Note - from June 24th 2009, this blog has migrated from Blogger to a self-hosted version. Click here to go straight there.
The next few days might be quite light on prefatory remarks - as well as trying to change the layout of both the USRant and the OzRant, I have discovered today that I have another reasonably big job to do on the security system for the subscription site. Gaaaah. (Note to subscribers - make sure to whitelist marketmentat.com in your e-mail application - at least one person had to retrieve their activation mail from their SPAM folder).
Well, onward and upward, as they say. today was the usual "Dumb Money At Work" behaviour in the first quarter-hour... as always, eminently fade-able. So let's dispense with further ado...
Major Market Indices
After rushing in like a bull at a gate, the nuffnuffs copped the GatorAde Bottle of Doom up the vord yet again.
The broad market - the All Ordinaries (XAO) - advanced modestly, rising 3.1 points (0.09%), finishing at 3476.5 points. The index hit an intraday high of 3559.1 at 10:12 am, while the low for the day was 3444.6 - set at 11:55 am Sydney time. So the nuffies heard the call of "All Aboard the Dumb Money Express" and didn't realise it was bound for Money Heaven.
Total volume traded on the ASX was 930.7m units, 28.4% below its 10-day average of 1.3bn shares.
The ASX's daily listing of all stocks included 994 different 3-letter FPO's which traded (i.e., had non-zero trade volume). Of these, 380 issues rose, with volume in rising issues totalling 418.1m units; there were 417 declining stocks, which traded aggregate declining volume of 427.6m shares.
Of the 488 All Ordinaries components, 193 rose while 213 fell. Volume was tilted in favour of the losers by a margin of 1.1:1, with 339.26m shares traded in gainers while 375.08m shares traded in the day's losers.
The Index that forms the cash basis for the SPI Futures - the S&P/ASX 200 (XJO) - posted a modest rise of 5.6 points (0.16%), closing out the session at 3533.8 points.
| Name | Close | +/-(%) |
|---|---|---|
| All Ordinaries | 3476.50 | 3.10 (0.1%) |
| ASX 20 | 2130.20 | 3.60 (0.2%) |
| ASX 50 | 3582.00 | 7.10 (0.2%) |
| ASX 100 | 2917.00 | 6.10 (0.2%) |
| ASX 200 | 3533.80 | 5.60 (0.2%) |
| ASX 300 | 3514.70 | 6.10 (0.2%) |
| ASX Mid-Cap 50 | 3171.70 | 9.10 (0.3%) |
| ASX Small Ordinaries | 1597.60 | -4.00 (0.2%) |
The "heavy hitters" of the Australian market - the ASX 20 Leaders (XTL) - advanced by under a percent, adding 3.6 points (0.17%), closing out the session at 2130.2 points.
Among the 20 big guns, 9 index components finished to the upside, and 12 lost ground. The stocks which make up the index traded a total of 142.69m units; 9 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 63.09m shares, while the 12 decliners had volume traded totalling 79.6m units. The major percentage gainers within the index were
- Brambles (BXB), +$0.44 (6.69%) to $7.02 on volume of 4.7 million shares;
- Macquarie Group (MQG), +$1.36 (5.19%) to $27.57 on volume of 1.4 million shares;
- Suncorp-Metway. (SUN), +$0.32 (4.26%) to $7.83 on volume of 1.9 million shares;
- BHP Billiton (BHP), +$0.78 (2.89%) to $27.81 on volume of 19.3 million shares; and
- Westpac Banking Corporation (WBC), +$0.40 (2.48%) to $16.50 on volume of 14.6 million shares.
On the less salubrious side of the big-cap fence, the following stocks were the worst-performed within the index:
- Stockland (SGP), -$0.24 (6%) to $3.76 on volume of 6.4 million shares;
- Rio Tinto (RIO), -$2.2 (5.64%) to $36.80 on volume of 9 million shares;
- Westfield Group (WDC), -$0.64 (4.49%) to $13.60 on volume of 7.2 million shares;
- CSL (CSL), -$1.39 (4.19%) to $31.80 on volume of 1.6 million shares; and
- Woodside Petroleum (WPL), -$1.03 (3.18%) to $31.38 on volume of 2.4 million shares.
The ASX Small Ordinaries (XSO) lost ground even as the Top20 posted a gain. The Small Ords slid modestly, falling 4 points (0.25%), closing out the session at 1597.6 points.
Among the stocks that make up the Small Caps index, 93 index components finished to the upside, and of the rest, 99 closed lower for the session.
The 208 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 211.52m units: volume in the 93 gainers totalling 91.9m shares, with trade totalling 105.32m units in the index's 99 declining components. The major percentage gainers within the index were- Admiralty Resources NL (ADY), +$0.00 (22.22%) to $0.01 on volume of 10 million shares;
- Kingsgate Consolidated (KCN), +$0.33 (14.54%) to $2.60 on volume of 142.6 thousand shares;
- Galileo Japan Trust (GJT), +$0.01 (12.86%) to $0.08 on volume of 225.5 thousand shares;
- Tishman Speyer Office Fund (TSO), +$0.03 (12.5%) to $0.23 on volume of 1.1 million shares; and
- Karoon Gas Australia (KAR), +$0.22 (9.78%) to $2.47 on volume of 288.4 thousand shares.
In the red-zone of the little-stock index, the following list represents the biggest downers (in terms of percentage decline):
- Albidon (ALB), -$0.06 (33.33%) to $0.12 on volume of 2.6 million shares;
- Record Realty (RRT), -$0 (20%) to $0.01 on volume of 327.3 thousand shares;
- Compass Resources (CMR), -$0.04 (13.73%) to $0.22 on volume of 551.5 thousand shares;
- Becton Property Group (BEC), -$0.02 (11.54%) to $0.12 on volume of 1.1 million shares; and
- Australian Education Trust (AEU), -$0.02 (10.53%) to $0.17 on volume of 370.6 thousand shares.
Index Changes
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XAO | All Ordinaries | 3476.5 | 3.1 | 0.09 | 782.7m |
| XFL | ASX 50 | 3582 | 7.1 | 0.2 | 312.8m |
| XJO | ASX 200 | 3533.8 | 5.6 | 0.16 | 676.7m |
| XKO | ASX 300 | 3514.7 | 6.1 | 0.17 | 747.3m |
| XMD | ASX Mid-Cap 50 | 3171.7 | 9.1 | 0.29 | 234.1m |
| XSO | ASX Small Ordinaries | 1597.6 | -4 | -0.25 | 200.4m |
| XTL | ASX 20 | 2130.2 | 3.6 | 0.17 | 136.3m |
| XTO | ASX 100 | 2917 | 6.1 | 0.21 | 546.9m |
Market Breadth
| ASX20 | XTO | XJO | XAO | XSO | Market | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advances | 9 | 47 | 91 | 193 | 93 | 380 |
| Declines | 12 | 45 | 102 | 213 | 99 | 417 |
| Advancing Volume | 63.1m | 251.6m | 297.3m | 339.3m | 91.9m | 418.1m |
| Declining Volume | 79.6m | 260.9m | 337.9m | 375.1m | 105.3m | 427.6m |
GICS Industry Indices
Among the 11 industry indices, it was pretty much even stevens, with a very slight lead to the duds... the 5 that had an "up" day were just shaded by the remaining 6 which didn't.
The best performing index was Information Technology (XIJ), which added 21.4 points (6.11%) to 371.8 points. This index only contains 2 stocks; they traded a total of 3.86m units today. Both index components rose -
- Computershare (CPU), +$0.41 (6.66%) to $6.57 on volume of 3.4 million shares; and
- Iress Market Technology (IRE), +$0.09 (2.18%) to $4.21 on volume of 447.6 thousand shares.
Second in the index leadership stakes was Industrials (XNJ), which gained 75.1 points (2.56%) to 3005.4 points. The 32 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 115.91m units; 18 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 52.43m shares, while the 13 decliners had volume traded totalling 57.82m units. The major percentage gainers within the index were
- Transfield Services (TSE), +$0.40 (29.41%) to $1.76 on volume of 10.2 million shares;
- Leighton Holdings (LEI), +$1.56 (7.68%) to $21.86 on volume of 1.3 million shares;
- Brambles (BXB), +$0.44 (6.69%) to $7.02 on volume of 4.7 million shares;
- Bradken (BKN), +$0.20 (5.99%) to $3.54 on volume of 237.8 thousand shares; and
- Toll Holdings (TOL), +$0.29 (5.27%) to $5.79 on volume of 1.7 million shares.
The bronze medal for today goes to Consumer Discretionary (XDJ), which climbed 23.2 points (2.12%) to 1115.5 points. The 23 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 39.37m units; 13 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 22.68m shares, while the 8 decliners had volume traded totalling 10.13m units. The major percentage gainers within the index were
- Fairfax Media (FXJ), +$0.12 (8.7%) to $1.50 on volume of 6.4 million shares;
- Flight Centre (FLT), +$0.64 (7.85%) to $8.79 on volume of 366.2 thousand shares;
- JB Hi-Fi (JBH), +$0.56 (7.11%) to $8.44 on volume of 529.7 thousand shares;
- Harvey Norman Holdings (HVN), +$0.15 (7.04%) to $2.28 on volume of 5.2 million shares; and
- David Jones (DJS), +$0.17 (6.3%) to $2.87 on volume of 1.6 million shares.
The worst-performed index for the session was Property Trusts (XPJ), which dipped 39.4 points (4.08%) to 927.4 points. The 21 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 144.09m units; The 12 decliners had volume traded totalling 99.76m units, and 5 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 12.42m shares, The major percentage decliners within the index were
- Macquarie Countrywide Trust (MCW), -$0.04 (14%) to $0.22 on volume of 6.8 million shares;
- CFS Retail Property Trust (CFX), -$0.13 (6.31%) to $1.93 on volume of 10.7 million shares;
- Stockland (SGP), -$0.24 (6%) to $3.76 on volume of 6.4 million shares;
- Abacus Property Group (ABP), -$0.02 (5.88%) to $0.24 on volume of 3 million shares; and
- Goodman Group (GMG), -$0.05 (4.79%) to $0.90 on volume of 14.4 million shares.
Just missing out on the wooden spoon was Healthcare (XHJ), which slid 215.6 points (2.59%) to 8098.5 points. The 9 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 10.44m units; The 5 decliners had volume traded totalling 6.1m units, and 4 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 4.34m shares, The major percentage decliners within the index were
- Sigma Pharmaceuticals Ltd (SIP), -$0.1 (8.09%) to $1.08 on volume of 2.3 million shares;
- CSL (CSL), -$1.39 (4.19%) to $31.80 on volume of 1.6 million shares;
- Cochlear (COH), -$0.7 (1.3%) to $53.30 on volume of 287.5 thousand shares;
- Sonic Healthcare (SHL), -$0.16 (1.2%) to $13.12 on volume of 1.4 million shares; and
- Healthscope (HSP), -$0.02 (0.5%) to $4.00 on volume of 523.9 thousand shares.
Third-to-last amongst the sector indices was Utilities (XUJ), which slid 55.2 points (1.27%) to 4292.5 points. The 11 stocks which make up the index traded a total of 54.28m units; The 7 decliners had volume traded totalling 8.27m units, and 4 index components rose, with rising volume amounting to 46.02m shares, The major percentage decliners within the index were
- Energy World Corporation Ltd (EWC), -$0.02 (5.17%) to $0.28 on volume of 2 million shares;
- Babcock & Brown Wind Partners Group (BBW), -$0.04 (5.06%) to $0.75 on volume of 1.6 million shares;
- APA Group (APA), -$0.09 (3.41%) to $2.55 on volume of 396.8 thousand shares;
- Envestra (ENV), -$0.02 (3.12%) to $0.47 on volume of 625.9 thousand shares; and
- Spark Infrastructure Group (SKI), -$0.04 (2.59%) to $1.32 on volume of 2.3 million shares.
Sector Indices
| Code | GICS Sector | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XIJ | Information Technology | 371.8 | 21.4 | 6.11 | 4m |
| XNJ | Industrials | 3005.4 | 75.1 | 2.56 | 116m |
| XDJ | Consumer Discretionary | 1115.5 | 23.2 | 2.12 | 39m |
| XMJ | Materials | 7906.2 | 104 | 1.33 | 156m |
| XXJ | Financials ex Property Trusts | 3762.6 | 33.2 | 0.89 | 63m |
| XTJ | Telecommunications | 1378.5 | -7.1 | -0.51 | 34m |
| XEJ | Energy | 11495.4 | -129.1 | -1.11 | 38m |
| XSJ | Consumer Staples | 6106 | -75.9 | -1.23 | 25m |
| XUJ | Utilities | 4292.5 | -55.2 | -1.27 | 54m |
| XHJ | Healthcare | 8098.5 | -215.6 | -2.59 | 10m |
| XPJ | Property Trusts | 927.4 | -39.4 | -4.08 | 144m |
All Ordinaries Major Movers
All Ords Volume Leaders
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BBI | Babcock & Brown Infrastructure Group | 0.09 | 0.01 | 5.88 | 35m |
| TLS | Telstra Corporation. | 4.11 | -0.03 | -0.72 | 30.4m |
| GPT | GPT Group | 0.84 | -0.02 | -1.76 | 26.7m |
| FMG | Fortescue Metals Group Ltd | 2.71 | 0.21 | 8.4 | 22.1m |
| BHP | BHP Billiton | 27.81 | 0.78 | 2.89 | 19.3m |
All Ords Percentage Gainers
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PGA | Photon Group | 1.30 | 0.30 | 30 | 49.6k |
| TSE | Transfield Services | 1.76 | 0.40 | 29.41 | 10.2m |
| ADY | Admiralty Resources NL | 0.01 | 0.00 | 22.22 | 10m |
| HZN | HORIZON OIL NL | 0.15 | 0.03 | 20 | 225.5k |
| OIF | Orchard Industrial Property Fund | 0.21 | 0.03 | 16.67 | 938.3k |
All Ords Percentage Losers
| Code | Name | Close | +/- | % | Volume |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EBB | Everest Babcock & Brown | 0.05 | -0.03 | -37.5 | 1.2m |
| ALB | Albidon | 0.12 | -0.06 | -33.33 | 2.6m |
| CPR | Clive Peeters | 0.06 | -0.02 | -25 | 886k |
| RRT | Record Realty | 0.01 | 0.00 | -20 | 327.3k |
| PBD | Port Bouvard | 0.24 | -0.06 | -18.97 | 396k |
