(4.30pm AEST)Investor confidence remained strong today, with the local market managing to hold onto and add to yesterday's 3.5pct gain. Markets around the Asian region were generally firmer, after the Greek parliament approved a contentious property tax law which is crucial to its austerity plan and its commitments to secure bail-out funds. The local share market lost a little steam in afternoon trade but closed higher by 0.8pct, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) adding 34.2pts to 4097....
MIDDAY REPORT (12pm AEST)The Australian sharemarket is gaining for the second straight day with the ASX 200 index (XJO) up 0.5 pct or 20.5 pts to 4025.1 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) is also 0.5 pct or 22.2 pts higher to 4085.7. Shares improved by 3.5 pct yesterday, breaking three consecutive sessions of losses.
AFTERNOON REPORT
(4.30pm AEST)The Australian share market snapped a three day losing streak today, rallying by 3.5pct as investor sentiment was boosted by hopes European leaders will announce fresh measures to address the sovereign debt crisis. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) added 135.9pts to 4063.5, after touching an intra-day high of 4049. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) firmed by 140.7pts or 3.6pct to 4004.6.
The latest Australian Industry Group/Deloitte CEO survey released on Tuesday, "Business Regulation," points to the high and rising cost of complying with regulation for Australian businesses.
MIDDAY REPORT
(12pm AEST)As expected, the Australian share market is wiping out yesterday's falls with the All Ordinaries index (XAO) up 2.9 pct or 114.9 pts to 4042.5. Keep in mind that despite the improvement, the market locally has still lost ground for five of the past seven sessions.
After the Mongolian government stated it wants to acquire a bigger equity in the Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine at a much earlier pace, Rio Tinto has cemented its shareholdings on the company, Ivanhoe Mines, which directly manages the said mining project in Mongolia. Rio Tinto now owns 49 percent of Ivanhoe Mines.
Lumped together the pay checks collected by the top executives of BHP Billiton, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) and Coles for financial year 2010-2011 alone and you’ll get more than $43 million, which is more than enough for an average Australian to last a lifetime.
Mining giant BHP Billiton spent close to $19 million in financial year 2010-2011 for executive salaries, which Chairman John Buchanan described as investments geared to reap more company earnings in the future.
GVK Group of India is set to close the funding requirements for its US $1.2 billion acquisition of Hancock Coal in Australia in the next few weeks.
The Australian securities regulator is investigating Hanlong Mining for suspected insider trading and has obtained freeze order on the assets of company officials.
AFTERNOON REPORT
(4.30pm AEST)The local share market has finished the trading week on a positive note, with the All Ordinaries Index (XAO) adding 7.6pts or 0.2pct to 4277.4 and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (XJO) firmer by 6.7pts or 0.2pct to 4194.7.
The local share market closed marginally higher today, although off earlier gains due to a disappointing jobs report. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) gained 6.9pts or 0.2pct to close at 4269.8 after reaching a high of 4297.9 in early trade.
Australian manufacturer Bega Cheese announced on Wednesday that it inked a five-year agreement with supermarket Chain Coles to sell its cheese products.
Mining firms Rio Tinto and Anglo American Plc will divest their combined 74.5 equities in Palabora Mining Company Limited, whose principal asset is a copper mine in South Africa.
QR National has signed an agreement with eight coal companies for the construction of the $900 million Wiggins Island Rail Project to a new export terminal at Gladstone, South Australia
There is no stopping Australia’s resources boom and it appears that investors are racing to cash-in on the surging profits projected from mining activities, according to the latest figures issued on Friday by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Over 30 per cent of the 214 Proserpine farmers in the co-operative voted against the proposal from Sucrogen to purchase the mill. The proposal had to be met with 75 per cent approval to be passed.
The Australian Coal Association (ACA) on Tuesday has questioned the results of the Grattan Institute research on the impact of the proposed carbon tax on the coal, LNG and steel industries.
A 62-year old man with mesothelioma, a rare cancer caused by inhaling asbestos, has been awarded $1.15 million in compensation by a Victorian Supreme Court jury.
Goodman Fielder has again confirmed why it is one of the great disappointments of Australian business.
Australia's Federal government has approved that BlueScope can draw from the funds allocated for the carbon tax package much earlier than planned.
OneSteel announced on Monday (August 22) that it has forged an agreement with WPG Resources Limited (WPG), acquiring the latter's iron ore assets in northern South Australia for $346 million.
Atlas Iron Limited (ASX Code: AGO) has announced a 50 percent increase in its direct shipping ore (DSO) reserves, to 79.3 metric tons at 57.8% Fe, from its North Pilbara Projects.
MARKET CLOSE
(4.30pm AEST)The Australian sharemarket lost ground for the second time this week, with the ASX 200 index (XJO) falling 1.2 pts or 52.7 pts to 4251.2 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) dropped 1.2 pct or 52.4 pts to 4319.4. This takes the falls for August so far to 4 pct.
MARKET CLOSE
(4.30pm AEST)The Australian sharemarket pulled back in the second half of trade to wipe out a portion of yesterday's stellar gains. The ASX 200 index (XJO) fell 0.8 pct or 35.6 pts to 4247.3 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) dropped 0.7 pct or 29.5 pts to 4317.3.
MARKET CLOSE
(4.30pm AEST)The ASX 200 index (XJO) rose 2.6 pct or 110.3 pts to 4282.9 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) is up 2.6 pct or 108.9 pts to 4346.8. All sectors managed to post solid gains today, with the energy and mining sectors leading the way.
It was another interesting session on the Australian share market, as investors reacted to fresh sovereign debt worries out of Europe and a surprise rise in the local unemployment rate. The All Ordinaries Index (XAO) fell 1.5pct on open, outperforming near 5pct losses witnessed on Wall Street overnight.
MARKET CLOSE
(4.30pm AEST)Well after the strangest of days for the Australian market yesterday, shares locally improved strongly for the second consecutive day. The ASX 200 index (XJO) rose 2.6 pct or 106.5 pts to 4141.3 while the broader All Ordinaries index (XAO) jumped 2.7 pct or 110.7 pts to 4207.4. This takes the gains for the week to just under 1 pct so far.
MIDDAY REPORT
(12.30pm AEST)The Australian sharemarket is gaining for the second straight day, with the All Ordinaries index up 2.9 pct or 117.1 pts to 4213.8. Almost all sectors are higher with the exception of the property trusts, which are slightly lower at lunch.
In the wake of this week's share market meltdown, a new report from Ernst & Young reveals that the threat of higher taxes to be slapped on the the resources sector could weaken the Australian economy, which narrowly escaped the contagion of the financial crises two years ago.
