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God I despise mainstream television; their obscene exploitation of the recent backlash against western bellicosity is enough to make you spew. The number of times they showed that guy getting CPR must be approaching 100.
Of course the foreigners who did it are the barbarians - leave aside that they are fighting an asymmetric war that we (or more accurately, our chief megalomaniacs) started. Don't let your mind wander back to September 11th, 2001; rather, wander back to 1953 when the democratic Mossadegh government was overthrown with CIA help, or to 1917 when the Sykes-Picot agreement and the Balfour Declaration expropriated half of the lands of Palestinians and gave it to some Eastern Europeans - explicitly dishonouring the agreement forged with the Ikhwan who helped overthrow the Ottoman Empire.
Bush talking about people who 'take the lives of innocent folks' is almost galactic in the scope of its gall; the amount of blood that his (and his predecessors') policies have shed from Palestine to Iraq is genocidal in scale.
Nobody thinks that the populace
at large should bear the brunt of the anger of the Arab (and Islamic)
world - but it's despicable to maunder about 54 Londoners when that
many Iraqi civilians are killed every week.
And didn't it happen at exactly the right time; Bush's poll numbers at their lowest point since.... September 11th 2001. The UK on the verge of announcing plans to withdraw from Iraq. the Downing Street Memos providing embarrassing witness to the bloodthirstiness and sheer mendacity of George the Turd PUS and Phony B.Liar (and Howard the Chimp playing the Renfield role). Karl Rove in the process of being indicted over the Plame affair. People in the mainstream media using the word 'impeachment', without using the words 'conspiracy theory' in the same paragraph.
Cuo bono? asked Cicero - one of the greatest minds of Roman jurisprudence. Did 'al-Qaeda' benefit? (the only al-Qaeda 'cell' ever actually captured turned out to be a Mossad front). Did, say, the Iraqi people benefit? The Saudis, perhaps? No, No. and No again. The Thanatocracy benefited, and don't think for even a second that they wouldn't think that 50-odd lives wasn't worth it. Generals send men into battle knowing that 50 men will be lost in a bad skirmish. Politicians lie their populations into completely pointless wars that cost millions of lives. Then they have summits and give each other medals.
Follow the money. Follow the creeping State Power and the loss of civil liberties. That tells you who's behind it.
Major Market Indices
The broad market - the ASX All Ordinaries - fell by 3.80 points (-0.09%), finishing at 4193.80 points. The index hit an intraday high of 4206.60 and its low was 4179.8, so the close was again just 0.6 points from the exact centre of the intraday range.
Total volume traded on the ASX was 780 million units, 15.4% below its 10-day average. Of the 483 stocks in the index, 188 fell while 156 managed a gain. Volume was tilted in favour of the losers by a margin of 1.6:1, with 203.66million shares traded in losers while 123.64million shares traded in they days gainers ..
The Index that forms the cash basis for the SFE's Share Price Index Futures - the S&P/ASX 200 - fell by 4.80 points (-0.11%), finishing at 4229.20 points.
The "heavy hitters" of the Australian market - the ASX 20 Leaders - fell by 4.50 points (-0.20%), finishing at 2274.50 points. Within the index members, there were 7 that rose, and 10 losers. Total volume in rising issues within the ASX20 amounted to 34.94 while volume in the losers totalled 38.05m units.
The major winners in the "big guns" were -
- Coles Myer Ltd (CML), +$0.21 (2.34%) to $9.18 on volume of 5.74m shares;
- Woolworths (WOW), +$0.10 (0.63%) to $15.96 on volume of 2.16m shares; and
- Telstra Corporation (TLS), +$0.03 (0.61%) to $4.96 on volume of 18.99m shares; and
- News Corporation (NWS), +$0.13 (0.58%) to $22.53 on volume of 3.03m shares; and
- News Corporation (NWSLV), +$0.07 (0.33%) to $21.59 on volume of 1.63m shares.
The following stocks made up the biggest percentage losers in the big-guns:
- Rio Tinto (RIO), -$0.59 (1.27%) to $45.76 on volume of 1.68m shares;
- BHP Billiton (BHP), -$0.22 (1.18%) to $18.38 on volume of 12.58m shares; and
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), -$0.20 (0.68%) to $29.35 on volume of 674,000 shares; and
- Foster's Group (FGL), -$0.03 (0.57%) to $5.26 on volume of 4.59m shares; and
- Westfield Group (WDC), -$0.09 (0.51%) to $17.71 on volume of 3.76m shares.
At the smaller end of the market's capitalisation scale, the ASX Small Ordinaries Index defied the small falls in the other main indices, gaining a scant 0.70 points (0.03%), finishing at 2335.80 points. The major winners in the "pop-guns" were -
- Lynas Corporation (LYC), +$0.01 (6.9%) to $0.16 on volume of 38,000 shares;
- Coates Hire (COA), +$0.28 (6.36%) to $4.68 on volume of 334,000 shares; and
- Bendigo Mining (BDG), +$0.04 (3.85%) to $1.08 on volume of 520,000 shares; and
- Western Areas (WSA), +$0.06 (3.8%) to $1.64 on volume of 918,000 shares; and
- Salmat (SLM), +$0.17 (3.61%) to $4.88 on volume of 94,000 shares.
The losingest-little-guys for the session were (in order of decline):
- Orbital Corporation (OEC), -$0.01 (8.33%) to $0.11 on volume of 460,000 shares;
- Minara Resources (MRE), -$0.135 (6.68%) to $1.8985 on volume of 9.08m shares; and
- Multiemedia (MUL), -$0.001 (6.25%) to $0.015 on volume of 16.76m shares; and
- Baycorp Advantage (BCA), -$0.11 (3.67%) to $2.89 on volume of 117,000 shares; and
- Grand Hotel Group (GHG), -$0.03 (3.61%) to $0.80 on volume of 774,000 shares.
| Index Changes | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| XAO | All Ordinaries | 4193.8 | -3.8 | -0.09% | 451.84m |
| XTL | S&P/ASX 20 | 2274.5 | -4.5 | -0.2% | 79.14m |
| XFL | S&P/ASX 50 | 4176.2 | -4.8 | -0.11% | 156.23m |
| XTO | S&P/ASX 100 | 3439 | -4.5 | -0.13% | 265.33m |
| XJO | S&P/ASX 200 | 4229.2 | -4.8 | -0.11% | 345.19m |
| XKO | S&P/ASX 300 | 4221.8 | -5 | -0.12% | 0 |
| XMD | S&P/ASX Mid-Cap 50 | 4086.1 | -9.6 | -0.23% | 0 |
| XSO | S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries | 2335.8 | 0.7 | 0.03% | 148.07m |
All Ordinaries Market Internals
| Market Breadth | ||||||
| ASX20 | XTO | XJO | XAO | XSO | Market | |
| Advances | 7 | 43 | 80 | 156 | 59 | 366 |
| Declines | 10 | 43 | 83 | 188 | 92 | 461 |
| Advancing Volume | 34.94m | 93.85m | 110.47m | 123.64 | 24.28 | 254.33 |
| Declining Volume | 38.05m | 135.01m | 160.93m | 203.66 | 86.02 | 408.12 |
S&P/ASX200 GICS Sector Indices
The top sector for the day was Telecommunications which gained 0.66% to 1764.30 points. The sector was helped by
- Telecom Corporation Of New Zealand (TEL), +$0.05 (0.91%) to $5.54 on volume of 2.67m shares;
- Telstra Corporation (TLS), +$0.03 (0.61%) to $4.96 on volume of 18.99m shares; and
Second in the sector leadership stakes was Consumer Staples which gained 0.53% to 5507.10 points. The sector leaders were -
- Futuris Corporation (FCL), +$0.09 (4.42%) to $2.01 on volume of 3.99m shares;
- Coles Myer Ltd (CML), +$0.21 (2.34%) to $9.18 on volume of 5.74m shares; and
- Ridley Corporation (RIC), +$0.02 (1.15%) to $1.32 on volume of 230,000 shares; and
- AWB (AWB), +$0.03 (0.65%) to $4.65 on volume of 783,000 shares; and
- Woolworths (WOW), +$0.10 (0.63%) to $15.96 on volume of 2.16m shares.
The bronze today went to Healthcare which gained 0.49% to 5261.40 points. The sector was led by
- DCA Group (DVC), +$0.08 (2.22%) to $3.68 on volume of 817,000 shares;
- Ansell (ANN), +$0.18 (1.76%) to $10.38 on volume of 200,000 shares; and
- Resmed Inc (RMD), +$0.15 (1.71%) to $8.92 on volume of 2.09m shares; and
- Ramsay Health Care (RHC), +$0.14 (1.69%) to $8.44 on volume of 630,000 shares; and
- Healthscope (HSP), +$0.06 (1.29%) to $4.72 on volume of 569,000 shares.
The worst-performed sector today was Information Technology which lost 0.91% to 371.70 points. The sector was dragged lower by
- Baycorp Advantage (BCA), -$0.11 (3.67%) to $2.89 on volume of 117,000 shares;
- ERG (ERG), -$0.01 (1.96%) to $0.25 on volume of 833,000 shares;
- Infomedia Ltd (IFM), -$0.01 (1.82%) to $0.54 on volume of 257,000 shares;
- Computershare (CPU), -$0.04 (0.7%) to $5.64 on volume of 1.39m shares; and
- MYOB (MYO), -$0.01 (0.47%) to $1.06 on volume of 267,000 shares.
Just in front of last place on the sector table was Materials which lost 0.53% to 7322.80 points. The sector was pulled down by
- Minara Resources (MRE), -$0.14 (6.68%) to $1.89 on volume of 9.08m shares;
- Orica (ORI), -$0.44 (2.46%) to $17.45 on volume of 781,000 shares;
- Lihir Gold (LHG), -$0.03 (2.43%) to $1.21 on volume of 4.52m shares;
- Paperlinx (PPX), -$0.07 (2.3%) to $2.98 on volume of 1.27m shares; and
- Jubilee Mines (JBM), -$0.17 (2.25%) to $7.38 on volume of 446,000 shares.
| Sector Indices | |||||
| Code | GICS Sector | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| XTJ | Telecommunications | 1764.3 | 11.5 | 0.66% | 21.66m |
| XSJ | Consumer Staples | 5507.1 | 29.2 | 0.53% | 34.74m |
| XHJ | Healthcare | 5261.4 | 25.8 | 0.49% | 10.76m |
| XXJ | ASX200 Financials ex Property Trusts | 5080.8 | 2.2 | 0.04% | 35.19m |
| XFJ | Financials | 5005.4 | -2.6 | -0.05% | 122.86m |
| XUJ | Utilities | 4940.4 | -5.5 | -0.11% | 2.91m |
| XDJ | Consumer Discretionary | 2217 | -3.1 | -0.14% | 23.39m |
| XPJ | Property Trusts | 1809.1 | -6.8 | -0.37% | 91.43m |
| XNJ | Industrials | 5040.2 | -20.8 | -0.41% | 37.26m |
| XEJ | Energy | 9462.2 | -39.6 | -0.42% | 19.81m |
| XMJ | Materials | 7322.8 | -39 | -0.53% | 83.7m |
| XIJ | Information Technology | 371.7 | -3.4 | -0.91% | 3.21m |
All Ordinaries Major Movers
| All Ords Volume Leaders | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| TTS | Tattersall's (ha ha ha ha ha) | 3.34 | -0.12 | -3.47% | 38.5m |
| TLS | Telstra Corporation | 4.96 | 0.03 | 0.61% | 18.99m |
| BHP | BHP Billiton | 18.38 | -0.22 | -1.18% | 12.58m |
| MXG | Multiplex Group | 2.89 | -0.05 | -1.7% | 9.37m |
| MRE | Minara Resources | 1.885 | -0.135 | -6.68% | 9.08m |
| RKN | Reckon | 0.78 | 0 | 0% | 8.71m |
| All Ords Percentage Gainers | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| AGI | Ainsworth Game Technology | 0.60 | 0.05 | 9.09% | 447905 |
| COA | Coates Hire | 4.68 | 0.28 | 6.36% | 333969 |
| FCL | Futuris Corporation | 2.01 | 0.085 | 4.42% | 3.99m |
| BDG | Bendigo Mining | 1.08 | 0.04 | 3.85% | 519925 |
| WSA | Western Areas | 1.64 | 0.06 | 3.8% | 917825 |
| All Ords Percentage Decliners | |||||
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| SPL | Starpharma Holdings | 0.47 | -0.06 | -11.32% | 115933 |
| GDM | Goldstream Mining | 0.30 | -0.03 | -9.09% | 233000 |
| OEC | Orbital Corporation | 0.11 | -0.01 | -8.33% | 460000 |
| MRE | Minara Resources | 1.885 | -0.135 | -6.68% | 9.08m |
| MUL | Multiemedia | 0.015 | -0.001 | -6.25% | 16.76m |
Elsewhere in the Region...
Japan's Nikkei 225fell 24.15 points (-0.21%) to close at 11565.99 points in a strangely symmetric session. From its small gap-down open at 11563.84 points, the index rose right through until exactly lunchtime, when hit its session high of 11653.26. IN the afternoon it fell almost back to the opening level, closing just over 2 points from its opening low.
The Kiwi Market declined 4.77 points (-0.15%) to settle at 3157.517 points. The index dropped sharply in the first five minutes of trade - by the end of that time it was trading at about 3245. from there it wandered sideways for the rest of the first half-hour, at which point it made its session low at 3243.159 points. the rest of the day was a relatively smooth rise, hitting its session high at 3264.768 ten minutes before the end of the session.
A total of 16 stocks within the NZSE50 rose, with volume in advancers totalling 6 million units. Decliners numbered 19, and total volume traded in losers was 10.3 million shares. Individual stocks that were soft included...
- Air New Zealand (AIR), -NZ$0.04 (3.05%) to NZ$1.27 on volume of 1.11m shares;
- Pumpkin Patch (PPL), -NZ$0.07 (2.48%) to NZ$2.75 on volume of 59,000 shares;
- Waste Management (WAM), -NZ$0.13 (1.95%) to NZ$6.52 on volume of 143,000 shares;
- Mainfreight Limited (MFT), -NZ$0.05 (1.75%) to NZ$2.80 on volume of 22,000 shares; and
- Auckland International Airport (AIA), -NZ$0.04 (1.72%) to NZ$2.29 on volume of 2.92m shares.
Hong Kong's Hang Sengindex declined 63.27 points (-0.45%) to sit just below 14000 at lunchtime (its lunchtime level is 13967.54 points). The index managed a little opening flurry, and hit a high of 14053.21 15 minutes into the session. from there it was largely sideways for the next hour (the index was just below 14050 for most of that time, before a drop off a cliff that took the index down to its session low at 13920.87 points just after 11:30 a.m. HK time.
Within the Hang Seng, 6 index components rose, while 21 stocks fell. Volume in the gainers in Hong Kong's big-cap index totalled 20million units, and total volume traded in losers was 145.5million shares. Individual stocks that contributed to the decline included...
- China Resources (0291), -HK$0.25 (2.03%) to HK$12.05 on volume of 1.08m shares;
- CNOOC (0883), -HK$0.08 (1.53%) to HK$4.83 on volume of 61.44m shares;
- China Merchants Holdings (0144), -HK$0.20 (1.35%) to HK$14.65 on volume of 1.83m shares;
- China Mobile (0941), -HK$0.30 (1.08%) to HK$27.55 on volume of 12.71m shares;
- Cosco Pacific (1199), -HK$0.15 (1.02%) to HK$14.50 on volume of 3.35m shares; and
- MTR Corporation (0066), -HK$0.15 (1.02%) to HK$14.55 on volume of 3.23m shares.
| Regional Indices | |||||
| Country | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
| New Zealand | NZSE50 | 3257.517 | -4.77 | -0.15% | 26.9m |
| Japan | Nikkei 225 | 11565.99 | -24.15 | -0.21% | 0 |
| Korea | KOSPI | 1021.95 | -4.87 | -0.47% | 605507 |
| Singapore | Straits Times | 2219.06 | 6.72 | 0.3% | 0 |
| Hong Kong | Hang Seng | 13967.54 | -63.27 | -0.45% | 183.87m |
| Malaysia | KLSE Comp | 903.01 | -3.95 | -0.44% | 0 |
