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Finally, the markets are getting away from this whole "obsession with round numbers and multiples of 25" malarkey (although today's low was 4450-ish in the All Ords, but the high was a little too rich to be called 4475-ish). The Euro hasn't bounced worth a damn (although I note that in the twenty minutes after this morning's USRant, it moved from 1.1965 to 1.1980... but it gave it all back and has gone literally nowhere all day).
I'm madly trying to 'code up' a set of CCI-based indicators for real-time dispersal: trying to do anything that relies on accurate typing when you're moderately sleep deprived is always a larf. At least I've worked out how to fix my penchant for leaving out statement end marks (semi-colons) at the end of conditional branches...
There were two candidate solutions: one, learn to type better. (Not gonna happen).
Two, macro-fy things that fix the grossest errors, then track down residual errors on the fly. An example of the 'macro-isable' problem is a very common cockup that I make, namely leaving off the statement-ending semi-colon in the last statement in a conditional branch...
if(condition)
then {statement 1; statement 2; statement 3;}
else {statement 4; statement 5; statement 6;}
Since a conditional branch always ends in a 'curly bracket' i.e., one of these... } )... the easy thing to do is a global find/replace, replacing } with ;} and then replace ;;} with ;} (that last bit is to get rid of empty statements - they're no harm, but it's worth doing anyway).
I should have thought of the macro-fix before - although really it only fixes the most obviousof my programmatic typo's. The other common problem I create is mismatched brackets e.g., using $VarX[$i} when I want $VarX[$i] ... those are harder to spot by macro (but not impossible). Anyhow... maybe learning to type more better would be lower-cost, long run.
Anyway - the ability to 'deliver' a real-time chart is relatively easy, but 'switching' charts from one instrument to another (e.g., changing from an S&P chart to a Bond chart in real time, if something 'pops up' in the Bonds while the S&P previously had the 'focus') is tiresome.
But since the terrrrists are going to get us all anyway, maybe I shouldn't bother too much. (Have I mentioned how only a complete cretin would believe John Howard's very conveniently-timed assertion of imminent terrrrist threat? I'm sure I mentioned it somewhere...).
Major Market Indices
The broad market - the ASX All Ordinaries (XAO) - rose by 7.40 points (0.17%), finishing at 4468.30 points. The index hit an intraday high of 4480.20 (at the usual 'scalp a short in the SPI' time of 10:30 a.m. as detailed in this morning's SPISpy RantMail) and its low was 4453.5, set almost exactly one hour after the high. From there it was basically a holding pattern for the rest of the session, with the eventual close being as near to mid-range as makes no odds.
Total volume traded on the ASX was just shy of 900 million units, 0.9% below its 10-day average. Of the 486 stocks in the index, 188 rose while 164 fell. Volume was tilted in favour of the gainers by a margin of 1.1:1, with 225.04million shares traded in gainers while 196.57million shares traded in the day's losers.
The Index that forms the cash basis for the SFE's Share Price Index Futures - the S&P/ASX 200 (XJO) - rose by 5.80 points (0.13%), finishing at 4519.50 points.
The "heavy hitters" of the Australian market - the ASX 20 Leaders (XTL) - rose by 6.80 points (0.28%), finishing at 2440.80 points. Within the index members, there were 13 that rose, and 6 losers. Total volume in rising issues within the ASX20 amounted to 73.04m shares while volume in the losers totalled 20.09m units.
The major winners in the "big guns" were -
- Alumina (AWC), +$0.170 (2.92%) to $6.000 on volume of 5.98m shares;
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), +$0.730 (2.22%) to $33.640 on volume of 1.37m shares;
- Macquarie Bank (MBL), +$1.000 (1.51%) to $67.200 on volume of 722,000 shares;
- Woolworths (WOW), +$0.150 (0.91%) to $16.550 on volume of 2.61m shares; and
- St George Bank (SGB), +$0.240 (0.87%) to $27.700 on volume of 1.12m shares.
The following stocks made up the biggest percentage losers in the big-guns:
- Rinker Group (RIN), -$0.310 (2.01%) to $15.140 on volume of 3.1m shares;
- AMP Limited (AMP), -$0.07 (0.97%) to $7.16 on volume of 6.84m shares;
- QBE Insurance Group (QBE), -$0.16 (0.87%) to $18.23 on volume of 1.45m shares;
- Suncorp-Metway (SUN), -$0.14 (0.73%) to $19.16 on volume of 1.03m shares;
- Westfield Group (WDC), -$0.05 (0.3%) to $16.85 on volume of 4.56m shares.
At the smaller end of the market's capitalisation scale, the ASX Small Ordinaries Index (XSO) rose by 13.30 points (0.53%), finishing at 2543.60 points. The major winners in the "pop-guns" were -
- Tap Oil (TAP), +$0.180 (7.56%) to $2.560 on volume of 915,000 shares;
- Perilya (PEM), +$0.045 (5.84%) to $0.815 on volume of 1.22m shares; and
- Australian Worldwide Exploration (AWE), +$0.110 (5.64%) to $2.060 on volume of 1.74m shares; and
- Zinifex (ZFX), +$0.270 (5.4%) to $5.270 on volume of 5.4m shares; and
- Hardman Resources (HDR), +$0.100 (5.15%) to $2.040 on volume of 3.31m shares.
The losingest-little-guys for the session were (in order of decline):
- ERG (ERG), -$0.020 (12.12%) to $0.145 on volume of 4.95m shares;
- Mcpherson's (MCP), -$0.300 (9.52%) to $2.850 on volume of 151,000 shares; and
- Antares Energy (AZZ), -$0.030 (6%) to $0.470 on volume of 799,000 shares; and
- Norwood Abbey (NAL), -$0.030 (5.88%) to $0.480 on volume of 37,000 shares; and
- Arc Energy (ARQ), -$0.065 (3.53%) to $1.775 on volume of 1.01m shares.
Index Changes
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XAO | All Ordinaries | 4468.3 | 7.4 | 0.17% | 504.62m |
| XTL | S&P/ASX 20 | 2440.8 | 6.8 | 0.28% | 0 |
| XFL | S&P/ASX 50 | 4431 | 2.7 | 0.06% | 226.25m |
| XTO | S&P/ASX 100 | 3668.9 | 3.3 | 0.09% | 303.17m |
| XJO | S&P/ASX 200 | 4519.5 | 5.8 | 0.13% | 406.63m |
| XKO | S&P/ASX 300 | 4512.4 | 5.8 | 0.13% | 0 |
| XMD | S&P/ASX Mid-Cap 50 | 4497.5 | 11.3 | 0.25% | 0 |
| XSO | S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries | 2543.6 | 13.3 | 0.53% | 128.68m |
All Ordinaries Market Internals
Market Breadth
| ASX20 | XTO | XJO | XAO | XSO | Market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advances | 13 | 48 | 93 | 188 | 82 | 477 |
| Declines | 6 | 41 | 73 | 164 | 64 | 444 |
| Advancing Volume | 73.04m | 146.65m | 196.85m | 225.04m | 67.12m | 403.08m |
| Declining Volume | 20.09m | 131.81m | 148.03m | 196.57m | 37.87m | 340.06m |
S&P/ASX200 GICS Sector Indices
The top sector for the day was XEJ Energy which gained 2.06% to 10259.00 points. Everything is the sector went ballistic after the overnight bounce in Crude. The biggest percentage gainers in the sector were:
- Tap Oil (TAP), +$0.180 (7.56%) to $2.560 on volume of 915,000 shares;
- Australian Worldwide Exploration (AWE), +$0.110 (5.64%) to $2.060 on volume of 1.74m shares;
- Hardman Resources (HDR), +$0.100 (5.15%) to $2.040 on volume of 3.31m shares;
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), +$0.730 (2.22%) to $33.640 on volume of 1.37m shares; and
- Oil Search (OSH), +$0.070 (2.15%) to $3.330 on volume of 4.72m shares.
Second in the sector leadership stakes was XUJ Utilities which gained 1.16% to 5259.60 points. The sector leaders were -
- Gasnet Australia Group (GAS), +$0.060 (2.19%) to $2.800 on volume of 276,000 shares;
- Alinta (ALN), +$0.220 (2.05%) to $10.970 on volume of 881,000 shares;
- Australian Gas Light Company (AGL), +$0.160 (1.08%) to $14.980 on volume of 811,000 shares;
- Envestra (ENV), +$0.010 (0.82%) to $1.225 on volume of 605,000 shares; and
- Australian Pipeline Trust (APA), -$0.000 (0%) to $3.660 on volume of 156,000 shares.
The bronze today went to XSJ Consumer Staples which gained 0.44% to 5870.70 points. The sector was led by
- Burns, Philp & Company (BPC), +$0.030 (2.67%) to $1.155 on volume of 12.38m shares;
- Woolworths (WOW), +$0.150 (0.91%) to $16.550 on volume of 2.61m shares;
- Foodland Associated (FOA), +$0.250 (0.91%) to $27.630 on volume of 137,000 shares;
- Coles Myer Ltd (CML), +$0.060 (0.59%) to $10.200 on volume of 3.08m shares; and
- Ridley Corporation (RIC), +$0.005 (0.36%) to $1.375 on volume of 90,000 shares.
The worst-performed sector today was XMJ Materials which lost 0.36% to 8390.10 points. The sector was dragged lower by
- Bluescope Steel (BSL), -$1.260 (14.5%) to $7.430 on volume of 36.65m shares;
- Onesteel (OST), -$0.140 (3.79%) to $3.550 on volume of 6.3m shares;
- Smorgon Steel Group (SSX), -$0.050 (3.33%) to $1.450 on volume of 2.94m shares;
- Jubilee Mines (JBM), -$0.200 (3.17%) to $6.100 on volume of 1.08m shares; and
- Timbercorp (TIM), -$0.080 (3.03%) to $2.560 on volume of 426,000 shares.
Just in front of last place on the sector table was XPJ Property Trusts which lost 0.24% to 1834.80 points. The sector was pulled down by
- Centro Properties Group (CNP), -$0.070 (1.13%) to $6.100 on volume of 1.36m shares;
- CFS Gandel Retail Trust (GAN), -$0.020 (1.05%) to $1.880 on volume of 1.95m shares;
- Investa Property Group (IPG), -$0.015 (0.76%) to $1.970 on volume of 2.22m shares.
Sector Indices
| Code | GICS Sector | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XEJ | Energy | 10259 | 207.5 | 2.06% | 21.11m |
| XUJ | Utilities | 5259.6 | 60.1 | 1.16% | 5.23m |
| XSJ | Consumer Staples | 5870.7 | 25.5 | 0.44% | 30.18m |
| XTJ | Telecommunications | 1530.9 | 4 | 0.26% | 26.72m |
| XXJ | ASX200 Financials ex Property Trusts | 5543.4 | 11.9 | 0.22% | 49.04m |
| XHJ | Healthcare | 5939.6 | 9.7 | 0.16% | 9.83m |
| XFJ | Financials | 5374.5 | 6.2 | 0.12% | 98.51m |
| XNJ | Industrials | 5015 | -1 | -0.02% | 42.54m |
| XDJ | Consumer Discretionary | 2210.1 | -2 | -0.09% | 30.07m |
| XIJ | Information Technology | 429.9 | -0.6 | -0.14% | 10.32m |
| XPJ | Property Trusts | 1834.8 | -4.5 | -0.24% | 52.67m |
| XMJ | Materials | 8390.1 | -30.6 | -0.36% | 134m |
All Ordinaries Major Movers
All Ords Volume Leaders
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BSL | Bluescope Steel | 7.43 | -1.26 | -14.5% | 36.65m |
| TLS | Telstra Corporation | 4.19 | 0.01 | 0.24% | 25.72m |
| BHP | BHP Billiton | 21.35 | 0.07 | 0.33% | 15.69m |
| GBG | Gindalbie Gold | 0.27 | 0.03 | 12.5% | 15.63m |
| LHG | Lihir Gold | 1.88 | 0.06 | 3.31% | 13.46m |
| MIG | Macquarie Infrastructure Group | 3.37 | -0.01 | -0.3% | 12.4m |
All Ords Percentage Gainers
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TAP | Tap Oil | 2.56 | 0.18 | 7.56% | 914724 |
| VRL | Village Roadshow | 2.5 | 0.17 | 7.3% | 596295 |
| GNC | Graincorp | 11.2 | 0.7 | 6.67% | 14087 |
| PEM | Perilya | 0.82 | 0.05 | 5.84% | 1.22m |
| AWE | Australian Worldwide Exploration | 2.06 | 0.11 | 5.64% | 1.74m |
All Ords Percentage Decliners
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BTA | Biota Holdings | 1.41 | -0.26 | -15.32% | 11.41m |
| BSL | Bluescope Steel | 7.43 | -1.26 | -14.5% | 36.65m |
| ERG | ERG | 0.15 | -0.02 | -12.12% | 4.95m |
| AZZ | Antares Energy | 0.47 | -0.03 | -6% | 798725 |
| CMI | Cmi | 1.32 | -0.08 | -5.4% | 62485 |
Elsewhere in the Region...
Regional Indices
| Country | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | NZSE50 | 3325.66 | 2.22 | 0.07% | 20.82m |
| Japan | Nikkei 225 | 14022.86 | 128.08 | 0.92% | 0 |
| Korea | KOSPI | 1217.87 | -0.1 | -0.01% | 373616 |
| Singapore | Straits Times | 2262.2 | 6.66 | 0.3% | 0 |
| Hong Kong | Hang Seng | 14557.38 | -44.21 | -0.3% | 122.74m |
| Malaysia | KLSE Comp | 913.92 | 3.16 | 0.35% | 0 |
