! The total has increased by $10462 over the past two trading days!! $327789 is the highest total since 29th February 2008!! *** At the close of business - "Energy stocks push market higher" The Australian share market closed firmly in positive territory as a surge in the price of crude oil helped energy stocks and positive news emerged from some US regional banks In the US overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average gained 60.41 points to 12,362.47, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index added 6.11 points to 1,334.43 and the Nasdaq Composite Index rose 10.22 points to 2,286.04 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index added 1.29 per cent, or 69.9 points, to 5,470.3, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 68.7 points, or 1.26 per cent, to 5,534.6 points On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index was 56 points higher at 5,504 on a volume of 15,005 contracts CommSec market analyst Savanth Sebastian said the market performed strongly virtually across all sectors, but some weakness emerged during the afternoon "We saw much better than expected economic data from the US overnight and that really buoyed the local market in early morning trade" Mr Sebastian said "The energy sector was up, over two and a half per cent, and the oil price continues to rally, supported by the US moving into the summer driving season Woodside was a stand-out performer and Origin Energy also gained about 2.5 per cent Other highlights included strong production numbers from Oxiana Ltd this morning, which buoyed the resources sector despite base metals prices being weaker overnight Also, Rio Tinto's quarterly production was as expected, with aluminium production up, boosted by the first full quarter of production from the Alcan acquisition assets" Making headlines on Wednesday, the world's third largest miner, Rio Tinto, posted record first quarter iron ore output as the takeover target continues to expand its Pilbara operations, but coal production suffered from severe flooding in Queensland Rio Tinto shares closed up $2.49, or 1.8 per cent, at $140.60 while its predator BHP Billiton gained 80 cents, or 1.9 per cent, to $42.80 The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US929.30 per fine ounce, down $US4.20 from Tuesday's close of $US933.50 The gold producers were mixed Newmont was up five cents to $4.90, Lihir down four cents to $3.35, and Newcrest down 10 cents to $33.37 Overall, 1.3 billion shares changed hands at a total value of $5.29 billion, with 671 shares up, 476 down and 345 unchanged Notes as at 17th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 16th April - $327789 Brett's Total as at 17th April - $333868 Up by $6079 for the day!! The total has increased by $16541 over the past three trading days!! $333868 is the highest total since 27th February 2008!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close higher" The Australian share market pared back early gains to finish almost one per cent higher on Thursday following a strong opening inspired by investor confidence on Wall Street and rising commodity prices On Wall Street overnight US stocks ended sharply higher as investors took heart from solid earnings by a number of blue chips companies The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 256.80 points, or 2.08 per cent, to close at 12,619.27 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index gained 48.7 points, or 0.89 per cent, to 5,519, while the broader All Ordinaries advanced 52.7 points, or 0.95 per cent, to 5,587.3 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index added 68 points to 5,558 on a volume of 15,020 contracts CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said the market closed softer than expected on Thursday Most of the lifting was done in the resources sector by the big miners as commodity prices strengthened overnight, he said "Mainly the chatter about Chinese influence in Rio and BHP is driving that" he said "Overall I still think it's a relatively disappointing result The market volumes are very thin There's a fair bit of skepticism about the US rally last night There's still an enormous amount of doubt about the global financial system and talk of a recession as well" The big miners improved with BHP Billiton finding 59 cents to $43.39 and Rio Tinto adding $5.40 to $146.00 The spot price of gold reached $US944.70 per fine ounce, up a sharp $US15.30 from Wednesday's Sydney close of $US929.40 Newmont Mining swelled 16 cents to $5.06, Lihir edged up six cents to $3.41, and Newcrest Mining gained $1.07 to $34.44 Overall market turnover was 1.38 billion shares changing hands worth $5.4 billion, with 727 stocks rising, 441 falling and 333 unchanged |
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x NOTE #80 |
Notes as at 18th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 17th April - $333868 Brett's Total as at 18th April - $327167 A drop of $6701 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Australian stocks close in the red" The Australian share market dipped 1.6 per cent after Wall Street provided a lacklustre lead and energy and base metal prices fell overnight The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index shed 89.3 points, or 1.62 per cent, to 5,429.7, while the broader All Ordinaries fell 83.2 points, or 1.49 per cent, to 5,504.1 points On the Sydney Futures exchange the June share price index was 79 points lower at 5,468 on a volume of 23,310 contracts CommSec market analyst Savanth Sebastian said investors were taking profits on earlier gains during the week "We've seen the financial sector up over three per cent during the last three sessions, investors were waiting for any momentum, saw them up and coming, so decided to sell out of the positions" Mr Sebastian said He said the selling came ahead of US banking giant Citigroup's earnings results, to be released overnight, which are expected to reveal more write-downs related to US sub-prime mortgages "Base metals were weaker in London overnight and the probability of the US cutting rates has dropped quite dramatically over the past week Expectations of a 50 basis point cut at the start of the week were at a probability of about 50 per cent but its now about 20 per cent That's all resulted in a strengthened US dollar, reducing the purchasing power of European and Asian investors for base metals and commodities" The big diversified miners were lower BHP Billiton shed 2.24 per cent, or 97 cents, to $42.42, and takeover target Rio Tinto was down 4.15 per cent, or $6.06, to $139.94 The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US944.50 per fine ounce, down 60 US cents from Thursday's close of $US945.10 Among the gold producers, Lihir was down 11 cents to $3.30, Newcrest Mining was down $1.10, or 3.19 per cent, to $33.34 and Newmont Mining was steady at $5.06 Coal & Allied, which is majority owned by Rio Tinto, has flagged spending $5 billion on new projects over the next seven years to double the company's annual coal output Preliminary market turnover was 1.25 billion shares worth $4.23 billion, with 532 rising, 576 falling and 361 unchanged |
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x NOTE #81 |
Notes as at 21st April 2008 Brett's Total as at 18th April - $327167 Brett's Total as at 21st April - $335968 An increase of $8801 for the day!! (Friday to Monday) *** At the close of business - "Stocks higher on banking sector gains" The Australian stock market closed three per cent higher on Monday amid strong gains from the banks as confidence returned to the financial sector after a strong lead from Wall Street The market got off to a strong start following a solid lead from Wall Street on Friday, with the Dow Jones industrial average picking up 228.87 points to close at 12,849.36 Here at the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 170.6 points, or 3.14 per cent, higher at 5600.3, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 160.1 points, or 2.91 per cent to 5664.2 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 173 points higher at 5649, on a volume of 27,160 contracts CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said the local market surged higher following strong gains in the US with the banking sector leading the charge "It is mainly from the confidence in the US overnight and I think the expectations are that the financial sector might get another strong night tonight" Mr Vaughan said "The banking sector has been savaged over the last six months but there is a little bit more confidence back in that sector and they have been one of the main drivers today The four majors are virtually up six per cent right across the board" The big miners were stronger, with BHP Billiton adding $1.57 to $43.99 and rival Rio Tinto gaining $4.61 to $144.55 The spot price of gold was lower and was trading $US918.75 an ounce, down $US25.10 an ounce from Friday's local close of $US943.85 an ounce The gold miners were weaker, with Newcrest dropping 73 cents to $32.61, Newmont falling 11 cents to $4.95 and Lihir losing five cents to $3.25 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.45 billion, worth a total value of $5.22 billion, with 742 stocks moving up, 452 stocks moving down and 325 unchanged |
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x NOTE #82 |
Notes as at 22nd April 2008 Brett's Total as at 21st April - $335968 Brett's Total as at 22nd April - $334504 A drop of $1464 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close lower" The Australian share market closed lower on Tuesday after a mixed lead from Wall Street overnight and little in the way of market-swaying economic data or company news In the US on Wall Street overnight, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 24.34 points to 12,825.02 Here, the major miners were weaker, and the banking sector was mixed "It's been reasonably quiet on the market - a mixed bag" CMC Markets head of trading James Foulsham said "It was a pretty strong day on the local market yesterday. The Dow Jones index (in the US) was pretty flat overnight" Mr Foulsham said many investors were probably sitting on the sidelines, waiting for inflation figures out on Wednesday and the ANZ Banking Group's interim results "It will probably be more of an interesting day tomorrow" he said At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 35.7 points, or 0.64 per cent, to 5,564.6 while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 35.8 points, or 0.63 per cent, to 5,628.4 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index futures contract dropped 85 points to 5,587 on a volume of 18,974 contracts, according to preliminary calculations Among resources stocks, BHP Billiton surrendered 47 cents to $43.52, and Rio Tinto gave away $2.24 to $142.31 Cazaly Resources slumped three cents to 18 cents as it lost its three-year battle with Rio Tinto over the ownership of the lucrative Shovelanna iron ore deposit In the gold sector, Newcrest sagged 41 cents to $32.20 as it agreed to pay $US525 million ($A557.03 million) to partner Harmony Gold Mining for a stake in Harmony's Papua New Guinea gold assets Newmont fell 11 cents to $4.84, and Lihir eased six cents to $3.19 The price of gold in Sydney was $US915.20 per fine ounce, down $US2.10 on Monday's close of $US917.30 Preliminary national turnover was 1.16 billion shares worth $4.3 billion, with 668 stocks down, 512 up and 340 unchanged |
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x NOTE #83 |
Notes as at 23rd April 2008 Brett's Total as at 22nd April - $334504 Brett's Total as at 23rd April - $340840 An increase of $6336 for the day!! Note #1 - $340840 is the highest total since 10th January 2008!! Note #2 - the total on the 20th March was $285769 so the present total of $340840 represents an increase of $55071 over the past twenty-two trading days which is an average increase of $2503 per day!! *** At the close of business - "Aust stocks end higher" The Australian stock market closed higher underpinned by strong gains in the financial sector led by ANZ and as investors mulled the prospect of higher interest rates after inflation rose strongly in the first quarter At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 88.3 points higher at 5652.9, while the broader All Ordinaries put on 83 points to 5711.4 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 81 points higher at 5681, on a volume of 21,334 contracts "The main driver today was ANZ" CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said Meanwhile, the consumer price index (CPI) rose to an annual rate of 4.2 per cent in the March quarter, the Australian Bureau of Statistics report The result had dashed hopes of any near term rate cuts, and paves the way for another possible hike in coming months by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) "It has been a very positive result from ANZ and it is even more positive when you consider that the CPI number that came out today is well ahead of what the RBA expected There is a risk that we may have another tightening through the raising of interest rates Resources stocks were also stronger, with BHP and Rio both over three per cent" The market got off to a strong start despite a negative lead from Wall Street overnight, with the Dow Jones industrial average dropping 104.79 points to close at 12,720.23 The big miners were stronger, with BHP Billiton climbing $1.58 higher to $45.10 after the company delivered record iron ore output and an increase in petroleum production for the third quarter Rival and takeover target Rio Tinto put on $4.88 to $147.19 The spot price of gold was higher and was trading at $US918.40 an ounce, up $US3.90 on yesterday's local close of $US914.50 an ounce The gold miners were mixed, with Newcrest shedding 86 cents to $31.34, Newmont falling seven cents to $4.77 and Lihir steady at $3.19 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.44 billion, worth a total value of $5.88 billion, with 568 stocks moving up, 568 moving down and 350 unchanged |
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x NOTE #84 |
Notes as at 24th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 23rd April - $340840 - highest total since 10th January 2008 - refer to 8th May below Brett's Total as at 24th April - $336479 A fall of $4361 for the day!! *** At the close of business - "Banks, resources send market lower" The Australian stock market closed lower on Thursday amid heavy losses from the financial and resource sectors as investors squared up their portfolios before the long weekend At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 65.6 points lower at 5587.3, while the broader All Ordinaries lost 52.7 points to 5658.7 On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the June share price index contract was 55 points lower at 5612, on a volume of 20,105 contracts CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said a combination of factors combined to weigh heavily on the local market, including softer commodity prices and a weak financial sector in the United States "We had a softer US financial sector last night, commodity prices were off overnight and coming into the long weekend people tend to square their books up to a degree" Mr Vaughan said "We have a history with people tending to square their books up before a long weekend, and it also just goes to show how nervous this market still remains" The market got off to a poor start despite a positive lead from Wall Street overnight, with the Dow Jones industrial average gaining 42.99 points to close at 12,763.22 The big miners were weaker, with BHP Billiton dropping 20 cents to $44.90 and rival Rio Tinto losing 59 cents to $146.60 Rio Tinto reiterated Thursday the inadequacy of a $US174 billion ($A183.58 billion) takeover bid by BHP Billiton Ltd at its annual general meeting, after the chief executive of its rival launched a stinging attack The spot price of gold was lower and was trading at $US904.20 an ounce, down $US15.50 on Wednesday's local close of $US919.70 an ounce The gold miners were weaker, with Newcrest shedding 94 cents to $30.40, Lihir falling 11 cents to $3.08 and Newmont dropping three cents to $4.74 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.55 billion, worth a total value of $7.28 billion, with 521 stocks moving up, 634 moving down and 331 unchanged Notes as at 28th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 24th April - $336479 Brett's Total as at 28th April - $335328 A fall of $1151 for the day!! (Thursday to Monday - ANZAC Day) Total has dropped by $5512 over the past two trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close marginally higher" The Australian sharemarket closed marginally in the black on Monday, driven by strength in the financial sector, but was weighed down towards the finish by a weaker mining sector despite stronger metal and oil prices The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 15.4 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 5,602.7, and the broader All Ordinaries gained 11.6 points, or 0.2 per cent, to 5,670.3 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index was 25 points higher at 5,629 on a volume of 22,178 contracts On Wall Street on Friday, the Dow Jones industrial average was up 42.91 points at 12,891.86 CommSec chief equities economist Craig James said the market shot out of the blocks at the start of trade but slowed towards the lose "It's been a very mixed day Futures had indicated early on that we could be up in the order of 90 points, but solid gains in the morning trade could not be sustained in afternoon trade The mining sector dragged us lower today and there was no rhyme or reason for it because base metal prices were up, oil was up, gold was marginally firmer as well, but it's clear that the higher Australian dollar is one influence on mining and energy stocks today Some people are probably looking down the track that the high prices of crude oil could lead to slower global growth, which would turn out to be a negative for the major mining and energy companies" Rio Tinto finished down $3.10, or 2.11 per cent, at $143.50 and its predator BHP Billiton shed $1.30, or 2.9 per cent, at $43.60 The spot price of gold was $US892.70, down $US12.00 from Thursday's close of $US904.70 Among the gold miners, Lihir was down four cents to $3.04, Newcrest Mining was $1.40 lower at $29.00 and Newmont Mining was up 10 cents at $4.84 Preliminary market turnover reached 1.34 billion shares worth $5.52 billion, with 632 stocks up, 571 down and 336 unchanged Notes as at 29th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 28th April - $335328 Brett's Total as at 29th April - $330982 A fall of $4346 for the day!! Total has dropped by $9858 over the past three trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close marginally higher" The Australian sharemarket closed relatively flat on Tuesday as investors rested after recent gains and waited for a stronger lead from United States markets On Wall Street overnight, the Dow Jones industrial average slipped 20.11 points to 12,871.75 Here at the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 4.2 points, or 0.07 per cent, at 5,606.9 while the broader All Ordinaries added 2.3 points, or 0.04 per cent, to 5,672.6 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index futures contract was 28 points lower at 5,622 on a volume of 16,545 contracts, according to preliminary calculations CMC Markets senior dealer Dominic Vaughan said trading on the local bourse was mixed and investors were still cautious "It's very hard to read much into today's price action" Mr Vaughan said "With this market at the moment, we've got a lot of economic data coming out of the US over the next three days: GDP (gross domestic product) figures, interest rate announcements and payroll figures" he said "The direction for the week is probably from the US" In the resources sector, global miner BHP Billiton was 29 cents higher at $43.89 Rio Tinto dipped $2.30 to $141.20 as it reached an agreement on tax clauses for the company's proposed $US2 billion ($A2.13 billion) nickel project in Sulawesi In the gold sector, Newmont gave away 11 cents at $4.73, Newcrest lost $1.50 at $27.50, and Lihir dropped 11 cents to $2.93 The price of gold in Sydney was $US890.00 per fine ounce, down $US2.30 on Monday's close of $US892.30 Preliminary national turnover was 1.42 billion shares worth $4.71 billion, with 627 stocks down, 585 up and 319 unchanged Notes as at 30th April 2008 Brett's Total as at 29th April - $330982 Brett's Total as at 30th April - $327613 A fall of $3369 for the day!! Total has dropped by $13227 over the past four trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close slightly lower" The Australian share market closed slightly lower, led by miners BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto after commodity prices fell overnight The market recovered from worse losses earlier as Origin Energy gained after receiving a takeover offer from UK-based utility BG Group The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index declined 11.5 points, or 0.21 per cent, to 5,595.4 while the broader All Ordinaries index fell 15.6 points, or 0.28 per cent, to 5,657 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index was 12 points lower at 5,613 on a volume of 23,393 contracts Reynolds & Co director Markus Mueller said declines in BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto dragged the market down after falls in commodity prices overnight "All the commodities were down and the resource stocks had been rallying till today" he said BHP fell $1.62, or 3.69 per cent, to $42.27 while its takeover target Rio Tinto shed $5.12, or 3.63 per cent, to $136.08 Mr Mueller said Origin's takeover news helped the market recover Shares in Origin, Australia's second biggest electricity and gas retailer, surged more than 30 per cent after the company received a $12.9 billion takeover proposal from BG Group. The stock added $3.48 to $13.95 "The appetite for our assets is insatiable. It's an enormous tick of approval from BG" Lihir Gold stock was little changed after the company said production fell 28 per cent in the first quarter following a scheduled shut down of a process plant in Papua New Guinea for maintenance. Lihir added one cent to $2.94 Gold miner Newcrest added $1.40, or 5.09 per cent, to $28.90, despite the fall in the gold price The spot price of gold was $US873.40, down $US15.55 on Tuesday's close of $US888.95 Preliminary market turnover was 1.75 billion shares worth $6.96 billion, with 630 stocks rising, 589 falling and 344 unchanged Notes as at 1st May 2008 Brett's Total as at 30th April - $327613 Brett's Total as at 1st May - $326022 A fall of $1591 for the day!! Total has dropped by $14818 over the past five trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Australian stocks close flat" The Australian share market closed flat on lower trading volumes after a weak lead from Wall Street and dip in some commodity prices overnight In the US overnight stocks fell after the Federal Reserve trimmed interest rates but left unclear the outlook for further rate cuts The Dow Jones industrial average finished down 11.81 points, or 0.09 per cent, at 12,820.13 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 9.6 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 5585.8, and the broader All Ordinaries had lost 4.3 points, or 0.08 per cent, to 5652.7 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index had declined six points at 5,595 on a volume of 16,018 contracts ABN Amro Morgans private client adviser Bill Bishop said the local market had shown its strength to end only slightly down despite the negative leads "It's been a pretty benign day" Mr Bishop said "It's a good demonstration of strength in the market Have we passed the bottom? Who knows? But Australia has this incredible position in the resources The `lucky' country was never a truer word" The big miners ended the day mixed, with Rio Tinto down eight cents to $136.00 and BHP Billiton adding 63 cents to $42.90 The spot price of gold was $US876.15, up US$2.75 on Wednesday's close of $US873.40 Gold stocks were better, with Newmont adding six cents to $4.69, Lihir rising 14 cents to $3.08 and Newcrest finding nine cents to $28.99 Preliminary market turnover was 1.48 billion shares worth $4.67 billion, with 542 rising, 614 falling and 338 unchanged |
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x NOTE #85 |
Notes as at 2nd May 2008 Brett's Total as at 1st May - $326022 Brett's Total as at 2nd May - $330944 Over the past five trading days, the total has dropped by $14818 - refer to Note #84 But today it was back up by $4922!! *** At the close of business - "Aussie stocks end week on a high" The Australian stock market closed the week higher as local financial stocks returned to favour after a strong lead from Wall Street overnight Overnight on Wall Street US stocks rallied sharply amid a strengthening US dollar and falling oil prices and as investors looked forward to an apparent pause in the Federal Reserve's interest rate cutting campaign The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 189.87 points or 1.48 per cent to 13,010 Here, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed up 114.6 points, or 2.05 per cent, to 5700.4 and the broader All Ordinaries added 107.7 points, or 1.91 per cent, to 5760.4 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index was 132 points higher at 5,727 on a volume of 25, 109 contracts CMC Markets senior dealer James Foulsham said the market seemed to be emerging from a period of volatile trading over recent months "The market has really stabilised the last few weeks, particularly the financial sector" he said "We had a really strong lead from the US overnight and the Aussie market has just followed suit" The big miners lifted with BHP Billiton advancing 52 cents to $43.42 and Rio Tinto adding $2.26, to $138.26 The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US850.00, down $US24.95 on Thursday's close of $US874.95 Gold stocks were lower, with Lihir off 10 cents to $2.98, Newcrest down $1.39 to $27.60, and Newmont dipping 12 cents at $4.57 Preliminary market turnover was 1.5 billion shares worth $5.65 billion with 731 stocks rising, 473 falling and 331 unchanged Notes as at 5th May 2008 Brett's Total as at 2nd May - $330944 Brett's Total as at 5th May - $333815 Up by $2871 for the day!! (Friday to Monday) Total has increased by $7793 over the past two trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks higher on resource, energy gains" The Australian stock market closed higher on Monday after being underpinned by gains in the resources and energy sectors, as metal prices rose and takeover activity encourage buyers At the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was 29.9 points higher at 5730.3, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 37.3 points to 5797.7 On the Sydney Futures Exchange the June share price index contract was 51 points higher at 5746 points, on a volume of 18,821 contracts MF Global senior trader Anthony Anderson said strong metal prices has buoyed the resources sector while BG Group's proposed $13 billion takeover of Origin Energy, announced last week, was adding weight to the energy sector "The resource sectors are the focus, particularly the oil, coal and gas sectors The gas sector has been on fire for a few days, fired up by the Origin takeover" Mr Anderson said "Metals were strong over the weekend and we have seen the big resource companies, BHP and Rio, display strength all day The banks are still okay but they are losing a little bit of the shine as the resources do particularly well and that's really been the focus for the market today" BHP Billiton added 70 cents to $44.12 and rival Rio Tinto put on 69 cents to $138.95 The spot price of gold was trading at $US863.45 an ounce, up $US11 an ounce on Friday's local close of $US852.45 an ounce The gold miners were stronger, with Newcrest adding 70 cents to $28.30, Lihir putting on 10 cents to $3.08 and Newmont finding 15 cents to $4.72 Preliminary national market turnover was 1.48 billion shares, worth a total of $4.09 billion, with 701 stocks moving up, 531 moving down and 335 unchanged Notes as at 6th May 2008 Brett's Total as at 5th May - $333815 Brett's Total as at 6th May - $338321 Up by $4506 for the day!! Total has increased by $12299 over the past three trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close marginally lower" The Australian share market closed marginally lower on Tuesday, dragged down by the banks and a weak US lead, with the widely expected decision by the central bank to keep interest rates on hold having little effect The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was down 28.9 points, or 0.5 per cent, to 5,701.4 and the broader All Ordinaries lost 19.8 points, or 0.34 per cent, to 5,777.9 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index dropped 22 points to 5,711 on a volume of 18,484 contracts The Reserve Bank of Australia on Tuesday left official interest rates steady at 7.25 per cent, which was expected by the market, said DJ Carmichael research assistant Peter Kopetz "They will still be looking at it quite closely over the next quarter to see how the CPI (consumer price index) figures perform" Mr Kopetz said Mr Kopetz said the resources sector, particularly energy and iron ore, performed strongly He said presentations at the RIU Sydney Resources Round-Up conference were driving up the share prices of featured companies this week The big diversified miners were higher BHP Billiton gained 30 cents, or 0.68 per cent, to $44.42 while its takeover target Rio Tinto gained $2.98, or 2.14 per cent, to $141.93 BHP Billiton said its Neptune facility in the Gulf of Mexico was undergoing alterations to reinforce structural components in the hull's pontoons The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US874.05 per fine ounce, up $US10.00 on Monday's close of $US864.05 Accordingly, the gold miners were higher Newcrest added 70 cents, or 2.47 per cent, to $29.00, Lihir Gold gained five cents to $3.13 and Newmont picked up five cents to $4.77 Preliminary market turnover was 1.51 billion shares worth $4.78 billion, with 595 stocks up, 646 down and 327 unchanged Notes as at 7th May 2008 Brett's Total as at 6th May - $338321 Brett's Total as at 7th May - $340223 Up by $1902 for the day!! Total has increased by $14201 over the past four trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close lower" The Australian share market gave back early gains today to close lower despite a positive night on Wall Street On Wall Street overnight the Dow Jones industrial average finished up 51.29 points, or 0.40 per cent, at 13,020.83 The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index closed down 33 points, or 0.58 per cent, to 5668.4 and the broader All Ordinaries lost 20.1 points, or 0.35 per cent, to 5757.8 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index had given up 36 points to 5,681 on a volume of 22,598 contracts Private client adviser Tony Chidiac at Ord Minnett said a rally in banking stocks over the past three weeks appeared to have set up some profit-taking from those stocks today The big miners traded higher, buoyed by improving metal prices in London overnight, with BHP Billiton advancing 87 cents to $45.29 and Rio Tinto accumulating $3.33 to $145.26 Mr Chidiac pointed out speculation that China was preparing to sign off on higher iron ore prices would have boosted the big miners' stocks The spot price of gold in Sydney was $US873.60, down $US2.70 on yesterday's close of $US876.30 Gold miner Newcrest increased 99 cents to $29.99, Newmont found six cents to $4.83 and Lihir added one cent to $3.14 Preliminary national market turnover was 2.05 billion shares worth $6.23 billion with 610 stocks rising, 674 falling and 294 unchanged Notes as at 8th May 2008 Brett's Total as at 7th May - $340223 Brett's Total as at 8th May - $341046 ...... highest total since 10th January 2008!! Up by $823 for the day!! Total has increased by $15024 over the past five trading days!! *** At the close of business - "Stocks close higher" The Australian share market recovered from a poor start to close higher on Thursday as strength among the major banks outweighed a negative lead from United States markets On Wall Street overnight, concerns about renewed inflation and higher interest rates, and record high oil prices led to the Dow Jones industrial average falling 206.48 points, or 1.59 per cent, to 12,814.35 Here at the close, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 54.8 points, or 0.97 per cent, at 5723.2, and the broader All Ordinaries had gained 43.1 points, or 0.75 per cent, to 5800.9 On the Sydney Futures exchange, the June share price index futures contract had lifted 96 points to 5,752, on a volume of 33,509 contracts, according to preliminary calculations ABN Amro Morgans senior client adviser Roger Chandler said the market was driven upwards by the banking sector In the resources sector, global miner BHP Billiton retreated 34 cents to $44.95 and Rio Tinto firmed 14 cents to $145.40 In the gold sector, Newmont dipped three cents to $4.80, Newcrest climbed 29 cents to $30.28, and Lihir surrendered 13 cents to $3.01 The price of gold in Sydney was $US866.40 per fine ounce, down $US8.40 on Wednesday's close of $US874.80 Preliminary national turnover was 1.84 billion shares worth $6.39 billion, with 626 stocks down, 583 up and 368 unchanged |