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Mark my words, dearest Reader, this little bounce has about as much chance of success as the French had before we - the Anglo-Saxon world - took up arms to save the Frogs from the Wehrmacht.
For those unfamiliar with history, let's wander down the byways for a bit...
It's funny to think that the Frogs were so mind-bogglingly humiliated that had we not taken up arms against our Germanic cousins, the National Anthem of France would be "Deutschland Uber Alles".
Like the Italians, the Frogs embed a surrender flag within their national drapeau... and are the only European nation to have been forced to defend their own capital four times in the space of a hundred years... each time as a result of wars that they declared.
Quel honte! I don't think they have beaten anybody (except African tribesmen) since Agincourt... poor dears.
And they idolise a General - Big-nose de Gaulle - who was an utter coward... who ran away to London as soon as the Krauts entered Alsace, and didn't show his honk in France until it was all over. He then promptly declared himself the winner: as we Strayans say, he had more front than a shithouse rat with a gold tooth.
A common joke amongst those who saved France twice in a generation, is that there is only one thing that prevents immediate French surrender under fire: it takes time to unpick the sewing that connects the red and blue bits of the flag to the bit that you need in order to surrender.
In fact amongst those of a Saxon persuasion, the white flag of surrender is known as the 'Franco-Italian Battle Flag'.
But I digress...
As I have often said, France itself is delightful, and the people are very nice indeed - well, most of them. The half-breed Spaniards who don't really know who their father is aren't really French, so they don't count.
Catullus wrote some nasty things about Iberians, and nothing has crossed my field of view which would make me countermand his opinion.
When the chaps from StormFront come calling to East Walnut Street, tell them I said l'Chaim.
And now, the numbers...
Major Market Indices
The broad market - the All Ordinaries (XAO) - surged a whopping 151.5 points (3.98%), finishing at 3957.3 points. The index hit an intraday high of 3975.7 at 3:00 pm, while the low for the day was 3861.3 set at 10:35 am Sydney time on a weensie pullback from the opening spurt.
Total volume traded on the ASX was 1.48bn units, 22.3% above its 10-day average. The ASX's daily listing of all stocks included 1172 different 3-letter FPO's which traded (i.e., had non-zero trade volume).
Of these, 621 issues rose, with volume in rising issues totalling 939.6m units; decliners numbered 318 counters, and between them they traded aggregate declining volume of 362.1m shares.
Of the 493 All Ordinaries components, 305 rose while 114 fell. Volume was tilted in favour of the gainers by a margin of 2.9:1: 830.42m shares traded in gainers versus 285.14m shares in the day's losers.
The Index that forms the cash basis for the SPI Futures - the S&P/ASX 200 (XJO) - hurtled skyward to the tune of 155.5 points (4.04%), closing out the session at 4001.1 points. Let nobody assert that there was a concerted push to try and get a close above 4000.
| Name | Close | +/-(%) |
|---|---|---|
| All Ordinaries | 3957.30 | 151.50 (4.0%) |
| ASX 20 | 2441.10 | 101.70 (4.3%) |
| ASX 50 | 4060.50 | 157.80 (4.0%) |
| ASX 100 | 3302.50 | 126.70 (4.0%) |
| ASX 200 | 4001.10 | 155.50 (4.0%) |
| ASX 300 | 3977.20 | 154.00 (4.0%) |
| ASX Mid-Cap 50 | 3565.00 | 122.50 (3.6%) |
| ASX Small Ordinaries | 1799.80 | 77.30 (4.5%) |
The "heavy hitters" of the Australian market - the ASX 20 Leaders (XTL) - went off like a frog in a sock, stacking on 101.7 points (4.35%), closing out the session at 2441.1 points.
The 21 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 180.61m units; 19 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 172.79m shares, while the 2 decliners had volume traded totalling 7.82m units. The major percentage gainers within the index were
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), +$4.91 (12.84%) to $43.16 on volume of 3.3 million shares;
- Newcrest Mining (NCM), +$1.82 (9.73%) to $20.52 on volume of 3.4 million shares;
- Westfield Group (WDC), +$1.30 (9.59%) to $14.85 on volume of 7.5 million shares;
- Rio Tinto (RIO), +$6.54 (9.24%) to $77.32 on volume of 2.6 million shares; and
- BHP Billiton (BHP), +$2.30 (8.75%) to $28.60 on volume of 19.3 million shares.
The following stocks were the only losers within the index:
- CSL (CSL), -$0.74 (2.05%) to $35.44 on volume of 2 million shares; and
- Commonwealth Bank Of Australia (CBA), -$0.11 (0.27%) to $40.19 on volume of 5.8 million shares.
The ASX Small Ordinaries (XSO) performed broadly in line with its large-cap counterpart. - a bit of a moonshot, stacking on 77.3 points (4.49%), closing out the session at 1799.8 points.
Among the stocks that make up the Small Caps index, 145 index components finished to the upside, and of the rest, 43 closed lower for the session.
The 207 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 372.47m units: volume in the 145 gainers totalling 276.72m shares, with trade totalling 63.9m units in the index's 43 declining components. The major percentage gainers within the index were- Platinum Australia (PLA), +$0.24 (63.51%) to $0.61 on volume of 7 million shares;
- Murchison Metals Ltd (MMX), +$0.33 (55.56%) to $0.91 on volume of 2.2 million shares;
- Albidon (ALB), +$0.12 (32.86%) to $0.47 on volume of 840.5 thousand shares;
- Minara Resources (MRE), +$0.13 (32.5%) to $0.53 on volume of 7.4 million shares; and
- Apn/Uka European Retail Property Group (AEZ), +$0.03 (32.18%) to $0.12 on volume of 2.8 million shares.
In the red-zone of the little-stock index, the following list represents the biggest downers (in terms of percentage decline):
- Rubicon Japan Trust (RJT), -$0 (20%) to $0.01 on volume of 2.7 million shares;
- City Pacific (CIY), -$0.02 (17.27%) to $0.09 on volume of 624.3 thousand shares;
- Galileo Japan Trust (GJT), -$0.03 (15.15%) to $0.14 on volume of 2.2 million shares;
- Apex Minerals NL (AXM), -$0.03 (10.87%) to $0.21 on volume of 3.1 million shares; and
- Macquarie DDR Trust (MDT), -$0.01 (10.59%) to $0.08 on volume of 7.6 million shares.
Index Changes
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XAO | All Ordinaries | 3957.3 | 151.5 | 3.98 | 1256.3m |
| XFL | ASX 50 | 4060.5 | 157.8 | 4.04 | 478.7m |
| XJO | ASX 200 | 4001.1 | 155.5 | 4.04 | 1052.4m |
| XKO | ASX 300 | 3977.2 | 154 | 4.03 | 1166.6m |
| XMD | ASX Mid-Cap 50 | 3565 | 122.5 | 3.56 | 327.2m |
| XSO | ASX Small Ordinaries | 1799.8 | 77.3 | 4.49 | 360.7m |
| XTL | ASX 20 | 2441.1 | 101.7 | 4.35 | 172.2m |
| XTO | ASX 100 | 3302.5 | 126.7 | 3.99 | 805.9m |
Market Breadth
| ASX20 | XTO | XJO | XAO | XSO | Market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advances | 19 | 73 | 153 | 305 | 145 | 621 |
| Declines | 2 | 22 | 40 | 114 | 43 | 318 |
| Advancing Volume | 172.8m | 518.1m | 720.1m | 830.4m | 276.7m | 939.6m |
| Declining Volume | 7.8m | 196.6m | 234.3m | 285.1m | 63.9m | 362.1m |
GICS Industry Indices
Among the 11 industry indices, 9 registered an advance for the session, the remaining 2 lost ground.
The best performing index was Materials (XMJ), which added 685.3 points (8.27%) to 8974.4 points. The 45 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 285.16m units; 39 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 257.41m shares, while the 3 decliners had volume traded totalling 5.48m units. The major percentage gainers within the index were
- Platinum Australia (PLA), +$0.24 (63.51%) to $0.61 on volume of 7 million shares;
- Murchison Metals Ltd (MMX), +$0.33 (55.56%) to $0.91 on volume of 2.2 million shares;
- Minara Resources (MRE), +$0.13 (32.5%) to $0.53 on volume of 7.4 million shares;
- Aquarius Platinum (AQP), +$0.53 (22.84%) to $2.85 on volume of 743.2 thousand shares; and
- Avoca Resources (AVO), +$0.26 (22.61%) to $1.41 on volume of 746 thousand shares.
Second in the index leadership stakes was Energy (XEJ), which gained 992.7 points (8.22%) to 13066.1 points. The 19 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 117.04m units; 17 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 65.06m shares, while sole declining stock traded 1.7m units. The major percentage gainers within the index were
- Riversdale Mining (RIV), +$0.53 (20.62%) to $3.10 on volume of 618.2 thousand shares;
- Beach Petroleum (BPT), +$0.13 (16.88%) to $0.90 on volume of 5.4 million shares;
- Oil Search (OSH), +$0.59 (15.9%) to $4.30 on volume of 18.9 million shares;
- Linc Energy Ltd (LNC), +$0.33 (13.47%) to $2.78 on volume of 753.8 thousand shares; and
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), +$4.91 (12.84%) to $43.16 on volume of 3.3 million shares.
The bronze medal for today goes to Property Trusts (XPJ), which climbed 51.6 points (5.64%) to 967 points. The 21 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 260.4m units; 14 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 99.71m shares, while the 5 decliners had volume traded totalling 140.35m units. The major percentage gainers within the index were
- Apn/Uka European Retail Property Group (AEZ), +$0.03 (32.18%) to $0.12 on volume of 2.8 million shares;
- Centro Retail (CER), +$0.02 (18.07%) to $0.10 on volume of 3.4 million shares;
- CFS Retail Property Trust (CFX), +$0.27 (15.61%) to $2.00 on volume of 12.6 million shares;
- Macquarie Office Trust (MOF), +$0.04 (12.07%) to $0.33 on volume of 7 million shares; and
- Westfield Group (WDC), +$1.30 (9.59%) to $14.85 on volume of 7.5 million shares.
The worst-performed index for the session was Information Technology (XIJ), which dipped 11.6 points (2.46%) to 460.3 points. There are only 2 stocks in the index, and they traded a total of 2.96m units. Only one index component fell -
- Computershare (CPU), -$0.24 (2.82%) to $8.26 on volume of 2.7 million shares.
Just missing out on the wooden spoon was Healthcare (XHJ), which slid 94.3 points (1.07%) to 8707.9 points. The 9 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 10.46m units; The 5 decliners had volume traded totalling 7.44m units, and 3 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 1.64m shares, The major percentage decliners within the index were
- Ansell (ANN), -$0.52 (4.15%) to $12.00 on volume of 897 thousand shares;
- Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SIP), -$0.04 (2.66%) to $1.28 on volume of 2.9 million shares;
- CSL (CSL), -$0.74 (2.05%) to $35.44 on volume of 2 million shares;
- Sonic Healthcare (SHL), -$0.07 (0.51%) to $13.60 on volume of 1.1 million shares; and
- Healthscope (HSP), -$0.01 (0.23%) to $4.39 on volume of 450.7 thousand shares.
Sector Indices
| Code | GICS Sector | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XMJ | Materials | 8974.4 | 685.3 | 8.27 | 285m |
| XEJ | Energy | 13066.1 | 992.7 | 8.22 | 117m |
| XPJ | Property Trusts | 967 | 51.6 | 5.64 | 260m |
| XSJ | Consumer Staples | 6516.8 | 259.3 | 4.14 | 43m |
| XNJ | Industrials | 3610.4 | 103.3 | 2.95 | 107m |
| XTJ | Telecommunications | 1385.5 | 33.9 | 2.51 | 52m |
| XXJ | Financials ex Property Trusts | 4509.5 | 77.8 | 1.76 | 104m |
| XUJ | Utilities | 4359.5 | 69.9 | 1.63 | 27m |
| XDJ | Consumer Discretionary | 1257 | 16.9 | 1.36 | 62m |
| XHJ | Healthcare | 8707.9 | -94.3 | -1.07 | 10m |
| XIJ | Information Technology | 460.3 | -11.6 | -2.46 | 3m |
All Ordinaries Major Movers
All Ords Volume Leaders
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPT | GPT Group | 0.79 | -0.06 | -7.06 | 78.2m |
| OZL | OZ Minerals Limited | 1.04 | 0.08 | 8.38 | 53.8m |
| QGC | Queensland Gas Company Limited | 5.75 | 0.00 | 0 | 50.3m |
| TLS | Telstra Corporation Limited. | 4.12 | 0.09 | 2.23 | 41.1m |
| PNA | PanAust Ltd | 0.25 | 0.04 | 19.05 | 31.7m |
All Ords Percentage Gainers
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLA | Platinum Australia Limited | 0.61 | 0.24 | 63.51 | 7m |
| MMX | Murchison Metals Ltd | 0.91 | 0.33 | 55.56 | 2.2m |
| ALB | Albidon Limited | 0.47 | 0.12 | 32.86 | 840.5k |
| MRE | Minara Resources Limited | 0.53 | 0.13 | 32.5 | 7.4m |
| AEZ | Apn/Uka European Retail Property Group | 0.12 | 0.03 | 32.18 | 2.8m |
All Ords Percentage Losers
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RJT | Rubicon Japan Trust | 0.01 | 0.00 | -20 | 2.7m |
| CIY | City Pacific Limited | 0.09 | -0.02 | -17.27 | 624.3k |
| PRU | Perseus Mining Limited | 0.34 | -0.07 | -17.07 | 222.2k |
| NCK | Nick Scali Limited | 0.55 | -0.11 | -16.67 | 508k |
| GJT | Galileo Japan Trust | 0.14 | -0.03 | -15.15 | 2.2m |
