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I didn't really fall asleep; to tell the truth I went to the dump with a trailer-ful of crap. That was far more exciting than watching the markets, anyhow (even Japan was tedious, and Hongkers got most of its move done at the open, and just wiggled around in a 50-point range for the whoe day thus far).
The dump was far more interesting - plus, I popped my thumb out, which gave me the opportunity to test my recent mantra ("This doesn't hurt as much as you think") which I had previously only applied to taking the plug out of the sink after shaving. It works... things don't hurt anywhere near as much as you first think they do.
I'm blathering now... on to the markets...
Major Market Indices
The broad market - the ASX All Ordinaries - rose by 17.10 points (0.42%), finishing at 4100.70 points. The index hit an intraday high of 4114.10 - 15 minutes after the open - and its low was 4083.6 (at the open). The close was right in the mid-range, which is what you would expect when there's no genuine commitment by buyers or sellers. The whole market is behaving like tech stock investors from 1999; momentum is the order of the day.
Total volume traded on the ASX was a paltry 880 million units, 27.4% below its 10-day average. Given that the 10-day average itself is pretty subdued due to residual short-week influences, it shows just how lame the turnover was.
The Index that forms the cash basis for the SFE's Share Price Index Futures - the S&P/ASX 200 - rose by 14.70 points (0.36%), finishing at 4109.90 points.
The "heavy hitters" of the Australian market - the ASX 20 Leaders - rose by 1.00 points (0.05%), finishing at 2211.30 points. Within the index members, there were 10 that rose, and 8 losers. Total volume in rising issues within the ASX20 amounted to 59.76 while volume in the losers totalled 29.19m units.
The major winners in the "big guns" were -
- Rio Tinto (RIO), +$0.64 (1.44%) to $45.10 on volume of 2.72m shares;
- BHP Billiton (BHP), +$0.25 (1.41%) to $17.93 on volume of 13.68m shares;
- AMP Limited (AMP), +$0.09 (1.28%) to $7.10 on volume of 5.95m shares;
- Alumina (AWC), +$0.06 (1.03%) to $5.89 on volume of 5.22m shares; and
- QBE Insurance Group (QBE), +$0.15 (1.02%) to $14.80 on volume of 2.3m shares.
The following stocks made up the biggest percentage losers in the big-guns:
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), -$0.63 (2.52%) to $24.37 on volume of 2.48m shares;
- Coles Myer Ltd. (CML), -$0.13 (1.36%) to $9.42 on volume of 5.37m shares;
- Woolworths (WOW), -$0.12 (0.74%) to $16.10 on volume of 1.49m shares;
- Australia And New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ), -$0.09 (0.43%) to $20.61 on volume of 5.13m shares; and
- National Australia Bank (NAB), -$0.12 (0.42%) to $28.41 on volume of 4.79m shares.
At the smaller end of the market's capitalisation scale, the ASX Small Ordinaries Index - the only place where underexploited value exists with any regularity - rose by 29.70 points (1.29%), finishing at 2325.40 points. The major winners in the "pop-guns" were -
- Sino Gold (SGX), +$0.20 (11.76%) to $1.90 on volume of 34,000 shares;
- Chemeq (CMQ), +$0.12 (8.96%) to $1.46 on volume of 1.01m shares;
- Excel Coal (EXL), +$0.54 (7.76%) to $7.50 on volume of 1.23m shares;
- Consolidated Minerals (CSM), +$0.24 (6.86%) to $3.74 on volume of 1.38m shares; and
- Zinifex (ZFX), +$0.17 (6.09%) to $2.96 on volume of 5.74m shares.
The losingest-little-guys for the session were (in order of decline):
- Silex Systems (SLX), -$0.07 (6.73%) to $0.97 on volume of 306,000 shares;
- Genetic Technologies (GTG), -$0.02 (5%) to $0.38 on volume of 407,000 shares; and
- Sunland Group (SDG), -$0.10 (4.88%) to $1.95 on volume of 479,000 shares;
- Metabolic Pharmaceuticals (MBP), -$0.03 (4.35%) to $0.66 on volume of 469,000 shares; and
- Bendigo Mining (BDG), -$0.05 (4.07%) to $1.18 on volume of 942,000 shares.
| Index Changes | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| XAO | All Ordinaries | 4100.7 | 17.1 | 0.42% | 537.43m |
| XTL | S&P/ASX 20 | 2211.3 | 1 | 0.05% | 97.18m |
| XFL | S&P/ASX 50 | 4053.2 | 8.4 | 0.21% | 0 |
| XTO | S&P/ASX 100 | 3340.6 | 9.3 | 0.28% | 0 |
| XJO | S&P/ASX 200 | 4109.9 | 14.7 | 0.36% | 429.25m |
| XKO | S&P/ASX 300 | 4110.9 | 15.4 | 0.38% | 0 |
| XMD | S&P/ASX Mid-Cap 50 | 3990.4 | 27.7 | 0.7% | 0 |
| XSO | S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries | 2325.4 | 29.7 | 1.29% | 152.4m |
All Ordinaries Market Internals
[]
| Market Breadth | |||||
| XAO | XJO | XSO | ASX20 | Market | |
| Advances | 251 | 125 | 108 | 10 | 544 |
| Declines | 106 | 44 | 37 | 8 | 331 |
| Advancing Volume | 324.06m | 277.48m | 89.23m | 59.76 | 512.93 |
| Declining Volume | 115.84m | 103.31m | 19.79m | 29.19 | 217.74 |
S&P/ASX200 GICS Sector Indices
The top sector for the day was Information Technology which gained 1.57% to 375.60 points. The sector was helped by
- IRESS Market Technology (IRE), +$0.15 (3.68%) to $4.23 on volume of 181,000 shares;
- MYOB (MYO), +$0.03 (2.88%) to $1.07 on volume of 315,000 shares;
- Computershare (CPU), +$0.10 (1.81%) to $5.63 on volume of 1.4m shares;
- ERG (ERG), +$0.01 (1.69%) to $0.30 on volume of 4.95m shares; and
- Baycorp Advantage (BCA), -$0.00 (0%) to $3.00 on volume of 1.02m shares.
Second in the sector leadership stakes was Materials which gained 1.15% to 7137.40 points. The sector leaders were -
- Excel Coal (EXL), +$0.54 (7.76%) to $7.50 on volume of 1.23m shares;
- Zinifex (ZFX), +$0.17 (6.09%) to $2.96 on volume of 5.74m shares;
- Centennial Coal Company (CEY), +$0.23 (5.07%) to $4.77 on volume of 1.19m shares;
- Gunns (GNS), +$0.20 (5%) to $4.20 on volume of 805,000 shares; and
- Minara Resources (MRE), +$0.08 (4.17%) to $2.00 on volume of 2.55m shares.
The bronze today went to Industrials which gained 0.70% to 5009.70 points. The sector was led by
- Downer EDI (DOW), +$0.22 (4.38%) to $5.24 on volume of 404,000 shares;
- Corporate Express Australia (CXP), +$0.23 (3.74%) to $6.38 on volume of 238,000 shares;
- GWA International (GWT), +$0.09 (3.32%) to $2.80 on volume of 343,000 shares;
- Toll Holdings (TOL), +$0.30 (2.19%) to $14.00 on volume of 926,000 shares; and
- Prime Infrastructure Group (PIF), +$0.03 (2.14%) to $1.43 on volume of 1.22m shares.
The worst-performed sector today was Consumer Staples which lost 0.78% to 5546.10 points. The sector was dragged lower by
- Coles Myer Ltd. (CML), -$0.13 (1.36%) to $9.42 on volume of 5.37m shares;
- Coca-Cola Amatil (CCL), -$0.10 (1.15%) to $8.60 on volume of 1.42m shares; and
- AWB (AWB), -$0.04 (0.86%) to $4.62 on volume of 229,000 shares;
- Woolworths (WOW), -$0.12 (0.74%) to $16.10 on volume of 1.49m shares; and
- Ridley Corporation (RIC), -$0.01 (0.67%) to $1.49 on volume of 255,000 shares.
Just in front of last place on the sector table was Energy which lost 0.74% to 8153.70 points. It's a little unfair on the sector, though - it was pulled down by Woodside's weight. Only two stocks in the 10-stock sector index fell, but the one that fell thew most is also one that dwarfs the rest of the sector. The unweighted average price move forthe sector was actually positive 0.74%, with 6 of the 10 stocks rising by more than a percent (and TAP rose by over 3%). However when a secto declines, we look at the losers... they were -
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), -$0.63 (2.52%) to $24.37 on volume of 2.48m shares; and
- Arc Energy (ARQ), -$0.03 (1.67%) to $1.77 on volume of 1.2m shares.
| Sector Indices | |||||
| Code | GICS Sector | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| XIJ | Information Technology | 375.6 | 5.8 | 1.57% | 8.38m |
| XMJ | Materials | 7137.4 | 80.9 | 1.15% | 81.69m |
| XNJ | Industrials | 5009.7 | 34.7 | 0.7% | 49.04m |
| XDJ | Consumer Discretionary | 2283.8 | 14.7 | 0.65% | 39.79m |
| XHJ | Healthcare | 4854.3 | 27.7 | 0.57% | 10.32m |
| XTJ | Telecommunications | 1805.9 | 7.1 | 0.39% | 24.99m |
| XXJ | ASX200 Financials ex Property Trusts | 4867 | 9.7 | 0.2% | 52.23m |
| XUJ | Utilities | 4708.7 | 7.3 | 0.16% | 5.22m |
| XFJ | Financials | 4804.5 | 6.4 | 0.13% | 172.21m |
| XPJ | Property Trusts | 1748.9 | -1.6 | -0.09% | 125.58m |
| XEJ | Energy | 8153.7 | -60.9 | -0.74% | 20.54m |
| XSJ | Consumer Staples | 5546.1 | -43.5 | -0.78% | 24.5m |
All Ordinaries Major Movers
| All Ords Volume Leaders | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| RTM | Reefton Mining | 0.12 | 0.02 | 14.29% | 42.36m |
| PLA | Platinum Australia | 0.17 | 0.01 | 6.45% | 30.93m |
| TLS | Telstra Corporation. | 5.11 | 0.05 | 0.99% | 18.37m |
| MOF | Macquarie Office Trust | 1.27 | 0.01 | 0.79% | 17.32m |
| BHP | BHP Billiton | 17.93 | 0.25 | 1.41% | 13.68m |
| IPG | Investa Property Group | 2.08 | -0.04 | -1.89% | 12.5m |
| All Ords Percentage Gainers | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| ABI | Ambri | 0.16 | 0.02 | 14.81% | 656032 |
| SGX | Sino Gold | 1.9 | 0.2 | 11.76% | 33572 |
| BGF | Ballarat Goldfields | 0.21 | 0.02 | 10.81% | 7.13m |
| CGX | Central Asia Gold | 0.73 | 0.07 | 10.61% | 413692 |
| UNW | Unwired Group | 0.55 | 0.05 | 10% | 735665 |
| All Ords Percentage Decliners | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| CAG | Cape Range Wireless | 0.046 | -0.005 | -9.8% | 3.9m |
| EPT | Epitan | 0.63 | -0.05 | -7.35% | 627626 |
| SLX | Silex Systems | 0.97 | -0.07 | -6.73% | 306401 |
| PBT | Prana Biotechnology | 0.44 | -0.03 | -6.38% | 176080 |
| AGI | Ainsworth Game Technology | 0.67 | -0.04 | -5.63% | 905152 |
Elsewhere in the Region...
Japan's Nikkei 225 rose 103.07 points (0.89%) to 11668.95 points at the time of writing; it had traded in a band pretty much demarcated by 11600 below and 11650 above, until a spurt at close to 3 p.m. tokyo time took it "properly" above the 11650 level.
The Kiwi Market declined 0.35 points (-0.01%), although at one stage it was up almost 30 points, and the afternoon sessio nwas pretty uninspiring stuff (like their cricket team). A total of 28 stocks within the NZSE50 rose, with volume in advancers totalling 11million units. Decliners numbered 13, and total volume traded in losers was 25.9million shares; there was far more commitment to getting rid of losers than there was tp buying stocks that were rising. Individual stocks that were a but suck included...
- Cavalier Corporation (CAV), -NZ$0.15 (3.8%) to NZ$3.80 on volume of 27,000 shares;
- Tower Limited (TWR), -NZ$0.04 (2.21%) to NZ$1.77 on volume of 1.94m shares;
- Fisher & Paykel A (FPA), -NZ$0.06 (1.98%) to NZ$2.97 on volume of 618,000 shares;
- Restaurant Brands (RBD), -NZ$0.02 (1.63%) to NZ$1.21 on volume of 113,000 shares; and
- Carter Holt Harvey (CAH), -NZ$0.03 (1.5%) to NZ$1.97 on volume of 3.79m shares.
Someone obviously moved that pot plant back into position - the boost to the market's Feng Shui went into overdrive (If Women's Weekly can claim that Feng Shui can make housewives happy, I can claim that it makes the market move). Hong Kong's Hang Seng index advanced 101.20 points (0.75%). Within the Hang Seng, 24 index components rose, while 6 stocks fell. Volume in the gainers in Hong Kong's big-cap index totalled 195.8million units, and total volume traded in losers was 41.6million shares. Individual stocks that contributed to the advance included...
- Lenovo Group (0992), +HK$0.15 (5.88%) to HK$2.70 on volume of 78.27m shares;
- PCCW (0008), +HK$0.20 (4.85%) to HK$4.33 on volume of 16.82m shares;
- Yue Yuen Industries (0551), +HK$0.55 (2.56%) to HK$22.05 on volume of 1.21m shares;
- China Unicom (0762), +HK$0.15 (2.5%) to HK$6.15 on volume of 5.41m shares;
- Wheelock (0020), +HK$0.25 (2.3%) to HK$11.10 on volume of 5.32m shares; and
- Denway Motors (0203), +HK$0.05 (1.87%) to HK$2.73 on volume of 16.8m shares.
| Regional Indices | |||||
| Country | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| New Zealand | NZSE50 | 3039.078 | -0.35 | -0.01% | 43.73m |
| Japan | Nikkei 225 | 11668.95 | 103.07 | 0.89% | 73240 |
| Korea | KOSPI | 965.68 | 10.23 | 1.07% | 427573 |
| Singapore | Straits Times | 2145.03 | 21.87 | 1.03% | 0 |
| Hong Kong | Hang Seng | 13526.95 | 101.2 | 0.75% | 241.69m |
| Malaysia | KLSE Comp | 877.78 | 0.03 | 0% | 0 |
