Australian Dollar Gains, Weak Stock Trading Volume

Marcus Jacob
23 Nov, 2012
New York City

Australian markets closed flat and trading volume was weak as many foreign investors were away after markets in Japan and in U.S. were closed. The Australian dollar inched higher to $1.04.

[R]7:30 PM Sydney – Australian markets closed flat and trading volume was weak as many foreign investors were away after markets in Japan and in U.S. were closed. The Australian dollar inched higher to $1.04.[/R]

Australian markets closed flat in quiet trading. Market trading was subdued after the U.S. markets were closed on Thursday and Japanese markets were closed to celebrate a national holiday.

The ASX 200 index edged down 0.10 to 4,413 and the broader All Ordinaries lowered 0.90 to 4,431.52.

Australian dollar inched higher to $1.044.

In stock trading, 1.2 billion shares changed hands worth $2.2 billion and 460 stocks closed higher, 435 fell and 383 were unchanged.

Stock Movers

BHP Billiton Limited gained 6 cents to $33.75 and Rio Tinto Limited increased 10 cents to $57.18.

Lynas Corporation Limited soared 4.5 cents or 6.7% to 72 cents, Iluka Resources slipped 6 cents to $7.88 and Fortescue Metals declined 12 cents to $3.68.

Mirabela Nickel up 0.5 cents to 42.5 cents and Newcrest Mining added 2 cents to $25.35. Kingsgate slumped 11 cents to $4.59 and Whitehaven Coal up 3 cents to $2.81.

Transfield Services slid 1 cent to $1.58 and engineering contractors WorleyParsons decreased 6 cents to $24.55.

Monadelphous Group dropped 30 cents to $21.32.

Oil Search Limited down 2 cents to $6.98 and Santos Limited declined 11 cents to $10.94.

Woodside Petroleum gained 10 cents to $33.64 and Origin Energy Limited slipped 7 cents to $10.56.

Seven West Media gained 2 cents to $1.57. Harvey Norman Holdings down 1 cent to $1.83.

Woolworths increased 4 cents to $28.66 and Kathmandu dropped 4 cents to $1.42.

David Jones Limited lowered 1 cent to $2.43 and Wesfarmers slid 1 cent to $34.93. Breville Group decreased 8 cents to $5.72.

Billabong International Limited surged 5 cents or 5.6% to 94 cents.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia advanced 28 cents to $58.95 and Bank of Queensland slipped 6 cents to $6.89 and ANZ declined 14 cents to $23.60.

Macquarie Group down 3 cents to $31.07 and Perpetual Limited slid 16 cents to $29.99. National Australia Bank lowered 1 cent to $23.63. Westpac jumped 11 cents to $24.94.

Toll Holdings added 2 cents to $4.35, Leighton declined 20 cents to $16.88 and property developer Mirvac Group closed unchanged at $1.46.

Westfield Group gained 2 cents to $10.44.

Qantas slid 1 cent to $1.27, Flight Centre gained 13 cents to $26.58 and Virgin Australia slipped 1 cent to 44.5 cents.

QR National added 3 cents to $3.57 and Telstra closed unchanged at $4.27 after increased of 28.2% in the year so far.